I own two Clear Beyond Power cords for the Luxman 509u integrated amp and Accuphase DP700 SACD player, Clear Reflection XLR interconnects and a double run of old (but still good) Golden Reference speaker cables biwiring my B&W 803D’s, plus an old Golden Reference Power feeding the Goldnote Dumbo AC (the power filter dedicated to the digital source), while the Purepower 3000 feeding all system receives the dedicated power line (10 meters -I write from Italy- of 3x12AWG for hospital grade UPSs cable terminated with Oyaide C279) from the electric panel.
I am planning to replace the Reflection XLR with the new Beyond, and the G.R. Power for the AC filter with a Clear Power.
More extended, neutral and dynamic but still musical interconnects, and less bright/forward power cable should re-create the same balance, but a step "beyond" ;) .
I read from the Cardas website the new Beyond should be a musical cable with increased "slam" on low frequencies, instead of the too resolving, light character of the old Clear, still the Rev.1, I never liked; maybe Beyond is a more extended Reflection than an improved Clear, who knows?!
@david_ten@jafant@garebear@mikey8811 As I told in the Beyond Power topic, I have Clear Beyond Interconnects in my system.
After a long (and painful!) break-in I can say it's virtually free of faults, a huge improvement versus both Clear Reflection and Clear Rev.1 Interconnects. No more Reflection's fat midbass, nor the Clear's "flatness". All is how it should be. It's musical but it is not dark or overly warm. All music sounds good with the Beyond Interconnects, without being too forgiving.
I tried the Clear Rev.1 Speaker, it was a great (positive) surprise, I did not expect that improvement over the old Golden Reference.
I have two pairs of speaker cabkes so I tried the only pair of Clear I had in demo first on bass, than on mid highs.
It does not "blend" with the Golden Reference, they are too different. Golden Reference is more focused on mids, losing deep bass and "air" and detail in the upper end, which is exquisitely musical.
It went better mixing Clear Rev.1 with a Clear Light I could demo at the same time; the result was I have to pass from double run of Golden Ref. to a double run of Clear Rev.1!
Sound was balanced in every way I put the cables, but there was a loss of bass depht and articulation putting the Light down, and a more grainy sound putting it up; on the other hand, Clear provided a startling deep bass when used on the woofers and (as I told before) an exquisite, airy, roch, smooth top end when used on the mid-highs section.
Now the new Beyond Power XL is coming, so I have to decide: new speaker cables (I have to find 2 used/demo pairs) or a new power cord for the integrated?
@biggy79 Thank you for your update. I'm in the process of evaluating ICs and stepping up in the Cardas line from my Clear Reflections is an option.
Are there other points / impressions you can share about the Clear Beyond ICs, within your system? Beyond : ) what you already have, in your previous post. It would be good to know for my upcoming evaluation.
@mikey8811 Do you have any updates on your the Clear Beyond ICs? Do you still have them?
@david_ten I am still using the Clear Beyond from pre to power with a Clear Reflection from DAC to pre. I find the Clear Beyond can be a bit tipped up in the highs on some source material. You are using Audience SX speaker cables correct? It will be interesting for you to also try Audience SX interconnects and compare them to the Clear Beyond
@biggy79 This works out well as I like the midbass bloom the Clear Reflection gives. I haven't got the funds to try another Clear Beyond so it will have to do for now.
I am sorting out my power cords now and am wondering what works best with Clear Beyond Power. I have them everywhere except for the sources where I have Golden Reference. In this context, there is a little bass boom
Which Pass separates are you trying the Au 24 SX XLR’s with and how do they sound so far? I wonder if they have a leaner sound than Cardas does.
My current ICs with the Pass XP-20 and XA-30.8 are the Cardas Clear Reflection XLRs.
I compared these with the Audience Au24 SX Single Ended RCA as well as XLR ICs.
Both the Audience Au24 SX -- SE and XLR ICs DO NOT SOUND LEANER than the Cardas, within my system...to answer your question specifically. And neither does the Cardas (sound lean).
The Audience SX ICs have a ’bigger, bolder sound’ with greater dynamics, more slam and impact and energy. Bass is heftier and tighter. They also offer more air and bloom and also convey a greater degree of venue information and ambience.
The Cardas Clear Reflection sounds more polite and refined in contrast and with an overall more delicate presentation. It moves the stage back a few rows. It sounds ’cleaner’ and less energized and less resonant (Note: these terms are not meant in the negative).
I like the Audience A LOT. But I do believe (within my system) that it accentuates the lower frequencies and the aspects that make it so very engaging and enjoyable (air, bloom, dynamics, etc).
The Cardas Clear Reflection steps away from accentuating and to my ears is ’perhaps’ more accurate (relatively). However, for me, this comes at the cost of being less engaging and exciting (THAN). I also like the Cardas A LOT, but for different reasons than the Audience. It remains engaging and exciting and enjoyable...but when compared to the Audience it is less so.
