Hi @audphile1 Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I believe the Golden Reference cables are previous gen Cardas cables, and as such, this pair has had two owners before me. So I didn’t think burn-in would change their signature much.
That said, I wondered if they would benefit from a running in period, so that’s why I gave them a week trial. Maybe it wasn’t enough? (I’d say, to my ears, they improved slightly during the week, but the lower bass was still substantially attenuated)
When I switched back to the Audio Sensibility cables, they just sounded ‘complete’ to me. It was the opposite of my expectations. And it would have been much easier to return the AS cables, as they come with a 30-day return policy.
I learned a few valuable lessons in the process, though. Switching the two sets of cables gave me a fresh perspective, helping me properly judge the effect of the change on my system. And I also learned that I don’t want to pursue gear that I can’t evaluate in some fashion before purchase.
Best, JAMES