Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII Audio Cable Pair
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Item code: Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII
Inc. VAT (20%) · Ex. VAT: £166.66 Ex. VAT · Inc. VAT (20%):
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SPEAKER CABLES:
A quantity of 2 means you will receive a pair of speaker cables e.g. for your front left and front right speakers. By entering a quantity of 1, you will get a cable for a single speaker e.g. centre speaker and this option also enables you to vary the length (and termination) of your cable for each speaker.
OTHER CABLES:
A quantity of 1 means you will receive a single cable in the case of aerial, satellite, subwoofer, digital coaxial & optical cables and a pair of cables in the case of 2 rca to 2 rca analogue audio cables.
NON-CABLE PRODUCTS:
A quantity of 1 means you will receive 1 of the specified products.
Order before 4pm (Mon–Fri) for same-day dispatch
Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII Audio Cable
The FIRST ® Ultimate MKII is a threefold heavier shielded version of our highly praised classic The FIRST ® MKII (world’s first METAL FREE interlink) and has been designed for highest quality (unbalanced / asymmetric) line level audio and SPDIF digital audio connections. With The FIRST ® Ultimate the sonic results are so different and also so much better than found with any metal product we know of, that we think this is a complete breakthrough in cable technology. Besides the many highly innovative technical aspects of this product, its sonic aspects are even more attractive: Especially the lack of dynamic compression on higher signal levels, the extended low level information and the total lack of any harshness make this cable so different from any other product known so far, and for critical listeners with high demands on spatial reproduction, this is your final choice; no other product so far produced, renders so much spatial information as The FIRST ® Ultimate MKII .
The basic conductor material is Linear Structured Carbon ® (LSC). The coaxial constructed The FIRST ® Ultimate MKII has a LSC centre conductor with 12,000 individually insulated 7 micron strands with a total diameter of 1 mm. The individual strand insulation prevents electrons to cross from fibre to fibre. The direct result is that electrons exclusively move trough the 7 micron strands in one dimension. Side movements are virtually impossible. This prevents a lot of audio problems. Sonic result: a much cleaner sound reproduction. The center core insulation is made of polyethylene foam to achieve a low capacitance between the inner and outer group with minimal dielectric absorption. In difference to our The FIRST ®, The FIRST ® Ultimate’s outer braiding, functioning as screen and signal return, is made of 6 (instead of 2) layers of braided LSC fibres. Together 114,000 individually insulated fibres.
The jacket is made of light yellow coloured HULLIFLEX ® 4 with black type printing. HULLIFLEX ® 4 provides a superb mechanical protection and exhibits a very high chemical stability. The result of all this innovative work is a product without any defects. Thus far in any combination of equipment, the improvements were very clearly detectable, and this not just for experienced listeners. The FIRST ® Ultimate performs equipment independently. All owners will be really happy with their sound reproduction for the first time in their life. Also as a digital interlink, The FIRST ® Ultimate performs unsurpassed. The typical interface induced jitter-distortion is definitively finished.
You will remember the day and hour of your first listening to The FIRST ® Ultimate MKII. Why is The FIRST ® Ultimate equipped with a heavier shield? With our classic The FIRST ® connecting to some brands of tube amplifiers in very rare occasions a slight background hum is audible. This weak hum is caused by excessive ground currents flowing through the (unbalanced) cable’s resistive shield, adding up to the audio signal. The FIRST ® Ultimate’s MKII heavier shield exhibits a much reduced electrical series resistance, thus minimizing the risk of experiencing hum problems. What are these so called “ground currents”? Due to the fact that most audio equipment in your installation is powered by the mains voltage, an unavoidable hum voltage residual is induced on all cabinets and audio grounds. At all audio devices these residual voltages are of different magnitude (or phase) and will balance out by means of ground currents flowing through the shields of your interconnecting cables. Generally, these ground currents are in the same order of magnitude as the audio signal currents being transferred (microAmperes); When using unbalanced interconnects they are likely to interfere, thereby reducing transparency and imaging. The external diameter of The FIRST ® Ultimate is 7.8 mm., perfectly matching our C - 8.0 RCA type connector. Available: 0.8 and 1.0 meter, single packed (for digital audio interface applications (SPDIF)) and stereo pair packed with our RCA type connectors.
