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Help me understand the Cardas line of ICs

I'm a little confused by Cardas ICs. From their web site it would seem the top of the line cable is the Golden Reference, then the Neutral Reference, followed by the Golden Cross, yet if the prices I am seeing here on A'Gon are accurate, it would seem the Golden Cross is 'better' than the Neutral reference.

So what's a 'better' cable; the Golden Cross or Neutral Reference?

I put the Neutral Reference cable between my pre and amp and very much like the air surrounding the highs as well as the softening (without loss of detail) in the highs. Would the Golden Cross give me more of that than the Neutral Ref? How about the Golden Ref?b
mdomnick

Showing 2 responses by drubin

drubin
3,283 posts
 
Golden Cross and Golden Reference both represent the top of the line but with different objectives. Golden Cross is sort of the pinnacle of the Cardas sound (warm. rich, organic) and Golden Reference is a more neutral take on that sound. Some would say GR is the top, but I believe George Cardas would say it depends.

Neutral Reference occupies the next tier down but does not have the Cardas sound typified by the Cross series and even by GR. Others will disagree, I'm sure.
drubin
3,283 posts
 
Sorry, but I would hardly call Golden Reference "perfectly neutral."
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