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Wilsons with Cardas or JPS?

I have Watt puppy 7s and just read in HiFi Plus that, in addition to Transparent, Cardas are a synergistic match. Anyone have experience with Cardas Golden Reference and Wilsons? The rap is that they are not particularly transparent. Does that problem (if it is) not apply when matched with Watt Puppys?
A cable that seems to have alot of fans as a window to the source without edge is JPS, esp. Aluminata. Anyone tried them with Wilsons? I have heard a number of cables and have heard v good results with Transparent, for example. What I don't like is an edgeiness that can come certain cables with a rep for transparency when paired with the Watts and a revealing CD Player (I have the Bel Canto PL 1). For example, to my ears Nordost cabling, when used from phono thru to Watts are great, but lose flow and become edgy when used from CD to Watts. I have heard this problem regardless of amplification which has included Spectral, Naim and McIntosh tubes--so take that out of the equation. With this as background, anyone have thoughts?
gpgr4blu
khrys
446 posts
 
I have used Cardas GR with W/P 6s, W/P 7s and now W/P 8s. GR + W/Ps are inherently musical and satisfying but with each step up the W/P chain, I found the cables to be less and less optimal, like they were holding back the speaker's potential. I am actively looking for more extended and transparent cables for my W/P 8s and JPS Aluminatas and Synergistic Research Apex are on the short list (especially after reading this thread).
gpgr4blu OP
1,082 posts
 
Khrys---I too will audition the Aluminatas. How can u be sure know that the Cardas aren't allowing full potential? If they don't, I probably won't even bother to audition.
jscc
7 posts
 
Dont understand why Khrys found the Cardas GR less optimal. I have been using the same cables (from DA to Power to speakers - CD to DA uses Neutral Ref as there's no GR Digi cables) from WP6, to WP7 (not 8 as yet cuz pondering on Maxx 2) with McIntosh gears (MCD/MDA1k+MC1201's) and found them to be extremely musical and revealing.
gpgr4blu OP
1,082 posts
 
Jerryseh----Are you using 2102s? I'm not familiar with 1201s. Also, not to get off my own thread but how much did using 2 amps(bridged?) bring to the table vs just 1? How large is your listening area? Did you ever try other cables in your system to compare against the Cardas?
jscc
7 posts
 
Hi Gpgr4blu,

I am using the McIntosh MC1201 and not the MC2102. They are different altogether. The MC2102 you mentioned are tubes stereo (but can be mono) while the MC1201 are SS mono's. The MC2102 tube power amp, when mono gives out about 200 watts per channel while the MC1201 which I am using is rated at 1200w per channel.

As for cables, I have tried Tributaries, Audioquest and Monsters (many years back). Thats all. Periodically, I have some exposure to higher end stuff like Transparent, MIT and the like but nothing fancy me more than the Cardas GF as to me, they represent value for money for what they can do as against others.

My listening area is about 600 square feet.

Cheers
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