Specifications:
- Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII Audio Cable
- Cable Type: Coaxial
- Conductor Material: Linear Structured Carbon ®
- Design Purpose/ Application Area(s): Highest quality line level audio interlink / SPDIF digital audio interconnect (75 Ohm) (*)
- Eff. Conductor Ø/Eq. AWG No./Strands: - / - / Core: 12,000; Screen: 114,000
- External Diameter / Dimensions: 7.8 mm
- Resistance 20 °C / 68 °F: Core: ~36 Ohm/m.; Screen: ~4.8 Ohm/m
- Capacitance: 61 pF/m
- Insulation / Dielectric Strength / Test Voltage: Core: PE foam; Jacket: HULLIFLEX ® 4 / 300 Vrms min
- Connector Types Suitable: Our RCA type C - 8.0
- Standard Sales Units / Lengths: Stereo pair packed with RCA (unbalanced) connectors in 0.8 and 1.0 m. Single packed for SPDIF transport-dac purposes with RCA connectors in 0.8 and 1.0m
- Jacket Colours Available: Light yellow
- Remarks: Connectors need to be factory mounted. (*): For short distances only and exhibits an excellent impedance mismatch reflection damping. The FIRST ® Ultimate is currently sold in its mark 2 version (Mk II as printed on the cable). There is absolutely no difference in sound quality or electrical or mechanical properties between the original and the newer Mk II version. The latter merely has a thin foil added directly underneath the cable jacket, which facilitates our connector mounting process. Other types available in our “The FIRST ®” series: The FIRST ® Metal Screen
About Van den Hul
Dutch maker of moving coil cartridges, interconnects and speaker cables, known for its Linear Structured Carbon conductors.
Van den Hul is based in Vaassen in the Netherlands and makes moving coil phono cartridges, audio cables, electronics and accessories. Its cables run from interconnects such as The First and The Second to The Third speaker cable. Van den Hul describes its manufacturing as taking place exclusively in Western Europe.
Read more about Van den Hul Show less
Carbon as a conductor material
Linear Structured Carbon, or LSC, is Van den Hul's patented conductor technology, and it has its own cable line. It sits apart from copper and silver designs, which gives the carbon cables a different construction from most of the cables you may be comparing them with.
Fusion, hybrid and multi-metal conductors
The Fusion series uses Fusion Technology conductor material, and the Hybrid collection covers cables that combine materials. 3T, or True Transmission Technology, is a multi-metal conductor design. Van den Hul also lists Tunnel Technology among its cable technologies. Together these give you several constructions to choose from within the catalogue, not a single conductor type.
Cartridges as well as cables
Van den Hul also makes moving coil cartridges. The range includes The Colibri, The Condor, The Crimson, The Canary, The Grasshopper and the Frog series. A vinyl listener can therefore choose a cartridge and the cables to go with it from the same maker.
Why we stock Van den Hul
Van den Hul have used Linear Structured Carbon as a conductor since long before carbon became fashionable, which gives their cables a character you will not find in copper or silver designs. They were already well established in Europe when we took them on in 2007, and they remain one of the genuinely different voices we carry.
New cables (even high-quality ones) benefit from a period of signal conditioning before reaching their optimum performance. The dielectric (insulation) around the conductors needs time to stabilise under the electromagnetic field created by signal flow. Rather than leaving this to you, we run cables on our Nordost Vidar burn-in machine before dispatch, up to the equivalent of 200 hours of use, in a fraction of the time. Your cable arrives performance-ready from the first listen.
Specifications:
- Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII Audio Cable
- Cable Type: Coaxial
- Conductor Material: Linear Structured Carbon ®
- Design Purpose/ Application Area(s): Highest quality line level audio interlink / SPDIF digital audio interconnect (75 Ohm) (*)
- Eff. Conductor Ø/Eq. AWG No./Strands: - / - / Core: 12,000; Screen: 114,000
- External Diameter / Dimensions: 7.8 mm
- Resistance 20 °C / 68 °F: Core: ~36 Ohm/m.; Screen: ~4.8 Ohm/m
- Capacitance: 61 pF/m
- Insulation / Dielectric Strength / Test Voltage: Core: PE foam; Jacket: HULLIFLEX ® 4 / 300 Vrms min
- Connector Types Suitable: Our RCA type C - 8.0
- Standard Sales Units / Lengths: Stereo pair packed with RCA (unbalanced) connectors in 0.8 and 1.0 m. Single packed for SPDIF transport-dac purposes with RCA connectors in 0.8 and 1.0m
- Jacket Colours Available: Light yellow
- Remarks: Connectors need to be factory mounted. (*): For short distances only and exhibits an excellent impedance mismatch reflection damping. The FIRST ® Ultimate is currently sold in its mark 2 version (Mk II as printed on the cable). There is absolutely no difference in sound quality or electrical or mechanical properties between the original and the newer Mk II version. The latter merely has a thin foil added directly underneath the cable jacket, which facilitates our connector mounting process. Other types available in our “The FIRST ®” series: The FIRST ® Metal Screen
We use Royal Mail 1st Class services for our Standard Delivery.
