I unequivocally recommend Zu's B3 cable geometry continuity via the Speakon connector. Zu had abandoned this for several years in favor of the Cardas multi-way binding post. But because my Druids are early models continually upgraded, they were built with the Speakon + the Cardas connections. So I had Zu Ibis speaker cables on both my Druid and Definition systems, with the Ibis terminated with Speakon on the Druids and bananas or spades on the Definitions. Same lengths in both systems since I use mono pairs of amps on both. So I was able to listen to the difference between Speakon preserving the B3 geometry vs. Cardas connection interrupting B3.
There was no aspect of the sound that was better via Cardas and many subtle - but in the aggregate significant - improvements to driving the Druids via Speakon/continuous B3. If this can be heard on Druids, imagine the difference to be more obvious on the more resolving Definition 4.
The question then always asked is, "....well then does that mean Zu B3 Event via Speakon is better than any other cable connected via Cardas....?"
My answer is, that depends on you. Zu Event is an unusually neutral cable, very clean, transparent, toneful. It also gives a coherent sonic presentation. It is much more neutral than most cables at any price. Given the "fixed parametric equalizer" nature of most cabling, whether you will prefer another cable to Zu B3, or not, very much depends on what role cables play in compensating for other traits elsewhere in your system. I know, for instance, that the older Ibis and the newer Event cables have been too transparent for some listeners using solid state amps. Depending on your sources, especially digital, other traits may be preferred. One of the best alternate speaker cables I've heard for a Zu speaker is the Auditorium 23 popular with the Shindo/Leben subculture. Others here have argued for far more expensive cables with complex geometries and multiple dielectrics. I don't recommend that.
The question of whether there is any non-B3 cable better than B3 and therefore preferred via Cardas two-post vs. B3 via Speakon is impossible to answer simply because no one has heard all of the cable offerings under identical or comparable conditions, and cables are so often used as compensating tone controls. What I can say is that Zu Event and the older Ibis are exceptionally neutral and therefore not highly useful as compensating elements for correcting another component's traits. They are also quite transparent, revealing, dynamic, and allow coherent presentation of music -- and they are reasonably-priced relative to the rest of the market. All of this is especially so if connected via Speakon to a Zu speaker equipped for that. But for Speakon-connector Zu speakers, Zu offers a nifty Speakon adaptor with the Cardas two-post clamp so you can cable whatever and however you want.
Phil
