Opinions about Cardas Clear and Cardas Clear Beyond

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
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Portugal
I have now spent a few days re-listening to my old set of Cardas Golden Reference inteconnect and speaker cables in my system. They have an wonderful full bodied tone and are very dynamic, giving a little to other top cables I have tried in detail and bass slam and structure.

Does any of our members have experience with the top Cardas Clear and Cardas Clear Beyond cables? I would be particularly interested in comparisons with the old Golden Reference.

Curiously, using google I found that a few Burmester users love Cardas.
 

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,186
1,717
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
They sound great in the rooms I have heard them. Jeff Joseph of Joseph Audio fame is a big fan. He describes them as more open and resolving versus prior Cardas cables.
 

joeinid

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2011
1,543
12
400
NY
I have a few pairs of 1M Golden Refs and love them. I really want the Clear and Clear Beyond cables. I am using Cardas Clear jumpers on my TAD CR-1's.
 

microstrip

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May 30, 2010
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Portugal
I have a few pairs of 1M Golden Refs and love them. I really want the Clear and Clear Beyond cables. I am using Cardas Clear jumpers on my TAD CR-1's.

Joeinid,
Did you try them?
 

joeinid

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2011
1,543
12
400
NY
Joeinid,
Did you try them?

I still have not tried Cardas Clear or Beyond cables. I have since switched to Nordost Norse jumpers with TYR2 cables and absolutely love them. Smoother with more detail than my Clear jumpers. I still wonder about the top Cardas cables, but that will have to wait. Right now I am very happy.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
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I still have not tried Cardas Clear or Beyond cables. I have since switched to Nordost Norse jumpers with TYR2 cables and absolutely love them. Smoother with more detail than my Clear jumpers. I still wonder about the top Cardas cables, but that will have to wait. Right now I am very happy.

I heard good things about the TYR2. Do you also have the ICs?
 

joeinid

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2011
1,543
12
400
NY
I heard good things about the TYR2. Do you also have the ICs?

Not yet. I'm working on that. More gear is inbound and when the dust settles, I'll ante up and get a pair or two.
 

Tubedoctor

Well-Known Member
Dec 12, 2012
73
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913
In my system the Cardas Clear was much better (more information,more neutral,more precise) than the Golden Cross which sounded warmer.
 

Frank750

VIP/Donor
Jul 8, 2011
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My dealer gave me a pair of Cardas Clear Beyond speaker cables to use while my MIT cables are being looked at back at the factory. I have to say, the Cardas cables are a pleasant surprise. Transparent, dynamic, well defined bass and an excellent soundstage. Not the cheapest, I think in the $6-7k range, but certainly not the most expensive either.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
7,097
412
1,210
Northern NY
My dealer gave me a pair of Cardas Clear Beyond speaker cables to use while my MIT cables are being looked at back at the factory. I have to say, the Cardas cables are a pleasant surprise. Transparent, dynamic, well defined bass and an excellent soundstage. Not the cheapest, I think in the $6-7k range, but certainly not the most expensive either.
What's up with the MIT's ?
I am demoing a pair of Nodost Odin speaker cables in a week or so. If they sound better than my MIT's, which I love, I will probably put them up on the block. It will have to be significant. My main motivation is to complete the Odin chain from source to speaker. I didn't know the MIT speaker cables can break....
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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What's up with the MIT's ?
I am demoing a pair of Nodost Odin speaker cables in a week or so. If they sound better than my MIT's, which I love, I will probably put them up on the block. It will have to be significant. My main motivation is to complete the Odin chain from source to speaker. I didn't know the MIT speaker cables can break....

Problem with the threads on the circular connectors. I had to disconnect and reconnect a couple of times lately and the connection is very, very difficult to turn. It was like that with one of them when I first got them but I figured how many times will I have to remove the cables? After having to do it a couple of times recently, I decided it was time to have MIT look at them, especially for what they cost.

