Purist Audio vs Cardas vs Transparent vs Audioquest

[McPlanar]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Well, I am done evaluating the Cardas Golden Reference in my system.

It's been a while since I've had the Cardas cables in my system. Many years ago I used to use the Golden Cross and thought they were great cables to take the edge off digital playback with a warmish overall tonality a relaxed top end. Many systems could have used that cable back in the day.

The Golden Reference is definitely a more "neutral" sounding cable. I still couldn't help to notice the "house sound" or similarities of the Golden Reference to the older Cardas cables. The slight rounding and smoothing of the leading edge of transients, the greater emphasis on "decay" and trailing edge of transients. Quite the opposite of the AQ cables I had in my system and compared them to.

Bass was very well resolved, textured and organic sounding if not the last word in slam and depth, again, probably due to the rounding off the leading edge of transients. The rimshots were slightly softer sounding, a bit "muted", acoustic bass/double bass instruments were reproduced with enough resolution to follow the individual notes without clumping them together but there was a bit of blurring of the individual notes down low.

Midrange is probably the strongest point of these cables, conveying the emotional content of vocals and capturing the subtle details of the vocal changes that make singers more "human". The stringed instruments also benefited from the all important midrange as did the piano recordings, coming across as pure in tone and having a sparkle that had some nice golden overtones and an emphasis on the subtle decay information as it faded into the silence of the black background. Gone was the upper midrange leanness that existed with AQ cables and replaced with a touch of lower mid warmth, highlighting the male vocals and the power of a deeper, huskier voice of many male singers.

Highs were quite nice with these cables, enough energy was passed on to the speakers where the sonic signature remained open, transparent and crystal clear but without an over emphasis that often makes the system sound a bit over the edge in perceived resolution, edginess and aggression. The overall response up top was delicate enough to give the system a golden shimmer from the high hats, with enough bite from the horn sections up top but just enough to make the instruments sound natural without artificial "coldness" or "aggressiveness". Delicate and smooth with enough detail would sum it up nicely. Compared to the more energetic top end of AQ's, the Cardas made many recordings a bit more enjoyable and relaxed without rolling the highs off to a point of boredom or a sense of missing top octave air.

Soundstage was just as generous as the other cables in this shootout but Cardas did manage to portray a very palpable presentation and placement of instruments/layering front to back as well as side to side.

Resolving but smooth enough to take the edge off, neutral and transparent enough to capture the detail and subtle acoustic cues from live recordings and the space they were recorded in, conveying much of the emotional content of the recorded vocals and instruments, these Cardas cables re-created a very believable soundstage with neutrality that let the music flow in a very organic way, allowing one to relax and listen without too much attention to any particular aspect of your playback system.

I'd say that their "Neutrality with a golden sprinkle of warmth in the lower mids and a more delicate top end" let me enjoy my system quite a bit more than the AQ cables. In their price range, they should be a "must audition" cable.

Very well written review! I really like how you approached this and did the actual comparison. I've been using using Cardas cables for about 12 years starting out with a pair of 300B Micro. I've been working my way up the ladder slowly over the years and each step up always brought a nice improvement. I just bought 2 pair of Golden Reference. I will be moving from Cross to these and I'm really looking forward to installing them. I have thought about trying other brands but I like the sound with Cardas so I never seem to venture out. I guess it's the old once you find something you like you stick with it. I bought in early to their design philosophy. I like and appreciate how every couple of years they don't completely redesign the wheel and come out with the latest greatest even though their last was the latest greatest. Their cables slowly evolve with new ideas but the core design is still the same. This probably comes from working within the "Evil Industrial Military Complex" for 26+ years. I look forward to reading more of your reviews.

[markc2]

Originally Posted by 1KW

My post offer humor...

humor over guns any day

well PHC1, as a sideline you could easily fill in for any of the writers at any of the major, or minor stereo magazines. thorough would be an understatement. For that kind of money, it should meet your goals and at times exceed them.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by markc2

humor over guns any day

well PHC1, as a sideline you could easily fill in for any of the writers at any of the major, or minor stereo magazines. thorough would be an understatement. For that kind of money, it should meet your goals and at times exceed them.

