Vandersteen Quatro CT

Tim,

I have no experience with any of the Rocket series cables. So I just don’t know. The Earth series cables i had been using (Volcano for Mid/Treble and Caldera for Bass) served me well for a long time. The mid bass once I got the Treo CTs was too thick and heavy thus obscuring details in the mid/treble that I wanted to hear. The Clear Days solved that problem for me.

I drive nearly 3 hours to go to Johnny's in NJ just like you guys, lol. He's the most fair person I've ever met in audio.  He totally undersells.  

As for cables, I've tried so many of the main stream as well as many of the boutique and handmade DIY ones.  I am biased to AQ because that's what Richard uses in his builds and what he personally voices them with.  IT just made sense to me.  I have not looked back and continue to end up upgrading within that line.  I just haven't found another cable that is as neutral with these speakers.  I've had the Nordost Odin's in and the AQ 'WEL" soundly hammered them.  Odin's were way too hot on top.  Not coherent and just not natural in MY system to MY ears.  Audence and even Cardas.  Ayre uses Cardas, but I felt the Niagara's I was using at the time was just more coherent from top to bottom.

I haven't heard the Clear, but I'm glad that you are enjoying them.  I think if I were you, I'd ask Johnny to borrow the 88's and see for yourself.  :)

Generally Audioquest works well for me.  I like Sky/Everest, the WEL worked far less well in my system.   Although I haven't had Cardas Clear in my system, all the others were a significant downgrade in including the Ayre line (I have all Ayre electronics)  Wireworld was wonderful...almost indistinguishable from ClearDay, except for an additional sense of ease....but you'd have to A/B them both to appreciate the top Wireworld.

Interesting about your Ayre cable since it's just a rebadged Clear.  They now have the Clear Ulta or something like that.  I was told to check that out.  

What was it about the WEL that you didn't like?  I was floored when I installed it.  I have been using Niagara for a few years and have had Sky and WBY I think they call it, but this Horizon/WEL just does everything so much better. I've had the Nordost Odin, Transparent, MIT 350 wired interconnects (their top wire along with the 770 ref speaker cables that I owned for many years).  I have a WW toslink and love it as it's the only one I know that uses really corning glass and not plastic fibers.  I have had their 7 series interconnect in and it was too bright for me.  Very interesting.  

...and the world turns.....