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RE: REVIEW: Cardas Audio Golden Reference Speaker Cable Cable

Posted by readargos (A) on January 2, 2017 at 10:01:12

In Reply to: RE: REVIEW: Cardas Audio Golden Reference Speaker Cable Cable posted by fantja on July 9, 2011 at 11:56:02:

While this is an older review, I appreciate the effort that goes into it (and the blog). Largely as a result of this review (and prior Cardas experience) I have been using Golden Ref speaker (single wire) as my primary reference for about six months.

As with most Cardas cables from the old lines that have now been phased out (Cross and Reference), I hear a slight congestion or lack of ultimate (see-through) transparency compared to some other cables, and I think the OP hears this more now as he writes in his Clear Beyond review. I find this more apparent with Cardas speaker cable than interconnects. It may be that the cold-forged spade connectors of the new Clear line are largely responsible for the improved clarity of the Clear. Some users have had their Golden Reference or Golden Presence speaker cables re-terminated with the cold-forged spades, and reported favorable results. At $600 for re-termination, it seems a good stop-gap for those not ready to pony up for Clear or Clear Beyond speaker.

Cardas cables are available with a larger, 9mm spade connector, which I have on my Gold Refs. These will fit the larger European binding posts on the old Sonus faber and JMlab/Focal and have more surface area for tightening the binding posts (mentioned in one of the blog posts). (I'm not sure if Sonus faber and Focal have now moved to 1/4" (6mm) binding posts with newer models.)

I have also been rotating through complete sets of Golden Reference, Golden Presence, and Neutral Reference interconnects with the Gold Ref speaker cables. I agree that the Gold Ref ICs are not neutral, while the Neutral Ref may be even more detailed than cables like AudioQuest Colorado. Golden Presence fits neatly in between, being more golden than Neutral Ref, and more neutral than Gold Ref. I will probably post full reviews of one, or all, of these old Reference line ICs once I have logged more listening time.

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The Cable Cooker

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