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In Reply to: RE: AQ Volcano posted by readargos on January 04, 2017 at 08:09:38
Cardas , to my ears, is rolled off on top.
Follow Ups:
I understand your characterization, fantja, and don't dispute it. Of the old Cardas line, I think Neutral Reference are the least this way (speaker and IC), followed by Golden Presence (IC - haven't heard speaker), Quadlink (speaker and IC) and Gold Ref speaker (but not IC, which is decidedly dark). As I said, both brands retain their signature sound.
Cardas are also more mercurial. They take ages to break-in if you don't have a burn-in device. Break-in times vary depending on the cable model. Different models have different geometry and different levels and types of shielding. Golden Cross and Golden Presence seem to require the longest break-in.
Cardas may be more sensitive to environmental conditions (like late-night listening with less demands on the grid). They may also be sensitive to movement (installation), as Cardas alleges. There have been times when I listen to a Cardas wire, and can't stand it, and other times when it sounds like the best cable I've heard in my system, so I have concluded that there must be something else going on - mostly break-in - but some of these other factors, as well. I am sorry to the extent that any of this sounds mystical, but that's what my listening experience suggests.
At any rate, Cardas will not be for all tastes.
Fantja....in MY system Cardas has a definite sonic signature....not only rolled off, but very grainy, closed in, 1 dimensional as well.
SgreenP, I understand your observations, as well. What some people hear as "grain", others hear as "atmosphere". Cardas' atmosphere do a good job presenting a palpable acoustic, but others hear this as too much grain, and/or a lack of transparency.
If you are in a large space, like a concert hall or a church sanctuary, listen to the sound of the building, and then the sound of voices or instruments traveling in the space. Living in Chicago, I sometimes hear live unamplified music in large open spaces, such as the Daley Plaza. I submit that these examples of "live" sound are not as transparent or crystalline as what a lot of listeners look for, or prefer. I am not arguing right or wrong, or saying that Cardas is not a good match for your system. Rather, I am trying honestly to address why two listeners can come at the same set of cables (or any piece of gear) and reach different conclusions.
Some listeners look for things in home reproduction that enhance the listening experience in the absence of visual cues. Others like gear to lay bare the composition of musical pieces, such as how jazz musicians play off each other, or how a composer employs counterpoint. Ultimately, it is about musical communication. What improves our understanding of the music, and enhances our relationship to it? I do these things myself. These are not wrong choices. We want the best of all possible worlds in home playback, but we all make choices based on budget and tastes.
The only comment I don't get is one-dimensional, as Cardas are generally regarded as having a generous, even sometimes overblown, soundstage. But, obviously, I can't say they don't sound that way in your system!
Everyone hears differently....I am a pro musician...have been listening to real instruments in real space for about 50 years...Cardas doesn't make it for ME.....(by the way...that's true for all their offerings..heard them all. Colleen Cardas and I went round and round with this)
Yes, Cardas argue that they spent a lot of time listening to live music in the design (voicing) of their cables. You are right that we all hear differently, or at least prioritize different aspects of live sound, and thus look for different things. Gear-matching - achieving synergy - is also important.Pierre Sprey, of Omega Mikro and Mapleshade, obviously spends a lot of time listening to live music, as well. His products offer what I analogize to race car performance. The designs and the sound are stripped down, tweaky (esp. Omega Mikro), but offer great dynamics, leading edge definition, sharp transients, immediacy, impact, etc. They sound very different from Cardas and AudioQuest, but someone who values that sound will have a very hard time finding better at the price of the Mapleshade products.
Anyway, people like George Cardas and Pierre Sprey both listen to a lot of live music, yet design very different cables! I am not going to say one is right and the other wrong. I hear the faults of Cardas, too. In my reviews, I try to point out the good and the bad, and why I reach a certain value judgment, as well as why others may feel differently. I think Luminator does that in his reviews, as well.
I guess I revived this old post a little. The community here is important, and I've found a lot of info on the Asylum that I haven't found elsewhere. I think this Golden Reference speaker review is more insightful than the professional reviews I've seen, as one example. Thanks for sharing, all!
Edits: 01/05/17 01/05/17
Thanks! for sharing- guys,
good to read that others feel the same way.
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