I can't answer the questions asked by the OP but I can say that I just recently purchased a 1.5/M pair of the Clear Cygnus interconnects and I really like what I'm hearing. The Clear Cygnus interconnects are between my CDP and Integrated Amp. They seem to due everything correctly and at the present time I have no complaints.
Cardas Clear Light vs Clear Sky
Can anyone clear up (ha!) my confusion on why Cardas replaced Clear Light with Clear Sky interconnect? Is Sky an improved or a lesser version of Light? Also, any insight on what either of these interconnects sounds like, especially in relation to older Cardas cables, such as the Neutral Ref, would be appreciated.