Orders received before 4.30 pm Monday to Friday are usually dispatched the same day by FIRST CLASS post (unless premium postal or timed courier services are selected), subject to stock availability. This does not apply to custom-length cables and speaker cables as these require a longer timescale to terminate. This also excludes all cables selected for the burn-in service. Please note, we do not process orders on national holidays in the UK. Over 98% of our orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays.
Standard delivery is usually within 2 working days, although 98% of all orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays. In extreme cases, such as delivery to the Highlands and Islands, this may take 3 days.
All items are fully insured and come with an invoice from Future Shop. We use the Royal Mail for delivery of small packages and DPD Local or DHL for items that weigh over 2KG. Items over 2KG are fully insured and will usually be delivered within 48 hours of placing your order subject to stock availability. For international orders, we use FedEx or DHL services where customers have selected this option.
Please note, special orders for non-standard cable lengths may be subject to longer deliver time-scales. This may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
We offer 'Free delivery on orders over £99' subject to the following terms & conditions:
- Applies only to orders with £99 or more of items (including VAT at the UK rate), at Future Shop
- Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK (excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL).
- Applies only to deliveries to addresses within mainland UK and Northern Ireland addresses. Applies only to orders that are to be delivered to a single Mainland UK delivery address.
- You will not be eligible for free delivery on your order if any items are cancelled or returned for a refund, bringing the total order amount below £99. Where items are returned, the refund due will be the cost of the item less any postage costs.
- We reserve the right to change or discontinue 'Free delivery on orders over £99 promotion at any time.
- FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £99 OFFER DOES NOT APPLY TO TRADE CUSTOMERS.
UK Postal & Delivery Charges - FIRST CLASS
Free UK delivery on all orders over £99*
| Weight | Price (FIRST CLASS UK POSTAGE) |
| 0g - 1000g | £3.95 |
| 1000g - 1400g | £4.95 |
| 1400g - 1800g | £5.95 |
| 1800g - 2000g | £6.95 |
| 2000g - 3000g | £8.95 |
* Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK.
Free Delivery for orders over £99 excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL.
Special Delivery UK - Guaranteed Next Working Day
We have 99.9% of the UK covered With Royal Mail Next Day Special Delivery. We guarantee delivery to most UK addresses by 1pm the next working day. This includes Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey. Some places take longer to deliver to but we still guarantee delivery within three working days by 5.30 PM.
Please note, Royal Mail Special Delivery for next working day may not be possible where non-standard cable lengths are ordered. If this is the case, the item will be shipped via The Royal Mail Special Delivery service as soon as the cable is custom made.
For orders weighing over 2KG, we reserve the right to ship items using Next Day Pre-Noon Courier Services where Royal Mail Special Delivery option has been selected.
Channel Islands & Northern Ireland
We accept orders from all Channel Islands including Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. Unless you select a premium service, Items weighing under 2KG are delivered using our standard UK delivery option above. For items weighing over 2KG, a surcharge may be applied for all deliveries to the Channel Islands as well as Northern Ireland.
European Countries
Deliveries to EU member states are not subject to 20% VAT after December 31st 2020 and therefore the 20% VAT on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.
The customer will be liable for the VAT at the local VAT rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee if applicable. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 3 to 5 working days
- Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7-10 working days
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Economy - Item are usually delivered within 48 to 72 hours
We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.
Worldwide - Excluding UK & Europe
Deliveries outside of the UK are not subject to 20% VAT and so the 20% tax on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.
