I had the same conversation with Josh Meredith at CARDAS (Hubby of CEO Angela Cardas-Meredith ,,,) before I bought my eventual CARDAS speaker cables to support my CLEAR cables array (XLR IC’s, power…) , it was a surprising recommendation choice : CARDAS CLEAR REFLECTION over CLEAR BEYOND or CLEAR models. Who,knew?
IN SHORT: it is ENTIRELY system and room acoustics dependent
IN DETAIL:
I had a new listening room situs with large windows along a long wall that now impacted my audio pleasure, The first reflection points and “glare” were now a PITA.
Josh explained that he had the same issue in his own home…lotsa glass window Wall(s);…acoustic warts needing a proper address . . He intuitively started with a full Monty introduction of CARDAS CLEAR BEYOND but with glare questions, and then faced off with CARDAS CLEAR speaker cables …. Neither solved the listening room warts issue,
His CARDAS engineers suggested that he step down to CARDAS CLEAR REFLECTION speaker cables with a slightly “warmer” bespoke sonic signature paired up with CLEAR BEYOND ICs in his home .…. WOW ….Problem finally solved with no loss in detail, dynamics, or slam.
Josh reinterated that the CLEAR and CLEAR BEYOND models are incrementally “better” models to consider IF AND ONLY:
- you actually have the ultra high-end system upstream worthy of their model choice as a proper system synergy matching , ( there is a reason why CARDAS CLEAR BEYOND / CLEAR and NORDOST ODIN / VALHALLA dominate in the audio shows ,,,,)
- he reinforced that your bespoke listening room acoustics influences need to be fully assessed first. $$$$ alone spent blindly in isolation hoping for that superior audio performance is a misguided approach, (….hoping is not a strategy …).The litmus test He found out himself in his own home.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TAKE: ….me too …CARDAS CLEAR REFLECTION IN MY SYSTEM rules
I was upgrading from a full loom of NORDOST FREY and I followed his recommendation to assess the glass wall acoustics warts first , just like he did .
CLEAR REFLECTION was a step-up that tamed the glass wall “glare” with no loss of legendary CARDAS top-shelf detail, slam and dynamics ….full stop.
YOUR TAKEAWAY
-I would resist a blind assumption that an automatic best of breed in their very top model for your system and listening room ..,one size does NOT fit all….
- Audition options if possible first ….
Then Choose wisely.
FOOTNOTE
Personslly, I found that a full loom/array of CLEAR with my CLEAR REFLECTION speaker cables works best. CARDAS CLEAR ( insert model) power cables bested other contenders and pretenders, and added an incremental step up in audio performance for me .,.. FWIW