I am suffering from a "writer's block" lately.

[beerdraft]

PCH1 did you ever try or have you tried the Synergistic Research cables. I know you've tried many and I thought that was part of this thread when I went looking for it. That was actually the cable that was on display in the BAT, Wilson setup I heard and fell in love with up in Illinois. Just curious if you have any experience with them on the Sasha.

[PHC1]

I have but not on my current system. I really like Transparent these days. Our Sasha's are wired internally with Transparent by the way. There were recent studies and disscussions how a single brand of cabling througout the whole system is more beneficial than a mix and match of even much more expensive cables. Thinking back over the years of my own systems I would have to agree although I never connected the dots of why that was. Now I know.

[rlw3]

many thanks to all especially phc1. what a great site. wish i had read this when initially written

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Dan, I don't believe in immediate A/B comparisons because there is no way to switch the cables fast enough to make a difference anyway. All that cable swapping makes you break concentration and since most people shut the gear off, introduces cooling periods which can and do affect the sound.

Instead, I will do this how I've been doing it for years. I've selected various recordings that will showcase individual strengths, bass depth, articulation, speed, midrange and highs purity, overall imaging, focus, depth and width of soundstage and palpability/3 dimensionality. I take notes on paper with these various tracks, listen some more without taking notes and then move on to the next set.

Once that is done, I will usually spend a few days just listening to various recordings to judge the overall performance or "listenability" of each cable, how well it synergizes with the system or doesn't. I get used to the "cable sound" and when I swap them, it is readily apparent as I go back through my listening sessions that something is either better, the same or worse.

There are certain traits of a cable that immediately jump out at you and persist through the listening sessions.

The quick A/B tests will only give you a brief glimpse and for the most part only confuses.

I'll quote myself here as I still believe that what I said above some 11 years ago is what I consider the best method to evaluating anything related to cables and/or accessories.

Someone mentioned cables are "filters". They can be if designed that way but typically it is our brain that is applying the filter of "preconceived notions" of what we read or heard about that specific product.

Long term evaluation is much better as A/B blind test often fail us miserably only indicating that we have no clue what it was we heard a few minutes ago... No wonder audiophiles don't like blind tests.

I always suggest just giving a product a fair shake in your system if that is possible. Go through some of your favorite music and take notes. Does it offer anything more? Are you enjoying the same album more, less or no change?

Barring significant and obvious changes to your system like new pair of speakers, everything else really should be judged over a period of time as a "will this component gel well with the rest of the system and what does it do to the overall synergy and my long term listening tests"?

I have never trusted quick A/B because it often did not pan out long term. What can sound as an exciting difference is often our expectations but in reality it is nothing. Or it can really be a difference but then you really should find out if that difference will make your system and your ears happy.

Many happy upgrades to all.

[bart]

Originally Posted by PHC1

I'll quote myself here as I still believe that what I said above some 11 years ago is what I consider the best method to evaluating anything related to cables and/or accessories.

Someone mentioned cables are "filters". They can be if designed that way but typically it is our brain that is applying the filter of "preconceived notions" of what we read or heard about that specific product.

Long term evaluation is much better as A/B blind test often fail us miserably only indicating that we have no clue what it was we heard a few minutes ago... No wonder audiophiles don't like blind tests.

I always suggest just giving a product a fair shake in your system if that is possible. Go through some of your favorite music and take notes. Does it offer anything more? Are you enjoying the same album more, less or no change?

Barring significant and obvious changes to your system like new pair of speakers, everything else really should be judged over a period of time as a "will this component gel well with the rest of the system and what does it do to the overall synergy and my long term listening tests"?

I have never trusted quick A/B because it often did not pan out long term. What can sound as an exciting difference is often our expectations but in reality it is nothing. Or it can really be a difference but then you really should find out if that difference will make your system and your ears happy.

Many happy upgrades to all.

Serge, I agree... for 80%.

Indeed, you can only form a grounded opinion after listening extensively to a component, in a system that is familiar to you.

But sometimes, the difference between 2 components is so huge, that you can hear it after a couple of minutes.
At that moment you know exactly that you like component 1 (and that you also will in the future) and that component 2 doesn't 'grab' you (and never will).

