I'm using Amazons and Cardas Golden Cross in two different systems. My impression of the Amazons is they're clear and fast. The Golden Cross is quiet and a little darker than the Amazons, without losing any delicacy. I haven't had any extended exposure to Nordost, Audionote, and Transparent. I tried a mid-priced Monster interconnect for a while, but I was disappointed. Although it sounded smooth and even in frequency response, it seemed dynamically compressed and made the music sound relatively lifeless.