Which purist interconnect??

I have recently switched from Cardas Golden Cross to PAD Venustas. Will have to get back to you on the results as they have not arrived. The Venustas would seem to be the best choice in your price range.

what's wrong with the cardas golden ref?

Cardas is a great cable, but system matching is key. The purist venastas should be a little lighter a foot, more tranparency and more quiet. The purist proteus provectus even more with more dramatic gains in tranparency, naturalness, along with it being evenhanded across the frenquency range...all off this from my personal experience.

I have heard each cable sound great, the system context and your goals are key here....

Fusion Audio Romance IC1.
For quite a few this has become the last interconnect upgrade, having tried it out in my system, I can see myself going in that direction. While I know what its flaws are, I would still call it flawless simply because I rarely get to notice the flaws, it is so correct sounding. One of the best midrange, with superb highs and clean sweet bass, no overhang, no slowing down of music, no veils, no jaggery just amazing instruments all around.

Try new Aqueous, its a very balanced cable...one of the most balanced I have ever heard. New Elementa Advance is good too, and cheaper. My experience with cardas is that their cables tend to smear images, though I never heard their reference cables.