[Welly Wu]

REVIEWER EQUIPMENT:
Source Component: ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi with LC Audio Super Clock X03 with separate Clock Power Supply, Power Supply Upgrade with Black Gates capacitors, rectifiers, and resistors along with NX Tank, Level Two Transport with a coaxial digital RCA output, and 6.1 multi-channel analoge stage output upgrades
Headphone Amplifier: Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline HR-2 (TI OPA627BP)
Earphones: Ultimate Ears Ue-10 PRO
Cables: Balanced Power Technologies L10 (FIM 880 with “Super Shield”), Blue Jeans Cable Component, Composite, and Stereo RCA, Cardas Golden Reference Power, Cardas Golden Reference Interconnect RCA, Volex 17604 power
Power Conditioner: Balanced Power Technologies BP.Jr. II Ultra Signature Upgrades with cryogenic silver wire, Hubbell outlets, GFCI outlet, three layer dampening, high current filters, isolation cones

MUSIC SELECTIONS:
Natasha Bedingfield, Unwritten (CD)
Eagles, Hotel California (24bit/192kHz DVD-Audio)
Deutsche Grammophon, Claude Debussy: Panorama (CD)
David Lloyd-Jones, Holst: The Planets (NAXOS Super Audio CD)
Renee Fleming, Handel (Decca Super Audio CD)
Stravinsky and Ravel, Firebird Suite & Bolero (AIX Records 24bit/96kHz 5.1 channel DVD-Audio)

Introduction:
The purpose of this review is not only to present my experience of owning both Cardas Golden Reference cables, but to compare them against my Blue Jeans Cable Stereo RCA and Volex 17604 power cables.

SOUND: CARDAS GOLDEN REFERENCE
The Cardas Golden Reference Power and Interconnects are the top of the line products available from George Cardas’ Audio company: http://www.cardas.com. As such, they have an idiosyncratic and paradoxical house sound: creamy rich textures, forgiving warmth to a fault, intimate immediacy, yet ne plus ultra resolution. On a grand scale, tonal balance is cohesive with no distortions. However, overall perspective is aggressive, incisive, yet gentle and lush.

The foundation of music is the bass and this is especially true with contemporary American rock, popular, rhythm and blues, and hip-hop along with rap genres. Deep bass starts at 16 hertz and upper bass ends at 250 hertz. Listening to both Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten (CD) and the Eagles, Hotel California (24bit/192kHz DVD-Audio), here are the positives of the Cardas Golden Reference cables: bass extension is bottomless with clear pitch differentiation. I can hear the individual textures of drumsticks hitting bass and snare drums. Furthermore, deep bass through upper bass cohesion is continuous without distortions. Here also are the negatives: bass attack is tight, but visceral impact is softened. Consequently, bass lacks authority and drive. Moreover, elongated note decay distorts time and phase information with all music genres.

“If the midrange isn’t right, nothing else matters” wrote J. Gordon Holt of Stereophile. The most sensitive frequency spectra within human hearing begins from the lower midrange at 250 hertz through the upper midrange ending at 2,000kHz. I listened to David Lloyd-Jones conducting the Royal Scottish National Orchestra on Holst: The Planets (NAXOS Super Audio CD), Stravinsky and Ravel, Firebird Suite & Bolero (AIX Records 24bit/96kHz 5.1 channel DVD-Audio), and Karajan, Michelangeli, Britten, Abbado, and Rostropovich each conducting Claude Debussy: Panorama (Deutsche Grammophon CD). The Cardas midrange is creme de la creme: warm creamy rich textures indulge the senses while ne plus ultra resolution retains accuracy in instrumental harmonics, timbre, and imaging precision.

2,000kHz to 20,000kHz define the lower to top octave trebles. Classical and opera comprise at least sixty percent of my digital music collection and consume ninety-five percent of my listening time. Recordings of this sacred music tend to preserve treble information with fewer compromises than other music genres. So, let us have at it: the trebles are sheer romanticism. Renee Fleming cultivates her soprano voice with rare opulence, impeccable diction, and emotional resonance. With the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Harry Bicket as principal conductor (Decca Super Audio CD), her Handel is regal. These cables flatter her with smooth liquidity, romantic warmth, and unlimited treble extension that free her top octaves to soar ethereally.

On one hand, the Cardas Golden Reference reproduce an extremely focused and delineated sound stage in terms of width and depth. Image specificity, layering, and instrumental bloom sound supreme. On the other hand, height is rather short. Micro and macro dynamic shading have an inextricable relationship. With ne plus ultra resolution, crucial micro dynamic details such as harmonics, note decay, sudden shifts in intensity, ambience, spatial dimensions, timbre, and presence appear with incisive clarity. With an unconstrained Macro dynamic range, sudden shifts from pianissimo (ppp) to fortissimo (fff) sound explosive, yet oh so smooth. Transient responses quickly gauge how accurately your reference system can reproduce signal changes. Dynamics are unfettered, yet there that hint of a pronounced drawl as heard with deep American South patois. And I reckon that ain’t a bad thing t’all. Regardless of the quality of the recording, the resolution is ne plus ultra without sibilance or fatigue.

COMPARISONS: Blue Jeans Cable and Volex
I own twelve foot long Blue Jeans Cable Component, Composite, and Stereo RCA wires. I also own two six foot long Volex 17604 power cords. Please visit both http://www.bluejeanscable.com and http://www.volexpowercords.com for detailed specifications.