If applicable, the customer will be liable for the taxes at the local tax rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7 to 10 working days
- Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 15 working days
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm in order to ship items the same day, subject to stock availability
- Where the actual weight of the package significantly exceeds the shipping cost charged on orders, we may write to you for an additional shipping charge. For larger orders, items may be shipped in multiple packets at our discretion
We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Enhance Your Experience: Free Cable Burn-In Service with Nordost VIDAR Machine
Please take note of the following details regarding our cable burn-in service:
- Cable Compatibility: We regret to inform you that we cannot burn-in cables with stripped bare ends or BFA plugs. In order for cables to undergo the burn-in process, they should be terminated or have connectors.
- Timing: Cables will be burnt in for the selected period after processing your order. For custom-length cables, the burn-in process will occur after they have been terminated by the manufacturer or our engineers unless specified otherwise in the product description.
- Availability: Future Shop provides our cable burn-in service free of charge, but its availability is at our discretion. While we strive to fulfil all burn-in requests for the specified time periods, please understand that during exceptionally busy periods, we may be unable to meet the demand due to limited connections on the Nordost Vidar cable conditioning machines.
The Nordost VIDAR cable burn-in machine integrates three key functions into one operation:
- Charge Neutralisation: It eliminates charges that accumulate around the cables and their insulation, ensuring a more balanced electrical environment.
- Deep Conditioning: The machine provides a wide band and deep conditioning process that affects the conductor core, resulting in changes to the signal transmission through the metal. This deep conditioning enhances the cable's performance.
- Ultrasonic Surface Conditioning: The VIDAR machine utilizes ultrasonic waves to condition the surface of the conductors, optimizing their contact and overall conductivity.
The VIDAR employs a proprietary combination of composite and complex signals to condition the cables. These signals comprise ultra-low and ultra-high frequencies, extending beyond the range of video frequencies. The signal moves back and forth along the cable, penetrating deep into the core with ultra-low frequencies and traversing the surface with ultra-high frequencies. This transmission method generates beat harmonics between the two complex waveforms, which permeate all layers of the cable. The circuitry of the VIDAR also drives electrons from the conductor into the insulation area, neutralizing electrical charges.
So, what does this all mean for you?
The ultimate outcome of conditioning cables with the Nordost VIDAR is improved sound staging, increased detail, and an overall more musical presentation in your audio system.
Now, you may wonder why cable burn-in is necessary. During cable manufacturing, gasses become trapped as insulation is applied over the conductors. Additionally, new cables often possess high electrical charges, resulting in a brittle and bright sound that lacks the desired detail and depth for music production.
When cables undergo burn-in, the trapped gasses are dissipated, and small impurities in the conductor metals begin to exhibit diode-like behaviour, favouring current flow in a specific direction.
Here are the physical effects of the burn-in process:
- Charge Neutralisation: The burn-in process neutralizes charges in the conductors and insulation, promoting a more balanced electrical environment.
- Wide Bandwidth Frequencies: The conditioning affects how signals pass through the metal, enabling a wider range of frequencies to penetrate all cable layers.
- Signal Transmission: The burn-in process establishes the directionality of the cable, optimizing signal transmission from one end to the other.
When cables are properly burnt in, you can expect the following audible changes in your audio system:
- Fuller and Natural Sound: Your system should be capable of producing a more immersive and realistic performance with a fuller and more natural sound.
- Increased Detail: You may notice enhanced details and nuances in the music, allowing you to perceive subtle elements that were previously hidden.
- Improved Soundstage: The dimensionality of your system's soundstage can be greatly improved, creating a more spacious and immersive listening experience.
At Future Shop, our goal is to maximise your satisfaction. That's why we offer a free burn-in service on all our cables before they arrive at your door, enabling you to sit back and enjoy the benefits of properly conditioned cables in your audio system.
READ MORE ABOUT THE NORDOST VIDAR CABLE TREATMENT
Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII Audio Cable
The FIRST ® Ultimate MKII is a threefold heavier shielded version of our highly praised classic The FIRST ® MKII (world’s first METAL FREE interlink) and has been designed for highest quality (unbalanced / asymmetric) line level audio and SPDIF digital audio connections. With The FIRST ® Ultimate the sonic results are so different and also so much better than found with any metal product we know of, that we think this is a complete breakthrough in cable technology. Besides the many highly innovative technical aspects of this product, its sonic aspects are even more attractive: Especially the lack of dynamic compression on higher signal levels, the extended low level information and the total lack of any harshness make this cable so different from any other product known so far, and for critical listeners with high demands on spatial reproduction, this is your final choice; no other product so far produced, renders so much spatial information as The FIRST ® Ultimate MKII .
