Cardas Golden Ref vs Acoustic Zen Silver ref vs KS

I have AZ SIlver Ref MkII from CD to preamp and Matrix Ref MkII from preamp to amp. I like this combo better than Matrix Ref MkII everywhere or Silver Ref MkII everywhere. 2 Motrix MkII cables was too much of a good thing. Music was missing some liveliness. 2 of Silver Ref MkII was too much silver. Not natural sounding. Silver Ref MkII from CDP to pre and Matrix Ref MkII from pre to amp strikes a nice balance between lively and smooth.
Now that being said, cables are very system dependant and what you hear in your system may not be what someone elses system sounds like with the same cables. You have to try. That's the only way to determine if a sound of specific cable is neutral to YOU. There is no neutral cable. They all have some sort of a sonic character.

What are the components you're buying the cables for?

Audphile1, thx for the insight on AZ cables. I got a new turntable (La Luce w/ Helikon) and a phono stage (Clearaudio balanced ref). So I need great sounding phono cable and IC from phono to Pre amp. The plan is eventually to change all other cables in my system from same make products. Cardas GR, AZ and Kimber are candidates sound that I am little familiar with. I already got the Cardas GR phono cable and before I get long cable ( 3m) from phono to preamp, I want to make sure on the make.

Cardas GR sounds natural but at times I feel that the sound is on warmer side, but then that is the only cardas cable i got in the system.It may not be fair to judge based on just one cable. But the fact the sound changes drastically when i change AZ wow ( a demo) to Cardas GR between TT and phono. A livelier sound ( a little too lively) that AZ wow provides makes me think to try AZ silver ref. Kimber select cable I have for my upstair system, so i am a little familiar with its sound.

Hope this helps.

Nil

I found that WOW!! was a bit more forward sounding in my system comparing to Matrix Ref MkII or Silver Ref MkII. Soundstage is a bit shallow as well. But WOW is definitely a nice cable for the money. I'd recommend you borrow some cables from cable company, so to narrow your choice. That could be one of the options.

audphile1:

I also uset the Matrix Ref II from preamp to amp and Silver Ref II from my sources to preamp. I agree with everything you said. The main thing I wanted to achieve was just a bit more warmth (which I got from the Matrix) without losing detail and dynamics (which I got from the Silvers).

I did find the Cardas Golden to be a bit too warm for my tastes. But in the end, it really depends on what you are trying to achieve.

N

I recently upgraded from Cardas Golden Cross to their Golden Reference from my Pre to my Amp and it is a little less warm sounding than the Golden Cross. I like these alot compared to the Golden Cross less warmth more detail but not fatuiging in the least and I'm using the Golden Reference Power Chords. If you want neutral try a demo of the Cardas Neutral interconnect and see how that sounds.