I really like them. The Presence is not a big increase in quality over the quadlink… As I have noted, once you have a good cable… I am not sure it is worth spending big dollars or even pursuing change.
This weekend when I have some time, I will put the Quadlinks back in to confirm. As I noted, I think Cardas is a great product… I doubt you can go wrong with any of them… but these are my assumptions.
I am just not an expert in interconnects because I have very limited experience. I know what I don’t like: Monster, MIT, and knotted bundle of cheapie no-names. These Cardas just sound nice. I had a set of inexpensive Transparent and they were nice too.
I used Quadlink and other Cardas as well including Golden Cross, Hexlink, 300B, Parsec and others. Revisting it again with a different tube DAC, preamp, tube amps. The newer upper end line does sound quite different. It’s worth trying a few different ICs to find a good synergy with your system as I’m re-learning again this year.
Recently sold my former Golden Cross Interconnects as they are now a little veiled over (too laid back, less transparent) for my tube amplifier application. Were great with my brighter SS gear. Not open and transparent enough for all tube gear in my system, particularly after settling on preferred NOS tubes. Back to square-1 on IC cables.
Revisiting ICs:
With the tube gear and help from a few friends with cables to loan, decided to try the new Cardas Parsec, revisiting my former Apature BG4 silver-over-copper ICs again, next was some loaner Audio Note Lexus 50, Analysis Plus Crystal Oval One, and finally the new Cardas Clear Cygnus cables. All very different.
As it turns out, the added clarity and transparency of the newer generation line of cables from some of the same manufacturers was not a good synergy for my particular tube system. Maybe still a tad too bright. The good thing is the lower cost cables like Parsec ended up working out nicely. A blend of old and new technology from Cardas, reminiscent of QuadLink with more transparency and detail on top. As I relayed back to Cardas, Parsec seemed a little harsh in the beginning, as the cables relaxed and settled in over a few weeks they have revealed a nice overall tone and musicality so far.
My experience with the Parsec IC’s has been very similar to yours. I really liked a broken-in loaner cable with my Stellar GCD and M700’s, but the brand-new Parsec I subsequently purchased didn’t seem quite as smooth at first as the broken-in version - but it’s sounding better all the time.
I had a chance to compare the Parsec and the Clear Sky in my system, but I liked the less-expensive Parsec better, especially in the lower midrange and bass. How did the Cygnus sound in your system compared to the Parsec?
While I enjoyed the comparison, my speakers, preamp, amplifier with NOS tubes tends to be already revealing and more transparent. My high frequency hearing is good so I’m sensitive to any edgy or overly analytical sounds. The Parsec are more rolled off than “Clear” Cygnus at the upper high frequency end of the spectrum. Granted the Cygnus were not fully broken in, while they very are nice sounding, and likely better suited for a smoother system than mine, in my case i preferred Parsec so far on “my” system and for a better synergy. If my custom designed speakers or pre/amp/tubes were more laid back, Cygnus might have been a better match, theoretically.
I’m re-learning again, and what I’ve read hundreds of times before “it’s all system dependent of course”, and starting with different speakers we all have. Your experience may vary.
Update… I just swapped my old Quadlink cables back in… oh oh… I think I like the old Quadlinks more than the Presence cables. Odd. Classic issue: the Presence either have a brighter top end or are just clearer… either way, my system then tips a bit bright.
But when it comes to musicality, well I guess they are both the same… with the nod to the Quadlink since I don’t like bright.
Interesting such an old cable was so darn good. At a minimum, both cables are great as it is all about system matching when you are in the land of good cables.
Sooo… moral of this story… if you system is a bit bright, then you can get some great deals on Quadlink out there. Not many want “old”. I just want music above all else.
Good to hear from you, but sorry to hear that the Presence cables didn’t work out as well as the Quadlink for you. It’s hard to find a modern IC that emphasizes top-end detail without sounding too bright in some of our systems. I know that Cardas considers Parsec the replacement for Quadlink, but it’s still possible that the bit of extra transparency in the Parsec may sound a bit bright in some systems. For me, though, the Parsec has a reasonable balance of detail and warmth and would appear to be a viable alternative to Quadlink in the current Cardas line-up. I’d love to hear a Clear Reflection IC in my system, but it’s 3 times the cost of Parsec so it’s not a path I’m likely to pursue. I’m also tempted by the Iconoclast IC’s, but they are pretty expensive as well.
The Golden Presence lacked body - that was the issue with it.
I have tried about every Cardas interconnect in my system up to the current Clear Beyond.
The Quadlink 5C’s were my first Cardas interconnects and they are good value for what you get. If you like those, try the Golden Cross if you can find some. It is a very nice cable with probably the best midrange I have ever heard, beating the Clear Beyond in this respect. I preferred it to the Golden Reference which has a more open top end and more highs but can be a bit bright and hard in the treble.
I have some old Cardas Quadlink too, and just put the 20 year-old quadlink between my cd player and BHK Preamp, and like the sound of the Cardas over newer Audioquest Mackenzie rca interconnect. Much smoother, more musical, more bloom, more openness, non-fatiguing.
You get the best of both the Clear and older 'Golden" ranges. It is a warmer cable but without as much of a midrange bump as the older Cardas. There is more air, space and layering of instruments. You are not going to get that midrange bump with any of the Clear series cables. The highs though are not as hard as the Golden Reference even though they are more extended.
I preferred it to Clear, which I found to be well, too “clear”. However, if your system is already on the warmer side, Clear Beyond is better.
Among the warmer interconnects, i like Golden Cross and Clear Reflection depending on the system.
Having thoughts of Clear Reflection (balanced) interconnect from BHK Pre to M700 monos, but the price tag tells me that Audioquest Red River (balanced) cable that I already have, is perfect
The old quadlink rca is still connected from source to the BHK Pre
