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XLO, Cardas vs Tara Labs, MIT: which ones?

I am looking to improve my system by replacing my Tara Lab Decade IC, looking for getting increase speed, presence and "air". I am considering XLO Unlimited / Signature 5.1 and Cardas Golden Cross Reference. I am also questionning whether I should also replace my MIT cable..

Has anybody compare those cables? Any suggestions?

My listening tastes privilege the musical balance, speed and "air", as well as the tone harmony, rather than hearing every single tiny details... In a nutshell, music that lives and breaths! I am listening mainly jazz, blues and (baroque)classical music.
System / Cables [in the same order: Source to Speakers]
LINN Ikemi + CHORD DAC64 + Spectral DMC30 + Linn Klimax 500 + Maggie 3.6
HT Cyber Platinum + Tara Decade + MIT-Spectral ULII-350CVT + XLO Signature 5.1
yhupe

Showing 2 responses by yhupe

yhupe OP
4 posts
 
I have been told that Audience Au24 IC cable might be the solution: very natural and transparent cable. Any one heard those. By the way, meanwhile I got hold of a Cardas Golden Cross Reference IC.
yhupe OP
4 posts
 
So far, the Cardas Golden reference have bested all the other cables I have tried, in terms of clarity and nusicality (music coherence). Yes, other cables like the Audience Au24 or the Tara Labs (Decade) have more details, especially in the high range, but I feel that this is actually detrimental to the overall music. The result being lots of details seemingly out of phase, and the playing being cold, strangely all over the place, and hearing noise rather than the instrument themselves playing and listening to the music... I think this phenomenon has been very well described by Peter Qvortrup (http://www.audionote.co.uk/) in his white paper 'Are You on the road to Audio Hell?', paragraph 'Detail and Resolution', which I recommand everyone to read, though I do not necessary agree with all his conclusions or hold his products as the ultimate audio reference...

By the way, any recommandation on what could best my Cardas Golden Reference (increased level of details and bass impact without sacrificing musicality) given the above? (Actually, may be there is none!!!)
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