I realised that I needed new cables when I saw that my 35 year old Monster leads had turned from a shiny copper into a dull green colour - oxidisation in action. Having not looked at the cable market for many years the myriad of options available was pretty daunting. Every manufacturer seemed to have developed their own particular technology to deliver the perfect sound. Where to start? The internet was rife with opinions that cables made no difference and claims that it was all 'snake oil'. However I set myself a price point (which I eventually broke) and set about my auditions. I quickly learnt that all the cables I tried did sound different. In fairness I don't think I tried a bad cable, but whatever the claims, some clearly worked better in my system, and/or suited my room acoustics and hearing better than others. By chance I saw an advert for the Hi Diamond 7s, and although a little beyond my price point a visit to the Elite Audio web site confirmed a range of their cables at different prices. Rachel at Elite was was very helpful in describing the cable attributes and eventually I chose a pair of HD3s which were custom made and delivered within a fortnight (including 200 hours of being run-in by the shop). The cables were delivered carriage free with the whole ordering process completely hassle free. The cables themselves are fairly 'chunky' - however they are very flexible and so were easy to route around a couple of tight corners that I had. They have a sparkly gold dust coating, so they certainly make an impression. They are terminated with gold plated banana connectors, and the overall finish is first rate. Immediately I plugged the cables into my system I was struck by their rhythmic drive. These cables delivered a fantastic level of energy through my speakers. Not only did they have a (very) deep and taught bass, but a rich mid range and sweet top end. What really struck me was the textures of the instruments and voices that these cables were able to convey. However the warmth and texture of the sound was never at the expense of the edge or attack of a guitar string twang. There was no element of having to compromise one aspect of sound in the interests of another. On top of that, everything was portrayed across a fabulously open sound stage. These cables seemed to have it all. Within a few seconds of spinning my favourite Art Pepper CD my foot was spontaneously tapping away, something none of the other cables had managed to do. At that moment I knew these were the cables for me. I am absolutely delighted with these cables, which appear to genuinely deliver on the claims made in the promotional material. All the cables in the range utilise the same 4 times baking technology which it is claimed provides the warm yet detailed sound, so hopefully there will be an ' affordable' pair for most people. Hi Diamond cables are not widely available, and reviews are few and far between, but I think they make a compelling case to be auditioned. Elite Audio provides the assurance of a 30 day money back guarantee, so the whole process is risk free in case, for whatever reason, you decide they are not for you. I have been very impressed with the select range of equipment and accessories stocked by Elite Audio. Although often not mainstream hi fi names, the equipment appears to have been carefully chosen for its sonic characteristics rather than brand popularity, and I would happily purchase from Elite Audio again. Both Elite Audio and Hi Diamond cables are thoroughly recommended.