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REVIEW: Cardas Audio Neutral Reference Interconnects (RCA) Cable

87.203.232.106


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Model: Neutral Reference Interconnects (RCA)
Category: Cable
Suggested Retail Price: $500
Description: RCA-terminated, analog interconnect cables
Manufacturer URL: Cardas Audio
Model Picture: View

Review by demosasp@otenet.gr ( A ) on June 03, 2006 at 12:20:47
IP Address: 87.203.232.106
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for the Neutral Reference Interconnects (RCA)



Im a huge fan of Cardas cables. My system is entirely dressed with Cardas Golden Reference AC , Interconnects etc. As a Cardas fan I tried and own the Neutral Reference RCA 1m interconnects and speaker cables bi-wire version.

a. Interconnects:

The music flows like no other cable I ever placed between my source and amplifier. Extreme musical,slightly laid-back character, homogenizing sound, suberb class A imaging, liquid but in a strange way without been over-analytical or having huge harmonic richness. Rock and classical music in a slightly vintage and romantic way of reproduction (and this is Neutral Reference not my source or amps),simply hard to turn off after connecting with Cardas . The mid-bass and bass notes are slightly stronger , I would like them slightly thinner . With some cheap but succesful tube amplifiers (like Primaluna Prologue Two), the bass in some tracks was too emphasized and boomy, like Enyas Watermark or Led Zeppelins LPs Dazed and Confuzed, but with clarity and so true sounding. In some other systems the higher piano octaves sounded so real and in-your room with more wood , less glare and slightly warm air coming locked with the reality. The left hand octaves of piano were delicate, romantic, smooooth and its a step toward the sound of the real piano slightly bolder - a fantastic combination with some lean sounding amps or sources. The cable is pointing toward the 'thick and rich' side rather 'lean,thin and cold' side, with astonishing smoothness in the mid-area without loosing detail (this is very strange, detail is excemplary, you can hear more action microdynamically and natural tinny details than many x2 priced cables) and a very-very open, airy , fresh and pleasing higher frequencies. Dynamicaly is not so forcefull like the same-price top-seller Nordost line but micro-dynamically the cable is a true delicacy hero and probably one of the best in the market.The Soundstage is so huge (with the right equipment and especially with tubes) that is almost impossible to describe - with precise imaging and recreation of the Opera hall in front of you like a window , something rarely found in other brand's cables. Nothing unwanted jumps out like higher violin notes or bad harmonics of voices in good recording, this is a huge + for just a cable. The soundstage depth and width is also huge, but for some the height of f.e. a church organ is not as good as some other cables. Its like listening to the organ from the 15th line, middle of a huge hall. With some front-sounding cables you can feel a breeze and look upwards to see the organ in front of you like you are listening from the 1st seat. It is simply not so immediate and next-to-you 1st seat presentation, thats why everything sounds so perfectly locked in place helping all notes to sound slightly more woody, bold, correct ,flat and smooth without loosing air surroundings and delicacy or been dark sounding. The flow and richness of the music is the hottest point, suddently sounding like a decent turntable took place where your decent CD was but... just with a simple interconnect change ! Slightly romantic reproduction is back again and it will stay with me!.

b. Loudspeaker cable

An excellent, open , airy hi-freq.presentation with tromendous musicallity. Analytical and transparent up to a point ,fast,bass faster than interconnect's taste, not so immediate and forward sounding, less macrodynamics but in exchange with a precision, locked-to-reality presentation, soundstage, smoothness and musicallity . Bass is tight and delicate but it is not so forceful,dynamic and precise than more expencive lines or other brand's models. Everything else is the same as with interconnects. This cable is bringing music to a Cardas place that is something no other cable brand does. Violins breath is almost perfect, slightly homogenized and corrected, piano is rich with more wood , same with percussion. Some may prefer a harmonically and dynamically richer presentation. I say that this cable is a one-of-a-kind musical connection that will stay connecting my systems components, and its not boring at all - very live !.

Tip: I love the combo of Goldern Reference Interconnect RCA , G.R. AC cables with Neutral Reference speaker cable. I found increased precision and a perfect balance between bright and dark , detail and resolution.


Product Weakness: Not explosive dynamics, slightly warm and slightly rich compared with many same-price cables.
Product Strengths: Cardas Magic is something very specific. Music flows like no other cable. Upper octaves stayed in place with plenty of air. Open sounding, huge soundstage width and depth. Mid-of-the-hall reprocution. Fantastic chesty voices without been overly smoothed or sugar coated.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Many
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Many
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Many
Speakers: Many
Cables/Interconnects: Cardas
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, Rock, Jazz.
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Cardas Audio Neutral Reference Interconnects (RCA) Cable - demosasp@otenet.gr 12:20:47 06/3/06 ( 0)