I would probably take a look at Odin too if I were you, seeing your ICs are mostly Odin. Mine are all MA-X SHD so I'm kinda married to MIT at this point, I like keeping them all in the family.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
7,097
412
1,210
Northern NY
Problem with the threads on the circular connectors. I had to disconnect and reconnect a couple of times lately and the connection is very, very difficult to turn. It was like that with one of them when I first got them but I figured how many times will I have to remove the cables? After having to do it a couple of times recently, I decided it was time to have MIT look at them, especially for what they cost.

I would probably take a look at Odin too if I were you, seeing your ICs are mostly Odin. Mine are all MA-X SHD so I'm kinda married to MIT at this point, I like keeping them all in the family.

The connector was quite difficult to turn on mine too. Maybe you has a cross thread ?
The MIT's are not out of my system yet. Odin will have to earn it's way for me to replace MIT.
 

Frank750

VIP/Donor
Jul 8, 2011
821
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928
The connector was quite difficult to turn on mine too. Maybe you has a cross thread ?
The MIT's are not out of my system yet. Odin will have to earn it's way for me to replace MIT.

I stripped skin off my thumbs disconnecting and reconnecting, that's how bad it was. I thought it was a cross thread too but I've never been able to get them lined up if that was the case. The other one was fine but I sent both back and asked that MIT evaluate both boxes since I was taking the time to send one back.
 

Backo NYC/SF

Active Member
Oct 15, 2021
49
99
25
67
Recently added the Clear Beyond Phono interconnect and the biggest difference was in the sound stage. Everything opened up immediately and has continued to improve as I’ve gotten some hours on it. My experience is that it’s me that’s getting used to the change as well as the system settling in but, regardless, I’m very happy. I’m getting the TW Akustic RPS 100 to replace the Lilt and am going to swap out the Clear Reflection balanced cables between the phono pre and the pre to the Clear Beyond unbalanced as the RPS 100 is unbalanced out and I can’t resist putting the Clear Beyond into the chain.
 

spearl8

Member
Sep 16, 2021
17
12
8
35
I now have a set of Cardas Clear Beyond interconnects. I demoed many cables from Nordost, shunyata, etc. The Shunyata sigma v2 is really good and I almost bought it because its resolution and clarity is absolutely insane. But in my system the Cardas had better bass and more importantly it absolutely sucks me in. A total joy for me.
 

Rareace

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2021
5
5
58
38
Cardas Clear Beyond IC’s and XL power cables are a major step up in their lineup. First thing I noticed is refinement and lower noise floor.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
15,962
13,231
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Recently added the Clear Beyond Phono interconnect and the biggest difference was in the sound stage. Everything opened up immediately and has continued to improve as I’ve gotten some hours on it. My experience is that it’s me that’s getting used to the change as well as the system settling in but, regardless, I’m very happy. I’m getting the TW Akustic RPS 100 to replace the Lilt and am going to swap out the Clear Reflection balanced cables between the phono pre and the pre to the Clear Beyond unbalanced as the RPS 100 is unbalanced out and I can’t resist putting the Clear Beyond into the chain.

Welcome to WBF, Backo!

I love your Alsyvox set-up!

I now have quite a bit of Cardas Clear Beyond interconnects and Clear Beyond XL power cords in my system.

Is your Clear Beyond Phono single-ended RCA or balanced XLR? In what ways do you prefer it sonically over the prior phono cable?

Thank you.
 

Backo NYC/SF

Active Member
Oct 15, 2021
49
99
25
67
Hi and thanks! It all gives me a lot of joy. Building out from the Alsyvox’s was the key.
They are unbalanced rca. I was using Charisma Musika phono leads which are great and I’m using them with the Miyajima Solo cartridge but the Cardas Clear Beyond cables just opened everything up. The sound stage just got, well, clearer.Of course I did this at the same time that I changed the Lilt for the TW so there was a lot of upgrade all at once.
 
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