The basic conductor material is Linear Structured Carbon ® (LSC). The coaxial constructed The FIRST ® Ultimate MKII has a LSC centre conductor with 12,000 individually insulated 7 micron strands with a total diameter of 1 mm. The individual strand insulation prevents electrons to cross from fibre to fibre. The direct result is that electrons exclusively move trough the 7 micron strands in one dimension. Side movements are virtually impossible. This prevents a lot of audio problems. Sonic result: a much cleaner sound reproduction. The center core insulation is made of polyethylene foam to achieve a low capacitance between the inner and outer group with minimal dielectric absorption. In difference to our The FIRST ®, The FIRST ® Ultimate’s outer braiding, functioning as screen and signal return, is made of 6 (instead of 2) layers of braided LSC fibres. Together 114,000 individually insulated fibres.
The jacket is made of light yellow coloured HULLIFLEX ® 4 with black type printing. HULLIFLEX ® 4 provides a superb mechanical protection and exhibits a very high chemical stability. The result of all this innovative work is a product without any defects. Thus far in any combination of equipment, the improvements were very clearly detectable, and this not just for experienced listeners. The FIRST ® Ultimate performs equipment independently. All owners will be really happy with their sound reproduction for the first time in their life. Also as a digital interlink, The FIRST ® Ultimate performs unsurpassed. The typical interface induced jitter-distortion is definitively finished.
You will remember the day and hour of your first listening to The FIRST ® Ultimate MKII. Why is The FIRST ® Ultimate equipped with a heavier shield? With our classic The FIRST ® connecting to some brands of tube amplifiers in very rare occasions a slight background hum is audible. This weak hum is caused by excessive ground currents flowing through the (unbalanced) cable’s resistive shield, adding up to the audio signal. The FIRST ® Ultimate’s MKII heavier shield exhibits a much reduced electrical series resistance, thus minimizing the risk of experiencing hum problems. What are these so called “ground currents”? Due to the fact that most audio equipment in your installation is powered by the mains voltage, an unavoidable hum voltage residual is induced on all cabinets and audio grounds. At all audio devices these residual voltages are of different magnitude (or phase) and will balance out by means of ground currents flowing through the shields of your interconnecting cables. Generally, these ground currents are in the same order of magnitude as the audio signal currents being transferred (microAmperes); When using unbalanced interconnects they are likely to interfere, thereby reducing transparency and imaging. The external diameter of The FIRST ® Ultimate is 7.8 mm., perfectly matching our C - 8.0 RCA type connector. Available: 0.8 and 1.0 meter, single packed (for digital audio interface applications (SPDIF)) and stereo pair packed with our RCA type connectors.
Specifications:
- Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII Audio Cable
- Cable Type: Coaxial
- Conductor Material: Linear Structured Carbon ®
- Design Purpose/ Application Area(s): Highest quality line level audio interlink / SPDIF digital audio interconnect (75 Ohm) (*)
- Eff. Conductor Ø/Eq. AWG No./Strands: - / - / Core: 12,000; Screen: 114,000
- External Diameter / Dimensions: 7.8 mm
- Resistance 20 °C / 68 °F: Core: ~36 Ohm/m.; Screen: ~4.8 Ohm/m
- Capacitance: 61 pF/m
- Insulation / Dielectric Strength / Test Voltage: Core: PE foam; Jacket: HULLIFLEX ® 4 / 300 Vrms min
- Connector Types Suitable: Our RCA type C - 8.0
- Standard Sales Units / Lengths: Stereo pair packed with RCA (unbalanced) connectors in 0.8 and 1.0 m. Single packed for SPDIF transport-dac purposes with RCA connectors in 0.8 and 1.0m
- Jacket Colours Available: Light yellow
- Remarks: Connectors need to be factory mounted. (*): For short distances only and exhibits an excellent impedance mismatch reflection damping. The FIRST ® Ultimate is currently sold in its mark 2 version (Mk II as printed on the cable). There is absolutely no difference in sound quality or electrical or mechanical properties between the original and the newer Mk II version. The latter merely has a thin foil added directly underneath the cable jacket, which facilitates our connector mounting process. Other types available in our “The FIRST ®” series: The FIRST ® Metal Screen
About Van den Hul
Dutch maker of moving coil cartridges, interconnects and speaker cables, known for its Linear Structured Carbon conductors.
