Cardas Quadlink Revisited
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| Posted on June 12, 2017 at 04:11:42 | ||
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Posts: 35
Location: Laurentiens Joined: October 24, 2009 |
Like many audiophiles over the past decade I moved on from the 'old' sound of Cardas to clearer, more transparent and sharply defined musical notes and images. About four years ago I settled on Transparent's Super level for both speaker and interconnect wires. And, I've been living happily ever since -until I got back into vinyl. Side note: About six years ago I sold my TT, phono and most of my vinyl to one person who lives about an hour away. We had stayed in touch so, when the vinyl bug bite me, I contacted him and he agreed to sell me back my 300 or so favourite titles and my phono stage. A great guy. I also purchased the Rega Planar 3 (2016) with a Nagaoka cartridge. Now, as the months went buy I noticed how much vinyl was either badly recorded or pressed. So, a friend lent me his Quadlink to use coming out of my Belles phono stage to my Magnum Dynalab 309 Hybrid Integreated amp. I also tried it on my Marantz SA-8005 CD/SACD player. Well, in both cases I preferred the music with the Cardas delivering the signal to the Magnum 309. For info, speakers are the Spendors S8e. Why? The Quadlinks gave me more of the mid-hall perspective I prefer (rows K to P, for example), less forward and the whole more integrated. In no examples were the Transparents cold or analytical and yes, I could tell they were more neutral. The Quadlink's sound seemed more rounded -more acoustic and tube like. A little bit like why I still prefer my plasma TV over LCDs. As a result, I bought my friends set and found a pair of 'new old stock' Quadlinks (just like NOS tubes -maybe in more ways than one!). I sold one of my two pairs of Transparent Super to help pay for the two pairs of Quadlinks. I'm keeping the second set -after all, my tastes may change again -even if I am approaching 70. In regards to the speaker cables, there won't be any changes. I've heard a system with Quadlinks at both ends and it was just too much of a good thing. Besides, owning different interconnects becomes the easiest and cost effective way to fine tune a system' sound. But till then, I'll live with the colourations that the Quadlinks bring and enjoy the music. For what its worth, Bob
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| Unlocking the Cardas Quadlink 5-C's Potential, posted on June 12, 2017 at 23:49:40 | |
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Posts: 7339
Location: Bay Area Joined: December 11, 2000 |
As with ALL cables, if you are not using a cable burn-in device, you are only getting a fraction of what the Cardas Quadlink 5-C can reproduce. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 -Lummy The Loch Monster
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| Worst web site I've ever seen! , posted on June 13, 2017 at 13:37:34 | |
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Posts: 903
Location: cleveland Joined: July 11, 2003 |
Nt
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| Cardas Cross Bi-Wire Speaker Cable, posted on June 13, 2017 at 18:55:01 | |
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Posts: 7339
Location: Bay Area Joined: December 11, 2000 |
Hey that reminds me. Most of the people I observed buying the Cardas Cross speaker cable got it in the standard stereo pair. I never did get any of those samples on the audiodharma Cable Cooker. Most audiophiles were unaware that the Cross could be ordered in an internal bi-wire version. And yes, we did put those on a Cooker. And yes, once Cooked, the distortions were set aside, allowing the Cross BW to do a better job of preserving whatever lay upstream. During the Fall 1987 semester, the Pet Shop Boys came out with the excellent Actually. Most audiophiles got hung up on "What Have I Done To Deserve This," which brought back Dusty Springfield, and "It's A Sin." And that's fine. But they overlooked the girls' fave, "King's Cross." I still remember waiting for Latin class to begin, when Becky led a few us, in singing "King's Cross." She and two other girls were so smooth, some boys and I slowed down, and just let the girls' voices set the mood. Once Cooked, the Cardas Cross BW does a decent job of letting the images remain "boppy." That is, they don't devolve into puddles, smoke, funhouse mirrors, pudding, Shrinky Dinks, giant balloons, or stick figures. Even after Cooking, the Cross BW can't decode soundstage depth. There are also losses in deep bass and body. But you know what? Assuming you have decent sources and an invisible preamp, and are in a smaller room, the Cross BW can preserve the feeling that your high school classmates are sitting in a row, on top of desks, mesmerized and swaying to PSB's "King's Cross." Please read my 9-part coverage of the Cross BW: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Cardas have discontinued the Cross series. But if you like it, scour the used market, don't pay too much, and get it on a cable burn-in device. -Lummy The Loch Monster
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