Warm Interconnects


First, apologies as I know this has been asked before...a lot. I'm looking for a warm interconnect to balance out my system, but not wanting to break the bank if I can help it. I know everyone has favorites and the one I hear more often than not is the Cardas Golden Cross, but would like to find something similiar in tone but at a lower price. I've read/researched room treatments, speaker placement, etc and tried most of it, but it's the same results. I'll list my setup here, but to start I own Monitor Audio Silver 8s (last of the British made). They're bright in character already, I know (gold tweeter, but same as their gold reference line).

System is -
Benchmark DAC1 with HiFi tuning fuses fed by Shunyata Taipan Alpha Helix power cable
Musical Fidelity A308I Integrated fed by PS Audio Mini-Lab power cable
Monitor Audio Silver 8s
Shunyata Hydra 4 fed by Taipan Alpha Helix
Audioquest Bedrock 8' Bi-wire speaker cable
Tributaries .5 meter SCA-150 Silver RCAs from DAC to amp (these, I believe, are the major culprit as I hear that silver doesn't go well with solid state gear).

I'm demoing a pair of Home Grown Audio Silver Lace RCAs at the moment, but this was just to confirm silver is poor with my setup (and it looks like silver is, though the Silver Lace are an improvement).

Any thoughts are appreciated.
mb9061
I also recommend the original AZ Matrix Reference( not the newer MK II, which is more tonally neutral) The originals had a very seductively warm quality.
For detail emerging out of a beautiful silent background combined with a noticeable absence of edge or brightness, one choice is any generation of the Marigo IC's, analog or digital.
I always describe these as delivering a luxurious Rolls-Royce sound, everything enjoyable as the flow of music seems so natural, and unforced. There is a distinctive conveying of emotion with the human voice which is very captivating.
All details of a recording are kept intact, but less dramatically, less "in your face" than most other wiring.
My recommendation are the Audio Metallurgy GAO's which are pretty much always being auctioned here on Agon.
Great people to deal with as well.
Good luck on your quest.
Anyone A/B the Golden Cross to the Acoustic Zen Matrix (or Matrix II)? Curious how those would sound.

I picked up a pair of Audioquest Jaguar DBS to demo and compare to the HGA Silver Lace. Completely different cables in my opinion, but both good for what they're designed for I imagine. The Jaguars are more dynamic with a better soundstage, they tame the extreme highs a bit but also add too much etch for my taste. Imagine they'd work well in the right system. The HGAs are brighter, but also smoother in the upper treble. Not as much low end, but decent tight bass response. Don't appear to be as dynamic in my setup as the Audioquests though.

I guess I'm down to either the Golden Cross or AZ Matrix, hopefully either will be an improvement over the AQ Jaguar DBS.