Cardas vs Cardas vs Shunyata interconnects


Got a pile of interconnects cables today from Cable Company to try, focusing on between my DAC (Weiss) and pre (Mc c2300)—SF Amati Tradition speakers with MC601s. Base cables mid level Wireworld.

Contenders

- Cardas Clear Cygnus

- Cardas Clear Reflection 

- Shunyata Venom 

- Shunyata Venom X

First in was Cygnus. I was immediately floored. Loved everything about it—feeling so engaged with music. Amazingly dynamic and tight bass response. Every song I played was just amazing.

After an hour I was itching to try the Reflection expecting great things. Nope. Dull and woolly. I love warm, but perhaps this was too much of a good thing. After two songs I was back to the Cygnus. 

Sticking with the Cygnus tonight.

Shunyata will be up tomorrow and I’ll report back. 

w123ale

I have both Cardas Cygnus  I.Cs and speakers cables, for the last 4-5 years,  I added a Clear SPDIF cable earlier this year.  I have not tried any of Cardas P.C.s, I have no issues  with any of these cables and happy with the sound. The only other hi-end cable I tried was Nordost, and didn't care for them..... with the others being enrty to midfi cables. 

So, I got one set of Cygnus interconnects for my DAC to pre and using my borrowed Cygnus set from pre to monos. Holy hell—truly extraordinary. In my system these Cardas cables are like changing a major component like a DAC. Extraordinary sound stage width and height and separation between instruments. What I find most engaging is a feeling of physical texture to the music like I can touch it.
 

With the two Cygnus pairs there is now a synergy that wasn’t there when I was mixing them with the Clear Reflection. What this leads to in practice is that I can play nearly any music close to 100 dB—nasty metalcore, jazz, electronica, Taylor Swift, and outlaw country at levels that will peal paint. Nuff said.

I do of course now wonder how Clear and Beyond would sound.

@w123ale It is now almost one year later. Have you kept the Cygnus cables between your DAC and preamp? (My digital sub-system has become so clear and detailed that is now “too much of a good thing”.) Currently, I use an all-silver interconnect cable between my DAC and preamp and am thinking that the Cygnus might add a little warmth — which is needed. 

@audphile1 Yes, it is. Currently, I have a special version (all silver) of Kimber Kable's Silver Streak interconnect (which they custom-made for me), including WBT114AG connectors. I suspect that, with the clarity of the Bricasti M21 DAC, the Silver Streak may be de0-emphasizing the lower-mid and upper bass and enhancing the upper-mid and highs -- resulting in a sound which sometimes enters into the realm of "clinical". There is no question I hear everything recorded but am often missing the music's richness in the process.