Van den Hul is based in Vaassen in the Netherlands and makes moving coil phono cartridges, audio cables, electronics and accessories. Its cables run from interconnects such as The First and The Second to The Third speaker cable. Van den Hul describes its manufacturing as taking place exclusively in Western Europe.
Read more about Van den Hul Show less
Carbon as a conductor material
Linear Structured Carbon, or LSC, is Van den Hul's patented conductor technology, and it has its own cable line. It sits apart from copper and silver designs, which gives the carbon cables a different construction from most of the cables you may be comparing them with.
Fusion, hybrid and multi-metal conductors
The Fusion series uses Fusion Technology conductor material, and the Hybrid collection covers cables that combine materials. 3T, or True Transmission Technology, is a multi-metal conductor design. Van den Hul also lists Tunnel Technology among its cable technologies. Together these give you several constructions to choose from within the catalogue, not a single conductor type.
Cartridges as well as cables
Van den Hul also makes moving coil cartridges. The range includes The Colibri, The Condor, The Crimson, The Canary, The Grasshopper and the Frog series. A vinyl listener can therefore choose a cartridge and the cables to go with it from the same maker.
Why we stock Van den Hul
Van den Hul have used Linear Structured Carbon as a conductor since long before carbon became fashionable, which gives their cables a character you will not find in copper or silver designs. They were already well established in Europe when we took them on in 2007, and they remain one of the genuinely different voices we carry.
New cables (even high-quality ones) benefit from a period of signal conditioning before reaching their optimum performance. The dielectric (insulation) around the conductors needs time to stabilise under the electromagnetic field created by signal flow. Rather than leaving this to you, we run cables on our Nordost Vidar burn-in machine before dispatch, up to the equivalent of 200 hours of use, in a fraction of the time. Your cable arrives performance-ready from the first listen.
Specifications:
- Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII Audio Cable
- Cable Type: Coaxial
- Conductor Material: Linear Structured Carbon ®
- Design Purpose/ Application Area(s): Highest quality line level audio interlink / SPDIF digital audio interconnect (75 Ohm) (*)
- Eff. Conductor Ø/Eq. AWG No./Strands: - / - / Core: 12,000; Screen: 114,000
- External Diameter / Dimensions: 7.8 mm
- Resistance 20 °C / 68 °F: Core: ~36 Ohm/m.; Screen: ~4.8 Ohm/m
- Capacitance: 61 pF/m
- Insulation / Dielectric Strength / Test Voltage: Core: PE foam; Jacket: HULLIFLEX ® 4 / 300 Vrms min
- Connector Types Suitable: Our RCA type C - 8.0
- Standard Sales Units / Lengths: Stereo pair packed with RCA (unbalanced) connectors in 0.8 and 1.0 m. Single packed for SPDIF transport-dac purposes with RCA connectors in 0.8 and 1.0m
- Jacket Colours Available: Light yellow
- Remarks: Connectors need to be factory mounted. (*): For short distances only and exhibits an excellent impedance mismatch reflection damping. The FIRST ® Ultimate is currently sold in its mark 2 version (Mk II as printed on the cable). There is absolutely no difference in sound quality or electrical or mechanical properties between the original and the newer Mk II version. The latter merely has a thin foil added directly underneath the cable jacket, which facilitates our connector mounting process. Other types available in our “The FIRST ®” series: The FIRST ® Metal Screen
We use Royal Mail 1st Class services for our Standard Delivery.
Orders received before 4.30 pm Monday to Friday are usually dispatched the same day by FIRST CLASS post (unless premium postal or timed courier services are selected), subject to stock availability. This does not apply to custom-length cables and speaker cables as these require a longer timescale to terminate. This also excludes all cables selected for the burn-in service. Please note, we do not process orders on national holidays in the UK. Over 98% of our orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays.
Standard delivery is usually within 2 working days, although 98% of all orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays. In extreme cases, such as delivery to the Highlands and Islands, this may take 3 days.
All items are fully insured and come with an invoice from Future Shop. We use the Royal Mail for delivery of small packages and DPD Local or DHL for items that weigh over 2KG. Items over 2KG are fully insured and will usually be delivered within 48 hours of placing your order subject to stock availability. For international orders, we use FedEx or DHL services where customers have selected this option.
