Cardas or Nordost???


Currently I have all Nordost Cables in my system (SPM interconnects and Red Dawn Rev 2 speaker wire) My system is very basic and consists of a Wadia 850 run directly into a Mark Levinson 331. I am thinking about trying out the Cardas Golden Reference interconnects and Neutral Reference Speaker cable. I know these cables are totally different. Any thoughts on what would be the best fit? Thanks in advance...John
jla
First, there seems to be a lot of things missing here most importantly, the facts. Nordost is based in Framingham MA and is a company new to High-End audio, but not to wire and cable manufacturing. They have been involved in the design and manufacture of wire and cable products for the aerospace, medical, military and computer industries for years and so bring a wealth of technical expertise to the design process. So much for the wild accusations and conclusions about Nordost buying cable off the shelf from some cable manufacturer and re-selling it to uninformed audiophiles. Insofar as The Audio Critic goes, GIVE ME A BREAK...PLEEEEASE!! This guy sees conspiracies and innuendo in everything! If The Audio Critic had his way, we would all be using 10 watt tube amps, gutting Wilson Watt loudspeakers and running around wiring 8 parallel runs of Polk Audio speaker wire to our speakers. Somewhere Stereophile's Sam Tellig and his sidekick Larz are laughing their butts off while convincing you to use Radio Shack's well-wire! Hey, perhaps Cardas uses well-wire in their Golden Cross. Quick! Call The Audio Critic!! My experience is that people handle the TRUTH just fine, once they really know what the TRUTH is.
First, there seems to be a lot of things missing here most importantly, the facts. Nordost is based in Framingham MA and is a company new to High-End audio, but not to wire and cable manufacturing. They have been involved in the design and manufacture of wire and cable products for the aerospace, medical, military and computer industries for years and so bring a wealth of technical expertise to the design process. So much for the wild accusations and conclusions about Nordost buying cable off the shelf from some cable manufacturer and re-selling it to uninformed audiophiles. Insofar as The Audio Critic goes, GIVE ME A BREAK...PLEEEEASE!! This guy sees conspiracies and innuendo in everything! If The Audio Critic had his way, we would all be using 10 watt tube amps, gutting Wilson Watt loudspeakers and running around wiring 8 parallel runs of Polk Audio speaker wire to our speakers. Somewhere Stereophile's Sam Tellig and his sidekick Larz are laughing their butts off while convincing you to use Radio Shack's well-wire! Hey, perhaps Cardas uses well-wire in their Golden Cross. Quick! Call The Audio Critic!! My experience is that people handle the TRUTH just fine, once they really know what the TRUTH is.
You misse the point KHrys.I guess your one of the unlucky ones who has bought their overpriced junk.Some people just have a hard time with the truth.Which is you can buy a custom cable from a suberb desiner for 299.00.You dont have to pay Nordst or one of those others 2000.00 for the same piece of cable.
Knocking Cardas or Nordost for not "manufacturing" their own wire is like knocking Mercedes for not "manufacturing" the steel used to make their cars. Mta, if your computer company "manufactured" its own silicon, would you post less tripe, or, would we all get more value from the drivel?
I have tried the nordost on my Dunlavy V's and was way to bright and thin. I haven't used the Cardas. I got the Synergistic reference and am very pleased
They are both over hyped over priced cable scam rip offs.Its a piece of wire that niether of these companys make.They buy it from Belden,Pirelli,Shawflex.I really feeel sorry for people who have spent money on Qattro Fil and the likes.Go to www.high-endaudio.com go to the Audio Critique section and go to recomended componebts section read on the cable.Dont cry in your beer to long when you realize just how badly you have been had.Cardas and Nordst are both not value for your $.
First, try out SPM speaker cables, then decide to go with Cardas. Nordost has the best fit for solid state / digital information. Cardas Golden seems to be a better fit for tube applications. With your equipment, the Nordost will produce a faster, punchier sound as dictated by the Wadia. For some reason, the Nordost cables are more "transparent" with solid state equipment / digital equipment.
I've tried both with magnepan speakers and a mesa baron tube amp and liked the cardas better. Of course Cardas is supposed to be a good match with tubes and Maggies. Which brings up a good point. Even with cables getting the right ones is very system dependent right now I have a pair of Newform Research R645s for home audition and could see where the Nordost could sound good with them. I also like the Nirvana SX interconnect and Analysis plus speaker cables. Call the Cable company and try some out. And please when you decide to make a purchase go through them so they will be around the next time you decide to upgrade cables.
Stay with the SPM interconnects. The SPM speaker cables are a great product also. If you are looking for dynamics transient response and speed of attack Nordost is the best and mate well with solid state electronics and ESL loudspeakers. Removing the SPM interconnects is a mistake in my judgement. I've had Cardas and they make a good speaker cable but I think you would be happier with the SPM or Kimber "focal" series speaker cable. If you decide to change your interconnects, I'll buy your SPM's!
I am an imagining freak. I also like my sound smooth. Next to SPM and Quattro fil the Blue Heavens are as smooth as butter when compared to Red Dawn. And I have yet to hear anything image better than Nordost(depth and width and Height); Including Golden Cross & Neutral Ref,Oval 9. Palpable images man, Palpable images!!!!
I am not an unbiased poster on this subject, I like Cardis and do not like Nordost. I am surprised that your system is not too bright or thin with the components you list and the wire you currently are using. Are you satisfied with your current sound?
you can't et much better than SPM. Try the SPM speaker cable scratch the red dawn, I've had it and there are a bunch of less expensive cables that are much better good luck