Merlin vsm mme owners, Cardas cabling Question.

Bobby thanks for the input on the Transparent cables.

Bobbyapalkovic.... I have an all Ayre system with balanced interconnects including LP...V1xe, K1xe, C5xemp, VPI Superscoutmaster/rim drive/Benz LP, into Vandersteen 5A's. I had Ayre and Cardas cables in my system for over 5 months each. I thought that's the way the system supposed to sound until a friend came over with some high end Purist cables. The difference was absolutely stunning. This prompted me to audition lots and lots of cables. The best sounding ones for my system was Audioquest Sky/Everest, and Anti-Cables. These sounded very similar, so I got the Anti -Cables because of the price difference. In truth, no one could tell me which cables were better when I swapped out one for the other.

i was wrong stingreen in two respects, with the breakin and about your speakers. vandy's imho, are going to be aided by the purist or a cable that slightly constricts, so i see why you liked what you had. the ayre/cardas was too full and relaxed to interface properly. this thinning or lightness would make the 5a's sound quicker and more finessed. this doesn't make the ayre/cardas wrong, just inappropriate for you and your speaker. there are plenty of speakers that these wires sound better on than other types. this is not one size fits all.
and in general, speakers with tweeters that are crossed over lower tend to like these litz wires more than ones that are crossed over higher. this has to do with the amount of fullness in the treble itself.
thanks s,
best, b

I have a pair of VSM MMe with the most recent lead free upgrade, and I'm still waiting in the queue for the BAM upgrade. I too have known and admired Bobby's speakers since I first heard the Excaliburs in the 80's, but this has nothing to do with the cable question.

When I first purchased the VSMs I did as Bobby suggested: Cardas Golden Ref. bi-wire and Golden Ref. ICs. This worked for a long time, until I purchased the Ars and got the lead out. Either my hearing has changed, which is quite possible, or the "highly linear sound" (as Bobby refers to it) was both too high and linear for my musical taste. I sold the Ars, went back to the Berning, bought the Cardas Golden Ref. single wire and use Bobby's jumpers. Still I was having some issues. Recently I auditioned the AU24 "e" which was a joy to work with compared to the Cardas garden hoses, but yet they didn't improve the sound any, and if anything I felt that the micro dynamics of the AU24 exacerbated the issue. Finally, and as a surprise to the naysayers, I've settled on the Cardas Neutral Ref. single wire. These cables give me a little more warmth and mid-range at the expense of highly resolved top and bottom details. I've also had a parade of amps coming through the door and I love the laid back 300b sound over the OTL or the EL34. I have a huge room to fill, so a low powered 300b amp isn't enough oomph for symphonic or rock. I use the Berning instead for that type of music.

Bottom line: go with what your ears tell you. Not everyone hears or listens for the same sound that you do. For example I'm personally not as sensitive to coloration as I am to bright and edgy sound; thus I've never met a ribbon tweeter that didn't give me tinnitus.

Stay tune I could have two Golden Ref. speaker cables, as well as a pair of TG Audio HSR with jumpers listed on Audiogon soon.

Robbobby: Whoa! Most speakers are colored? Slow down before you spring such radical concepts on me. I just hate that you've made your last post to this thread. I could learn so much from you.

I had no idea that most "experts" and "experienced audiophiles" (like yourself) agree that the Merlin is the best speaker on the planet. All the audiophiles and music lovers I know listened and left my dedicated listening room unimpressed. Speakers I've owned that easily outperformed the Merlin include Dunlavy SC-IV/A, Dunlavy SC-II, Von Schweikert VR-4Jr., Von Schweikert VR-4Sr. and Quad 988. As for Totem, I just think speakers like the tiny Arro are a lot of fun. It's hardly my reference. I'm sorry to have interrupted "Top Gun."