Russb:
The only help I can give you, not understanding or hearing your system and the room it's in would be to tell you about my experience with two cables that I have spent a long time with and that connected my CD player to the preamp.
Tara Labs (Tara) Air 2, 0.5 meter, XLR terminated.
Harmonic Technologies (HT)Prosilway 2, 1 meter, XLR terminated.
The Tara cable originally connected a Meridian 508.24 to a Bryston 25MC preamp.
Because my impression of the Tara cable is relative to the sound of the HT, I disclaim any idea of "reference." To my ears when I connected the CDP to a Bryston BP25MC preamp with this cable, the sound was laid back and evenly balanced across the range. I can't say that it gave me the impression that it was anything special or that it "colored" the sound in any audible way.
When I upgraded the system to better amplification components, I also invested in HT interconnects and speaker cable having intellectually bought in to the idea that single crystal copper stranding with silver coating was of good fundamental physical design. But before I installed the new system, I compared the Tara with the Syn and was surprised that the HT cable made a huge audible difference. I immediately was impressed by the increase in overall volume. OK, so what does that tell you compared to the Tara cable? It tells me that more current is getting though to the amp. A good thing. Also the top end really seemed have much more of what I see most folks refer to as "air," not treble per se, but of the stuff that's way up there, the sound of a ride cymbal or the breath sounds of the horns (think Miles Davis' Nefertiti, Columbia Remasters, Side 2.
Piano sounded much less strident with the HT compared to the Tara. Bass was firmer and fuller with more clarity, I could hear more texture of both acoustic and electric basses with the HT. I believe that the folks at HT know what they are doing. Plus, their cables are what I feel fairly priced. I still have Tara cable out of system but to date I haven't identified a use for it. I have enjoyed the HT for almost two years now and I have no desire to part with them.
Both manufacturers make good products, but for me, the HT made such a huge overall improvement that for me they are one of the best values around.
Hope this helps.
The only help I can give you, not understanding or hearing your system and the room it's in would be to tell you about my experience with two cables that I have spent a long time with and that connected my CD player to the preamp.
Tara Labs (Tara) Air 2, 0.5 meter, XLR terminated.
Harmonic Technologies (HT)Prosilway 2, 1 meter, XLR terminated.
The Tara cable originally connected a Meridian 508.24 to a Bryston 25MC preamp.
Because my impression of the Tara cable is relative to the sound of the HT, I disclaim any idea of "reference." To my ears when I connected the CDP to a Bryston BP25MC preamp with this cable, the sound was laid back and evenly balanced across the range. I can't say that it gave me the impression that it was anything special or that it "colored" the sound in any audible way.
When I upgraded the system to better amplification components, I also invested in HT interconnects and speaker cable having intellectually bought in to the idea that single crystal copper stranding with silver coating was of good fundamental physical design. But before I installed the new system, I compared the Tara with the Syn and was surprised that the HT cable made a huge audible difference. I immediately was impressed by the increase in overall volume. OK, so what does that tell you compared to the Tara cable? It tells me that more current is getting though to the amp. A good thing. Also the top end really seemed have much more of what I see most folks refer to as "air," not treble per se, but of the stuff that's way up there, the sound of a ride cymbal or the breath sounds of the horns (think Miles Davis' Nefertiti, Columbia Remasters, Side 2.
Piano sounded much less strident with the HT compared to the Tara. Bass was firmer and fuller with more clarity, I could hear more texture of both acoustic and electric basses with the HT. I believe that the folks at HT know what they are doing. Plus, their cables are what I feel fairly priced. I still have Tara cable out of system but to date I haven't identified a use for it. I have enjoyed the HT for almost two years now and I have no desire to part with them.
Both manufacturers make good products, but for me, the HT made such a huge overall improvement that for me they are one of the best values around.
Hope this helps.