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Cable Asylum Interconnects, speaker wire, power cords. Ask the Cable Guys. |
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Model: Cross Category: Cable Suggested Retail Price: $433 Description: Cardas Cross Interconnect (RCA) Manufacturer URL: Cardas Audio Manufacturer URL: Cardas Audio
Review by DeeCee (A) on September 16, 2003 at 10:51:22
IP Address: 148.87.1.170Add Your Review
for the CrossI guess I'll have to be a little controversial in this review; I purchased a meter pair of used Cardas Cross interconnects for use between my pre-amp & amplifier to replace a pair of Monster cables I was using for pinch-hitting purposes and found none of the aforementioned "darkness" or "lack of highs" that have been associated with these interconnects as reported by others on the Asylum.On the contrary, during break-in they exhibited a crispy, shrill lower treble/upper midrange that had quite an ear-bleeding quality. However after several hours (50?) of time, this quality disappeared.
What remained was a well balanced treble that lost all the negative traits and retained all the positives observed during my initial listening sessions - incredibly true midrange presence with an improved deep bass that forced me to re-address my speaker placement.
I found that there was a vast amount of detail in the mids that clarified voices, rendering perviously buried background vocals into intelligibility (Al DiMeola's album, Kiss My Axe, "The Prophet" is a good example). There was none of the overblown, "spotlighted" detail that you may have noted in some systems; only a presence of relaxed naturalness.
I was surprised to find that the midrange aspect of drums gained a tonality that delivered a more realistic performance filled with subtle nuances.
Midbass in my system received a needed "drying-out"; a Cardas trait I've noted, seems to be a slightly exaggerated midbass that I noticed in my Cardas Quadlink 5C speaker cables... this seems to indicate a higher degree of frequency accuracy as you go up the line (I should hope so!). I am curious as to what the Cardas Cross speaker cables (or better) could do in my system.
Deep bass (as in drum "whump") received a much strengthened response - realistic, "fast", with no overhang; some of my classical pieces took on an added dimension which necessitated a mod in speaker placement as mentioned above...
Which brings me to soundstaging... depth was not noticibly different - mostly due to room constraints but stage width expanded and contracted(!) with more recordings and rendered with greater realism (ironically, mass choruses reflected better distinction among voices, yet with more cohesion rhythmically).
In conclusion, at least in my system, I found that the cabling changes made worthwhile positive differences.
Of course, YMMV.
Happy Listening!
- DeeCee
Product Weakness: Pricey (but worth it). Product Strengths: Detail, detail, detail! Deep bass extension, soundstaging.
Associated Equipment for this Review: Amplifier: Aragon 4004 Mk. II Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Audio Alchemy DLC/PS-2 Power Supply Sources (CDP/Turntable): Pioneer DVD-525; Perpetual Technologies P-1A & P-3A DDE/DAC; plus VPI HW-19 Jr Turntable; Benz-Micro Gold Cartridge; Rega RB-300 Arm; Audio Alchemy VITB/PS-2 Power Supply Speakers: Aerial Acoustics Model 7 Cables/Interconnects: Cardas Quadlink 5C speaker cable, Cardas Cross, Cardas High Speed Digital/Video, AQ Ruby Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, Fusion, R & B, Rock, Pop, Classical Room Size (LxWxH): 9'9 x 10'9 x 9'4 Room Comments/Treatments: Room too small and cubical. Carpet on slab, oversized chair & end table in room. Removing slap echo with ASC Flutter Stix. Time Period/Length of Audition: Approx 3 weeks Other (Power Conditioner etc.): HTS-2000 Power Conditioner, Room Tunes Deluxe Justarack Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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Topic - REVIEW: Cardas Audio Cross Cable - DeeCee 10:51:22 09/16/03 (11)
- A Small (Cable) Audio Treatise - DeeCee 05:22:25 09/23/03 (1)
- I have always enjoyed Cardas products - BS64 15:09:54 09/23/03 (0)
- Cardas Audio Cross Cable - orb 11:08:47 09/17/03 (1)
- Re: Cardas Audio Cross Cable - warddorrity@starband.net 15:09:56 09/30/03 (0)
- Cardas Audio Cross Cable - f1 fan 16:39:52 09/16/03 (0)
- Cardas Audio Cross Cable - Fretless 15:59:38 09/16/03 (3)
- I've done bypass tests.... - Jim Stoneburner 13:36:57 09/20/03 (2)
- Re: I've done bypass tests.... - sherod 19:03:12 09/20/03 (0)
- Re: I've done bypass tests.... - f1 fan 17:13:41 09/20/03 (0)
- Cardas Audio Cross Cable - JimBop 11:46:55 09/16/03 (1)
- Re: Cardas Audio Cross Cable - OceanRoar 12:12:52 09/16/03 (0)
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