Speaker Cable Recommendations - Under 2k

CARDAS CLEAR REFLECTION as an upgrade from my prior NORDOST FREYs.

I have the HARBETH 30.2 XD’s ….highly recommended with my HARBETHs

- when I completed a full loom move from NORDOST FREY to CARDAS with a full CARDAS CLEAR IC & digital cable / CARDAS CLEAR REFLECTION speaker cables/ and a CARDAS CLEAR / CLEAR REFLECTION mix of power cables, it took everything to the next level that was not subtle.

- FWIW, the speaker cables component was the last piece in the sequential upgrade plan over 15 months as budgets permitted. All the cables were purchased over time pre-owned with COA’s to fit into those pesky budgets.

Q Why Cardas Clear Reflection speaker cables and not the full Monty CARDAS CLEAR or CLEAR BEYOND?

A Let me explain.

CARDAS CLEAR REFLECTION. (the improved successor to their prior GOLDEN REFERENCE model…)

I had an email conversation with Josh Meredith at CARDAS on this very issue. He referred me to his own experiences. His wife, Angela Cardas-Meredith,(… daughter of founder and Prez Emeritus George Cardas, and she is the current CEO at CARDAS …) and he personally stepped down at their home from their top CARDAS CLEAR / CLEAR BEYOND to the CLEAR REFLECTION speaker cable model. Its move was to successfully tame the excess brightness produced by audio system brightness and unwanted “glare” from reflections in a room with a lot of glass windows. Josh said it’s their recommended go-to model in like unwanted excess reflection “glare” or “brightness” situations.

I followed that key advice personally too in like manner, and I swapped out my prior NORDOST FREY (Ag coating on Cu) to the all-Cu patented Litz design CARDAS CLEAR REFLECTION speaker cables to tame my own unwanted brightness et al in a prominent glass windowed room.

= great Success - the unwanted brightness is gone, the ethereal digital “edge” is gone , the audio sonic signature presentation is a pleasant touch warmer, and all MUCH improved with no loss of details and great slam, presence and improved dynamics.

Post script …. Why beefy metal build speaker cables (like the CCR’s) can matter .

AUDIO: SPEAKER CABLES - From Alan Shaw (owner and designer of HARBETH)

” … So, the moral of the story is this: the most important factor of the loudspeaker cable that you should select is the amount of metal in the cable core. More metal means lower resistance.

If the core is round (as most are) then the correlation is simple: the fatter the diameter of the metal core the better because the electrical resistance between amp and speakerwill be lower.

Thin and really thin cores should be avoided regardless of how exotic the metal material is claimed as the lack of metal in the core conductor will increase resistance. That will reduce amplifier damping, effect the frequency response of the speaker and give unpredictable results that will vary from amp/speaker combination.

Do not be fooled by the diameter of the external plastic sheath: what matters is the metal content of the core. The more the better, without exception….”

You can get awesome cables from Ali- Express for way under $300.I mostly buy from DIY HiFi. I started by getting a knockoff NAME Nordost Odin coax, and was so impressed that I slowly upgraded, IC, speaker cables and 2PCs (one for dac/pre and transport). See the long thread titled Counterfeit Chines Cables

The only downside is it takes 3- 4 week to FL

@mihorn I am correct in thinking Wavetouch is your own company?  

Thin and really thin cores should be avoided regardless of how exotic the metal material is claimed as the lack of metal in the core conductor will increase resistance.

As good of a speaker designer as Shaw may be, the above is an example of how wrong he can be on closely related topics. Much like his earlier claims of being agnostic about amplifiers, Shaw is wrong in his over-emphasis of metal content.

I have been using Audience cables, which are well-known for being quite thin, on and off for many years. I also used them with Harbeth 30.1 speakers, and compared them to at least two other well-regarded brands that happen to have higher metal content. The Audience won, and I still use them now within my current system.

I’m not trying to push Audience, but there are reasons why they have been highly-regarded for decades now, and why their resale values are strong, etc.

Take a look at the reviews of Silversmith Fidelium cables as well. I’ve never heard them, but many apparently swear by them, and their metal content is obviously very low.

Don’t be fooled by Shaw’s poorly informed opinion.