2. speakers
  3. 1174441506

Wilsons with Cardas or JPS?

I have Watt puppy 7s and just read in HiFi Plus that, in addition to Transparent, Cardas are a synergistic match. Anyone have experience with Cardas Golden Reference and Wilsons? The rap is that they are not particularly transparent. Does that problem (if it is) not apply when matched with Watt Puppys?
A cable that seems to have alot of fans as a window to the source without edge is JPS, esp. Aluminata. Anyone tried them with Wilsons? I have heard a number of cables and have heard v good results with Transparent, for example. What I don't like is an edgeiness that can come certain cables with a rep for transparency when paired with the Watts and a revealing CD Player (I have the Bel Canto PL 1). For example, to my ears Nordost cabling, when used from phono thru to Watts are great, but lose flow and become edgy when used from CD to Watts. I have heard this problem regardless of amplification which has included Spectral, Naim and McIntosh tubes--so take that out of the equation. With this as background, anyone have thoughts?
gpgr4blu
gpgr4blu OP
1,088 posts
 
Khrys---I too will audition the Aluminatas. How can u be sure know that the Cardas aren't allowing full potential? If they don't, I probably won't even bother to audition.
jscc
7 posts
 
Dont understand why Khrys found the Cardas GR less optimal. I have been using the same cables (from DA to Power to speakers - CD to DA uses Neutral Ref as there's no GR Digi cables) from WP6, to WP7 (not 8 as yet cuz pondering on Maxx 2) with McIntosh gears (MCD/MDA1k+MC1201's) and found them to be extremely musical and revealing.
gpgr4blu OP
1,088 posts
 
Jerryseh----Are you using 2102s? I'm not familiar with 1201s. Also, not to get off my own thread but how much did using 2 amps(bridged?) bring to the table vs just 1? How large is your listening area? Did you ever try other cables in your system to compare against the Cardas?
jscc
7 posts
 
Hi Gpgr4blu,

I am using the McIntosh MC1201 and not the MC2102. They are different altogether. The MC2102 you mentioned are tubes stereo (but can be mono) while the MC1201 are SS mono's. The MC2102 tube power amp, when mono gives out about 200 watts per channel while the MC1201 which I am using is rated at 1200w per channel.

As for cables, I have tried Tributaries, Audioquest and Monsters (many years back). Thats all. Periodically, I have some exposure to higher end stuff like Transparent, MIT and the like but nothing fancy me more than the Cardas GF as to me, they represent value for money for what they can do as against others.

My listening area is about 600 square feet.

Cheers
khrys
446 posts
 
As I said, Cardas GR and W/Ps are inherently musical and satisfying but with the more linear and extended frequency response of the 7s over the 6s and again with the 8s over the 7s I could hear more information at the frequency extremes but it rolled off sharply, truncated prematurely to my ears. And the upper midrange began to deviate from a pleasant "presence" to a bit of a glare.

So I began trying different cables as GR had been constant in my system for many years. When I tried Audioquest Sky IC/Everest spkr., it was a revelation. There was so much more detail and dynamics and the frequency extremes were extended by at least a clean octave. But though the Cardas midrange sweetness was not there, the genie was out of the bottle.

So I have no doubt that GR is limiting my system and I am looking for cables that combine the strengths of GR and the AQ. FWIW Nordost Valhalla was one of my least favorite auditions and the only Purist cables I like are not in my price league.

So my current short list includes JPS Aluminata, Synergistic Research Tesla and Virtual Dynamics.

Speltz may be my destiny!
More to discover