acoustic zen reference or venustas

Jmcgrogan2 is 100% right. There is no winner, just different 'flavor' and different tastes.
AZ is more lush or Venustas leaner if you prefer. AZ are not warm neither cold.

>>acoustic zen reference vs purist venustas, what is the winner?<<

Yes.

Hope that helps.

I agree this is a very subjective question. I have no experience with Acoustic Zen but comparing Purist to Nordost (which is the ultimate in detail and definition) to my ears its no contest. I would take a Purist cable any day over Nordost...if for no other reason than musicality and bass. You will never get more raw detail than with Nordost but, its how its presented that matters. To me their cables often sound analytical, forward, and thin in the bass. This is consistent through their line. I often hear people compare Purist to Cardas and while not always accurate, they share similar qualities. Cardas and Nordost are really on the opposite spectrum in approach, design, and sound. For me, I would recommend Cardas or Purist any day. None come cheap however.

There is a BIG difference in construction between Purist and Cardas products. Most Cardas products use their 'Golden Mean' system of windings, which at least in terms of construction, means MULTIPLE strands of wire -- making their cable HIGHLY CAPACITIVE. In some systems, and especially when used with electostatic speakers, this will kill detail, and can result in what some people complain is a soft/warm/round characteristic "Cardas sound". This may or may not be a problem in some systems -- especially those using high efficiency speakers and low output amplifiers. Purist products use a minimal number of conductors, with their solid core conductor models having the lowest impedance -- but all their products will bring out the detail in those systems where that's what the owner is after. I have A-B'd full Nordost (Valhalla) cabling vs. full Purist (Venustas) cabling in my (very articulate) system and found the Venustas to be the most balanced and natural sounding IN MY SYSTEM! Nordost product might help "liven up" a different system that was sounding perhaps a little "too dark" or lacking detail?

Once again, I want to restate my conclusion -- after a lifetime of listening to all kinds of systems + cabling -- that I now believe that whatever brand/model cable one gravitates toward, the optimum result (and best performance overall) will be had by using the SAME CABLE (both model and manufacturer) throughout the system. In other words, DON'T TRY AND PICK THE "BEST REVIEWED" CABLE FOR EACH FUNCTION IN THE SYSTEM. This (probably) works for the same reason that all the connective tissue in our body is made of the same flesh ;~))

I've owned AZ Ref, PAD Venustas and PAD Proteus Provectus. The AZ Ref was cleaner than the Venustas but the Venustas was plain more musical, although on the darker side of the spectrum. However the Proteus Provectus was the clear winner, made the Venustas sound veiled and truncated at both ends of the spectrum. Once heard I could not go back to the Venustas plain and simple.