Please note, special orders for non-standard cable lengths may be subject to longer deliver time-scales. This may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
We offer 'Free delivery on orders over £99' subject to the following terms & conditions:
- Applies only to orders with £99 or more of items (including VAT at the UK rate), at Future Shop
- Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK (excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL).
- Applies only to deliveries to addresses within mainland UK and Northern Ireland addresses. Applies only to orders that are to be delivered to a single Mainland UK delivery address.
- You will not be eligible for free delivery on your order if any items are cancelled or returned for a refund, bringing the total order amount below £99. Where items are returned, the refund due will be the cost of the item less any postage costs.
- We reserve the right to change or discontinue 'Free delivery on orders over £99 promotion at any time.
- FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £99 OFFER DOES NOT APPLY TO TRADE CUSTOMERS.
UK Postal & Delivery Charges - FIRST CLASS
Free UK delivery on all orders over £99*
| Weight | Price (FIRST CLASS UK POSTAGE) |
| 0g - 1000g | £3.95 |
| 1000g - 1400g | £4.95 |
| 1400g - 1800g | £5.95 |
| 1800g - 2000g | £6.95 |
| 2000g - 3000g | £8.95 |
* Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK.
Free Delivery for orders over £99 excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL.
Special Delivery UK - Guaranteed Next Working Day
We have 99.9% of the UK covered With Royal Mail Next Day Special Delivery. We guarantee delivery to most UK addresses by 1pm the next working day. This includes Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey. Some places take longer to deliver to but we still guarantee delivery within three working days by 5.30 PM.
Please note, Royal Mail Special Delivery for next working day may not be possible where non-standard cable lengths are ordered. If this is the case, the item will be shipped via The Royal Mail Special Delivery service as soon as the cable is custom made.
For orders weighing over 2KG, we reserve the right to ship items using Next Day Pre-Noon Courier Services where Royal Mail Special Delivery option has been selected.
Channel Islands & Northern Ireland
We accept orders from all Channel Islands including Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. Unless you select a premium service, Items weighing under 2KG are delivered using our standard UK delivery option above. For items weighing over 2KG, a surcharge may be applied for all deliveries to the Channel Islands as well as Northern Ireland.
European Countries
Deliveries to EU member states are not subject to 20% VAT after December 31st 2020 and therefore the 20% VAT on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.
The customer will be liable for the VAT at the local VAT rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee if applicable. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 3 to 5 working days
- Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7-10 working days
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Economy - Item are usually delivered within 48 to 72 hours
We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.
Worldwide - Excluding UK & Europe
Deliveries outside of the UK are not subject to 20% VAT and so the 20% tax on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.
If applicable, the customer will be liable for the taxes at the local tax rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7 to 10 working days
- Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 15 working days
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm in order to ship items the same day, subject to stock availability
- Where the actual weight of the package significantly exceeds the shipping cost charged on orders, we may write to you for an additional shipping charge. For larger orders, items may be shipped in multiple packets at our discretion
We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.
Write Your Own Review
Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII Audio Cable Pair
We are interested in your opinion of this product. let us and other customers know how you feel by filling in the comment field below. Your review will appear in this section within 3 working days.
Please do:
- - Write 50-300 words for the product
- - Comment on the products value and effectiveness
- - Tell us if you like the product, but most importantly explain why you like or dislike it
- - Mention related products and how this one rates by comparison
Customers consistently praise this interconnect cable for its natural, detailed sound with reduced harshness compared to alternative brands. Recurring strengths include improved clarity, enhanced midrange and vocal presence, vinyl-like warmth, and diminished listener fatigue. Users report successful upgrades from Van den Hul and Atlas alternatives, with several noting it performs exceptionally well in vinyl and high-resolution streaming applications. The cable is frequently described as transparent and uncolored, allowing music through without artificial emphasis. Build quality appears solid, and customer service from the retailer receives consistent commendation for communication and fast delivery. One reviewer noted older versions sounded slightly thick but found recent iterations improved. No significant recurring negative themes were identified across reviews.
Worked a dream, but then I swapped out my Tellurium Q Ultra Black 2 on my CD player, and although not as detailed, I found the sound more realistic. Swapped between them all night, since the Ultra Black II should be better by rights, but then my wife came home and was amazed by the First Ultimate II, saying it’s like the band is playing.
