Cable thoughts

Steve, I like your thought process. It does make sense. I was loaned a pair of Transparent Gen5 Super XLR's and a pair of TA BMLP to try out. I actually have the MLP from the DAC to Pre amp and the TA BMLS from the pre to the amp. The system sounds great. very airy and detailed along with great soundstage width and depth. I'm going to try different combinations as well as much and matching the older TA Ultras I have, the NBS Monitor IV's and loaners. 

The NBS you have are better cables than the Transparent Ultra's.

Just try them in your system. You'll find the NBS more coherent and linear overall.

The Transparent's have a different sound. They are thicker overall. If you like that, then go for the Reference over the Ultra.

Take a trade in for the Black Label 2.  If not, you can buy it used on Audiogon or Audiomart.  Your system is more match with the classic series from NBS.  

Do yourself a big favor; the transparent cables are not in the same league as NBS,  No offense to anyone!  I strongly recommend a demo on the Black Label 2 from Nbs,  you will stop looking for any other cables. Mark My Word On This. You Will Not Be Disappointed!

Maybe i will try to Audition them somehow. There's no NBS dealers in the Chicagoland area, at least that I've found. I tried the Monitor IV's yesterday from Ayre DAC to preamp and did not like it at all. Maybe I want used to it? My soundstage narrowed considerably. The sound was much brighter, almost to bright. S's had an sssssssssssss which drive me crazy. Their definitely burned in. They're 15 years old. I ended up putting my older Ultras back in their place swapping between then and the loaned TA gen5 m2 BMLP. At the end of the day, I have the old Ultra's from DAC to Pre because I noticed a much better soundstage and more detail over the BMLP. I'm still going to keep playing because this is fun to me and it's what idiots like myself enjoy doing lol!!

OK I think the Monitor series is leaner sounding than the Classic series. The Classic series is great because they are linear and coherent throughout but still maintain body and fullness throughout.

Ayre is reputedly lean sounding although the Codex uses the double diamond stage which is meant to be fuller sounding. Ayre gear works well with Transparent or MIT which both give a fuller sound - I prefer MIT as I find Transparent can sound thick. Ayre themselves recommend Cardas cabling - so maybe try those perhaps from the older range as opposed to the current Clear range.

Did you try the NBS in the pre to amp position? I am guessing that if you use the Transparent Ultra's you have from Ayre Codex to pre and the NBS Classic series (if not the Monitor you have) from pre to power amp (what power amp do you use?), you will be happy. Try that and see how it works out.