Audioquest colorado sound to bright

The Cardas cables cetainly wouldn't be considered bright.

I just returned a demo set of Colorado to the dealer. I have my whole system wired with Cardas Golden Reference.
I tried them(Colorado)between the LP12/Linto and also between my Ayre C5xe-mp and my ARC LS26. On the TT they sounded very close in timbre and some passages were maybe even a little more analytical than the cardas. I noticed the biggest difference on the CDP and that is where I decided to take them back. They were in my opinion muting or dull by comparison to the cardas. I did a similar thread about a month ago here before I tried them, you wish to search for that one and see the responses I received. But in conclusion I will keep the Cardas GR's, howevere I wouldn't mind trying the Niagra or Blue Sky. And to address your question more directly, I have never felt the Cardas to be bright, they will bring out the upper range in detail, but in a natural timbre.

Hmmmm. I bought a pair of Colorado's to slightly tame the high end of my CDP. Compared to the Kimber Select they replaced they did as I had hoped. This is the first time I've heard the Colorado's described as "bright".

I have to agree with Hifiman.
Goes to show how system dependent cables are.
I love mine (72v), and pretty much got of the IC train after buying the Colorados.

I just got a full set of colorado yesterday and will agree they were slightly bright out of the box but.... after running them all night they are calming down. I think after break-in they'll be ideal.

In defense of the Colorado, I was not able to give them their due. The dealer likes to have them out for 2-3 days and the box clearly states that you need about 2 weeks. So they may have been better than my experience allowed me to witness.

Gshepardbuster...isn't it odd that Audioquest cables have to break in when they claim that their battery supply does that very thing...

Stringreen..I here ya, I gave up trying to follow "cable logic", but just because I don't understand how or why does'nt change the effect..or is it placebo??

Stringreen,

I don't believe AQ ever implied that interconnect break-in was not necessary with DBS. DBS helps to keep a worn-in dialectric sounding good even after periods of time when the cable has not had a signal flowing through it.

Correct Hifiman.
Here is the principle:
DBS

The battery does break in the cable, but it takes a couple weeks. If you buy stock from a dealer that's been on the shelf a few weeks or more, you shouldn't need to break them in. If you have to order them, they will probably be fresh from AQ and need the hours or the weeks.

I have a pair of Audioquest Columbia 72v running from my Thorens TT to an ASR phono stage and I am never fatigued by their performance. I'm about to replace my Grado mono cartridge with the Ortofon Cadenza Mono cartridge but plan to stay with the Columbia's. My other cables are all HiDiamond and I would recommend the HD Black Gold Reference rca interconnects to anyone but they certainly aren't cheap.

I agree with the commentary above regarding the break-in period being beneficial.

I replaced a pair of Voodoo Essence with the Columbia XLR's to run between a Bel Canto DAC3.5VB and a Pass Labs XA30.5. The Pass seems to roll off the highs a bit so the Columbia does not sound too bright to me in my system.

Excuse me- I have the Colorado not the Columbia. Duh.

I owned the Colorado as well, but in my system it sounded more on the warm side. But the Cardas Golden ref is more warm sounding compared to the Colorado. But there is one thing you will loose. You will have less resolution and less decay with this cable. But it will give you the warmth in the mid freq.

I donot agree yhe Colorado is at least as good better in Several areas with the 
Colorado cardas more bloomy IMO.

My Dealer in New Jersey, called me specifically to tell me of the wonderful performance of Colorado. I greatly respect his ears and knowledge of what is available. Remember that all cables sound different in different systems, but I have no doubt that Colorado is an excellent cable due to his recommendation  I have never had any luck with any Cardas cable I've had in my system.

Agree with stringreen.  I've read very few positive comments about Cardas interconnects.  I had one Colorado for my table into the phono pre.  Once the Music Direct sale of Colorado happened I took advantage of the great prices to wire my entire system with Colorado. To do so I eliminated one Harmonic Technology Magic Link II and 2 Kimber Select KS-1021s. Never sounded better. As always based on your system, YMMV.

I have both AQ Columbia and Colorado XLR cables in two separate systems.  They're both great cables.  The Colorado sound more forward and busier, but slightly more accurate with wider soundstage than the Columbia which are more relaxed and laid back which I actually prefer.  

So you prefer the older Columbias to the newer Colorados?

I started out with the Columbias. The sound was too diffuse with a weaker bass response.  The depth was there but not the punch that you expect from a good kick drum for example.  I traded out the Columbias for Colorados and had a more focused sound, natural detail (pluck of guitar strings) and natural bass punch was there.  What really sold me was hearing live music and then coming home to listen to similar tunes on the system and being satisfied with what I now heard.

hifiman5366 posts11-18-2016 6:39pm

To do so I eliminated one Harmonic Technology Magic Link II and 2 Kimber Select KS-1021s. Never sounded better

I'm curious to hear what your experiences were between the HT and the AQ cables. Is the HT "muddier" sounding than the Colorados?

The HT cables had a very even sound to them frequency response wise.  The Colorados were even as well with a greater transparency and bass impact.  Not knocking HT, just liked the "clearer window" to the music with the Colorados in my system.  YMMV

@hifiman5 

You just sold me on the 'rados.

If you choose the Cardas try the Cross they are my choice over all the Cardas cables and worth every cent.

I agree with tooblue cardas cables will tame a foward or bright sounding system, and still sound musical warm and rich sounding. I use klipsch speakers and they can be bright and to revealing at times. I also use cardas cross interconnects. The cross interconnects seem to be the sweet spot in the cardas line.

I recently bought the Colorado cable ,and  spoke to one of their engineers 
The  dbs battery pack runs only a small electrostatic charge to block RF, And EMI
It doesnot breakin the cable . Give them 200  ours .I just played for 10 days straight night and day more refined and not bright unless the recording 
Is a very musical cable. Now discontinued  and can be bought for 1/2;thrir 
Original price .please note they should have the 72 volt dbs battery pack to 
Be the real deal not a phony one.

Earth is, I believe, the new replacement for Colorado. Earth has a smoother more refined sound. Also preferred it to the older Niagra  silver interconnects.

@mr_m  Have you had the opportunity to compare Colorados directly with Earth?  I thought the only appreciable difference was more layers of noise shielding in the Earth.