In the right set-up, it’s really good and one of those cables that you should always have at hand if you are buying new hardware, as it might be the perfect cable for it
Thanks, Futureshop for great service and on-time delivery.
Voices are something to behold. 10/10
Well worth the extra price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Enhance Your Experience: Free Cable Burn-In Service with Nordost VIDAR Machine
Please take note of the following details regarding our cable burn-in service:
- Cable Compatibility: We regret to inform you that we cannot burn-in cables with stripped bare ends or BFA plugs. In order for cables to undergo the burn-in process, they should be terminated or have connectors.
- Timing: Cables will be burnt in for the selected period after processing your order. For custom-length cables, the burn-in process will occur after they have been terminated by the manufacturer or our engineers unless specified otherwise in the product description.
- Availability: Future Shop provides our cable burn-in service free of charge, but its availability is at our discretion. While we strive to fulfil all burn-in requests for the specified time periods, please understand that during exceptionally busy periods, we may be unable to meet the demand due to limited connections on the Nordost Vidar cable conditioning machines.
The Nordost VIDAR cable burn-in machine integrates three key functions into one operation:
- Charge Neutralisation: It eliminates charges that accumulate around the cables and their insulation, ensuring a more balanced electrical environment.
- Deep Conditioning: The machine provides a wide band and deep conditioning process that affects the conductor core, resulting in changes to the signal transmission through the metal. This deep conditioning enhances the cable's performance.
- Ultrasonic Surface Conditioning: The VIDAR machine utilizes ultrasonic waves to condition the surface of the conductors, optimizing their contact and overall conductivity.
The VIDAR employs a proprietary combination of composite and complex signals to condition the cables. These signals comprise ultra-low and ultra-high frequencies, extending beyond the range of video frequencies. The signal moves back and forth along the cable, penetrating deep into the core with ultra-low frequencies and traversing the surface with ultra-high frequencies. This transmission method generates beat harmonics between the two complex waveforms, which permeate all layers of the cable. The circuitry of the VIDAR also drives electrons from the conductor into the insulation area, neutralizing electrical charges.
So, what does this all mean for you?
The ultimate outcome of conditioning cables with the Nordost VIDAR is improved sound staging, increased detail, and an overall more musical presentation in your audio system.
Now, you may wonder why cable burn-in is necessary. During cable manufacturing, gasses become trapped as insulation is applied over the conductors. Additionally, new cables often possess high electrical charges, resulting in a brittle and bright sound that lacks the desired detail and depth for music production.
When cables undergo burn-in, the trapped gasses are dissipated, and small impurities in the conductor metals begin to exhibit diode-like behaviour, favouring current flow in a specific direction.
Here are the physical effects of the burn-in process:
- Charge Neutralisation: The burn-in process neutralizes charges in the conductors and insulation, promoting a more balanced electrical environment.
- Wide Bandwidth Frequencies: The conditioning affects how signals pass through the metal, enabling a wider range of frequencies to penetrate all cable layers.
- Signal Transmission: The burn-in process establishes the directionality of the cable, optimizing signal transmission from one end to the other.
When cables are properly burnt in, you can expect the following audible changes in your audio system:
- Fuller and Natural Sound: Your system should be capable of producing a more immersive and realistic performance with a fuller and more natural sound.
- Increased Detail: You may notice enhanced details and nuances in the music, allowing you to perceive subtle elements that were previously hidden.
- Improved Soundstage: The dimensionality of your system's soundstage can be greatly improved, creating a more spacious and immersive listening experience.
At Future Shop, our goal is to maximise your satisfaction. That's why we offer a free burn-in service on all our cables before they arrive at your door, enabling you to sit back and enjoy the benefits of properly conditioned cables in your audio system.
READ MORE ABOUT THE NORDOST VIDAR CABLE TREATMENT
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Write Your Own Review
Van Den Hul The First Ultimate MKII Audio Cable Pair
We are interested in your opinion of this product. let us and other customers know how you feel by filling in the comment field below. Your review will appear in this section within 3 working days.
Please do:
- - Write 50-300 words for the product
- - Comment on the products value and effectiveness
- - Tell us if you like the product, but most importantly explain why you like or dislike it
- - Mention related products and how this one rates by comparison
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