Both of these cables are very good. It will come down to your preferences and system and goals.
I tried many different XLR IC's between my ARC Ref6 and ARC Ref150se in all different price ranges. Mogami Gold, Morrow MA-6, Sommovigo Airwave, Harmonic Technology (model unknown-dealer lent them to me), and then Clear Beyond. The Clear Beyond are nowhere near burnt in yet, but I can confidently say that with my electronics, the sound is just "right". Before, the sound was too in-my-face and music seemed to be emanating out of each speaker (DeVore O/93's). I was unable to get the soundstage to gel despite playing around a lot with speaker position. With the Clear Beyond, I am now getting exactly what I was longing for-a coherent soundstage and a sense of organic rightness. One of my favorite fall-backs is Sufjan's Illinois on vinyl with the two last tracks on side one, "John Wayne Gacy Jr." and "Jacksonville" on Asthmatic Kitty records. Last night listening to these, Sufjan was in the room and the various instruments sounded halographic, a first since buying the electronics new in August and the DeVores in September. I also tried many different sets of speaker cables and none sounded right until I bought a set of Clear at the same time as I bought the Clear Beyond IC's. Again, I (obviously-given how good things sounded last night with Sufjan) am very happy with the Clear speaker cable. I have no way to know for sure, but I suspect my sensitive DeVores would not benefit much by the thicker gauge Clear Beyond. My gut/instinct was to buy the very best IC I could afford for the preamp-amp interface and the ARC manuals confirm that too. I conferred with four different dealers with great reputations about choice of cabling with my equipment and while various names came up, the one common denominator among all four was Cardas. One Brooklyn-based dealer sold both DeVore and ARC and Cardas Clear or Clear Beyond was at the top of their list. What sets Cardas Clear and Clear Beyond apart? I don't know and don't care. All the gobbledy gook marketing stuff dulls the brain after a while. I trust Cardas though for manufacturing it's own wire, forging their own spades, and crimping with extreme pressure rather than soldering. Again, for my equipment, the proof came in the results. While I am at it, I might as well bring up Auditorium 23. John DeVore recommends Auditorium 23 irrespective of electronics but I auditioned my DeVores with VTL gear and Auditorium 23 and I thought the sound was a bit on the dark side. The Brooklyn dealer advised me not to go with Auditorium 23 on the basis that they were too neutral and at the same time, would not reveal all that my Ref6/Ref 150se was capable of bringing to the table. I think he gave me good advice. "Too neutral" some (or many) would question? Well, I have come around to that view. How can this be? Look folks, trying to create verisimilitude/plausible deniability out of recorded music amplified to two loudspeakers is inherently artificial and flawed. "Strict neutrality" is one of those concepts that sounds undeniable to the brain but in earthly practice is not necessarily a good thing. My point; my system needed a little manipulation and I think that Cardas would never admit it, but Cardas Clear and Clear Beyond to some degree manipulate the sound to create a sense of reality-all things being system-dependant of course.
@fsonicsmith Thanks for sharing your findings with the Clear Beyond ICs in your system.
Good points regarding what is not often said:
"Strict neutrality" is one of those concepts that sounds undeniable to the brain but in earthly practice is not necessarily a good thing. My point; my system needed a little manipulation and I think that Cardas would never admit it, but Cardas Clear and Clear Beyond to some degree manipulate the sound to create a sense of reality-all things being system-dependant of course.
I am also searching for a 2 pair of XLR cables , I just purchased the Luxman M-900u / C-90u combo and before that I ran single ended . My current speaker cables are Antipodes Ref and I’m trying to decide between Antipodes Ref XLR or something in the upper Cardas line
My God Stringreen ….give it a break. I think you actually troll for any Cardas post just to interject the same statement each and every time. You had noted in many posts in which you just bash Cardas that you haven't even listened to their newer Clear Line of cables. I do not like Ayre components, well made and with a strong following but I have always felt that they were a little thin sounding to me ears ......so I never bough any Ayre equipment but I do not impose my thoughts on every post here about Ayre. Getting old my friend ...let it go.
Garebear787: I saw your posts from back in 2017 on the Cardas Beyond Clear cables. Do you still have them in your system? If so how have they evolved once fully broken in?
@jgladden36 have you tried the scenario of using Clear Reflection ICs for both of you your sources (DAC and Phono) upstream, and then a Clear Rev1 -or- Clear Beyond IC downstream between your Holo Serene preamp to your AHB2 amplifier?
I’m doing something similar putting the more transparent cables further down in the chain. I’ve tried this with my Cardas, Analysis Plus, and Apature cables. Works wells too if there is a way to test and try it.
I also use Cardas Clear Beyond XLR between my Aqua Formula xHD DAC and my Vitus SIA-025 Mk2 integrated amp and Clear Beyond SC to my Thiel CS 3.7s speakers.
I've demoed several top notch cables in my system and in the end Clear Beyond were the ones that worked best for my system.
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