2. cables
  3. 166356-149763

Initial disappointment with 1st set of “expensive’ IC’s...

I’ve been slow working my way to equipping my rig with all Cardas as I’ve been fan of their quality/sound signature an for a long time. I just received 2 sets of Clear Light IC’s which I’m using DAC to Pre and Pre to Amp. up until now all other Cardas cables that I have were obtained used and sounded great from day 1. The Clear Light however are brand new..when I sat down to give them a listen I was surprised not to hear any improvement...I was actually disappointed to hear what I can describe as a fatter bass and subdued upper end. My prior IC’s were Shirokazu Yazaki Belden 8402. I admittedly do not have golden ears but the difference was obvious. I’m interested to hear what other Cardas owners have to say about how their cables sounded when 1st installed. 
jl1ny
raysmtb1's avatar
raysmtb1
808 posts
 
It’s a lot easier if you buy a pre-amp with tone controls. Then you don’t have this fishing expedition of which cable is going to change the sound of my system. Something that they were never meant to do .
williewonka
3,113 posts
 
I've had cables that continue to improve up to 400 hours of playing

Typically I put them on my streamer 24/7 for at least 150 hours before any serious assessment.

The burn-in process is different from cable to cable
- some save their best performance until the end
- other will give you an initial taste, only to degrade and then get much better

I've never tried Cardas, so I do not know how they will progress.

Just be patient and give them ample time

Regards - steve
jl1ny's avatar
jl1ny OP
419 posts
 
@williewonka @ghdprentice @ghosthouse 
Thanks for the insight gents. I was apprehensive about spending what I did on these so my immediate expectations were perhaps too high. I’ll leave them running for the weekend then take another listen...they are keepers for a good while so It will be interesting to hear how they settle in.

@ghosthouse My Sonus Farber Concertinos are bi-wire and I’m using jumpers, I’ll definitely play with the configuration (didn’t know that was a tweak!).

@steakster Right now all my power cords are upgraded and I’m using a PS Audio Power Center (with plans for a Sunyata at some point).

@raysmtb1 The Prima Luna is here to stay brother, everything else I like is out of range for now.
raysmtb1's avatar
raysmtb1
808 posts
 
I’ve love music my entire life. I had an accident 3 1/2 years ago on my mountain bike and became a quadriplegic. I spent all day listening to music and over the past year I have put together a $60,000 Macintosh system. I have never heard speaker wires or inner K’NEX change.I listen to a lot of the same music at least eight hours a day and I couldn’t tell you from day to day if anything is changed. I’ll never understand what are you guys here that I don’t
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,166 posts
 
Ray - grace and peace brother.
More to discover