For me, those experiences (coming from my gut feeling?) have brought me my speakers (I live with them since 2011), and now my streamer (I've watched exactly 3 movies since I own it, and only because my daughter insisted upon seeing the last 3 Harry Potters ).
Of course, I didn't decide after a couple of minutes, only after at least 3 long sessions.
But in fact, I knew it from the first minutes (right brain and belly).
The long listening sessions were meant to convince my left brain.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by bart

Serge, I agree... for 80%.

Indeed, you can only form a grounded opinion after listening extensively to a component, in a system that is familiar to you.

But sometimes, the difference between 2 components is so huge, that you can hear it after a couple of minutes.
At that moment you know exactly that you like component 1 (and that you also will in the future) and that component 2 doesn't 'grab' you (and never will).

For me, those experiences (coming from my gut feeling?) have brought me my speakers (I live with them since 2011), and now my streamer (I've watched exactly 3 movies since I own it, and only because my daughter insisted upon seeing the last 3 Harry Potters ).
Of course, I didn't decide after a couple of minutes, only after at least 3 long sessions.
But in fact, I knew it from the first minutes (right brain and belly).
The long listening sessions were meant to convince my left brain.

Bart, speakers would be a very obvious change. Much more than say picking out a difference between a Cardas or a Kimber cable... That's why I mentioned "barring" speakers..

Even two totally different solid state amps can and often do require some careful listening and lots of notes to compile a significant enough difference. There are small differences that can be picked up immediately but from an A/B test, there is not enough "data" to be an accurate gauge of long term listening satisfaction.

Most people do like to listen to a variety of music and/or will explore when all the usual gets old and that is where the problems will arise.

Build a system that sounded so impressive at the store on "audiophile grade" recordings and be forever disappointed when taking even a step outside the Diana Krall/Melody Gardot/Shelby Lynne zone...

I've heard so many "impressive" sounding systems in my life that I run at the fist note that rings out... My ears are very sensitive and picky when it comes to midrange and everything above, to the point it causes me great discomfort in the upper frequency if there is harshness and hash present. So I can tell right away that "type" of typical highly resolving sound from a speaker will never work for me.

People often mention "accuracy" from speakers. What accuracy? How is it gauged? By a flat response curve? By a highly resolving and linear tweeter? Why does that speaker sound like the piano is so icy cold it hurts the ear... Have you ever heard a piano in real life piercing the ear like that? How about brass instruments? Yes, there is a term "bite" from brass but it is not supposed to bite your ears off in real life like an audiophile system might.

[bart]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Bart, speakers would be a very obvious change. Much more than say picking out a difference between a Cardas or a Kimber cable... That's why I mentioned "barring" speakers..

Even two totally different solid state amps can and often do require some careful listening and lots of notes to compile a significant enough difference. There are small differences that can be picked up immediately but from an A/B test, there is not enough "data" to be an accurate gauge of long term listening satisfaction.

Most people do like to listen to a variety of music and/or will explore when all the usual gets old and that is where the problems will arise.

Build a system that sounded so impressive at the store on "audiophile grade" recordings and be forever disappointed when taking even a step outside the Diana Krall/Melody Gardot/Shelby Lynne zone...

I've heard so many "impressive" sounding systems in my life that I run at the fist note that rings out... My ears are very sensitive and picky when it comes to midrange and everything above, to the point it causes me great discomfort in the upper frequency if there is harshness and hash present. So I can tell right away that "type" of typical highly resolving sound from a speaker will never work for me.

People often mention "accuracy" from speakers. What accuracy? How is it gauged? By a flat response curve? By a highly resolving and linear tweeter? Why does that speaker sound like the piano is so icy cold it hurts the ear... Have you ever heard a piano in real life piercing the ear like that? How about brass instruments? Yes, there is a term "bite" from brass but it is not supposed to bite your ears off in real life like an audiophile system might.

Serge, that's the 80% I agree with!

I also experienced too many big buck systems that didn't move me, or even annoyed me.
And then there were these modest systems that were so well put together that I was in tears (my criterium!).