Wire should sound accurate, neutral, and transparent without colorations. Furthermore, it should preserve tonal balance by not distorting overall perspective. Replaying the same selection of music for the same duration of time, both the Blue Jeans Cable Stereo RCA and Volex 17604 come close to those ideals. Tonal balance is cohesive: there is no specific frequency spectra jutting out of line. Overall perspective has palpable presence: music sounds neither fatiguing or laid back while at the same time the Cardas sounds aggressive, incisive, yet gentle and lush in the same regard. The BJC reproduce coherent bass attack, impact, and extension. Furthermore, these wires reproduce note decay with just the right timing as bass impact retains a springy pounce instead of sounding flaccid like the Cardas GR. Midrange is indeed accurate, neutral, and transparent through the BJC and they stand in stark contrast to the Cardas’ luxurious creamy richness. On the BJC, treble extension is accurate in terms of reproducing clarity, detail, and space sans romanticism. Sound stage width and depth are of the same size in proportion with both cables, but the BJC reproduce sound stage height noticeably taller while to the contrary the Cardas cables compresses it. While both micro and macro dynamic shading are neither sibilant or fatiguing, the BJC are limited to low rather than ne plus ultra resolution of the Cardas. The Volex 17604 shielded wires are UL and CSA certified for safety unlike the Cardas Golden Reference Power, yet both are effective in eliminating noise floor that results in total background silence.

Honestly, what is the real magnitude of differences between the Cardas Golden Reference, Blue Jeans Cables, and Volex 17604 cables (other than prices)? Is the cost to (perceived) sonic differences ratio justified? Hear me out. Multiple A-B-A-B-A-B sighted listening test results lead me to conclude that there are sonic nuances between the Cardas Golden Reference and Blue Jeans Cable along with Volex 17604 cables, but the magnitude is tiny. If I signed up to take a controlled scientific double blind A-B-X listening test comparing these three cable manufacturers products, then I honestly admit that I will fail. However, there is one undeniable difference among the cables: prices. Both Blue Jeans Cable and Volex offer high quality products that source no-nonsense materials and utilize solid construction techniques for a bargain price of less than $50 USD including shipping fees plus an unconditional 30 day money back guarantee. Cardas Audio sells their top of the line Golden Reference Power and Interconnect cables for $1,356 USD including the cost of authorized dealer profits plus local state sales taxes and shipping fees. Bottom line: the Cardas Golden Reference cables cost exactly 27.12 times more than the Volex and Blue Jeans Cables for the same one meter length. The cost to (perceived) benefit ratio is piss poor.

CONCLUSIONS:
In my humble opinion, the differences in sound between Cardas Audio and Blue Jeans Cables are minor, but the cost to (perceived) benefits ratio is piss poor. Furthermore, I will honestly admit that I will fail controlled scientific double blind A-B-X comparison tests. I highly recommend Volex and Blue Jeans Cables even for ultra high end audio and video reference systems.

CARDAS GOLDEN REFERENCE POWER AND INTERCONNECTS
STRENGTHS:
Luxuriously creamy rich textures in the midrange
Forgiving warmth that will compliment almost all high fidelity components
Intimate immediacy
Ne plus ultra resolution
Bottomless bass extension, pitch differentiation, and cohesive continuity
Accurate reproduction of harmonics and timbre
Limitless treble extension and romanticism
Accurate and precise imaging within a panoramic two dimensional sound stage
Since , one of the oldest and most revered American high end audio brand names
Products maintain good resale value in the used marketplace

WEAKNESSES:
Soft bass impact
Elongated note decay
Cost to (perceived) benefits ratio is piss poor
0.5 meter Cardas Golden Reference Interconnect costs $672 USD
1 meter Cardas Golden Reference Interconnects cost $917 USD
1 meter Cardas Golden Reference Power costs $439 USD

VOLEX AND BLUE JEANS CABLES
STRENGTHS:
Accurate, neutral, and transparent without colorations
Sound stage height appears noticeably taller
Micro and macro dynamic shading unchanged
free objective articles open to the public explaining cable design theory grounded in proven scientific principles written in plain English
verifiable scientific measurements for all their product claims available upon request for free
wide selection of quality materials sourced from AVLink, Belden, Canare, Calrad, Mitsubishi EKSA POF, Neutrik, and their own brand
Belden Certified Assembler ensures outstanding construction quality
bargain basement prices with an unconditional 30 day full refund guarantee
UL and CSA certified for safety
No noise floor: total background silence
Products maintain good resale value in the used marketplace
12’ Component Video costs $61.75 USD plus $9.50 USD for shipping fees
12’ Composite Video costs $17.25 USD plus $5.75 USD shipping fees
12’ Stereo RCA costs $36.50 USD plus $5.75 USD shipping fees
6’ Volex 17604 power cords each cost $5.53 USD plus shipping fees

WEAKNESSES:
Resolution is of lower fidelity especially through the midrange
Not a prestigious brand name in high end audio

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

What does Ne mean?

Biggie.

 

[Thaddy]

Don't you think the prices of the Blue Jeans and Volex cables would be a pro?

 

[Welly Wu]

Ne plus ultra means http://www.bartleby.com/61/26/N0062600.html . When I was writing the peer edit review, a few of the people had the same question about the word "Ne." I figured out that when I cut and paste from OpenOffice Writer in Red Hat Fedora CORE 5 SELinux to Head-Fi.Org, some of the formatting changed and I had to add the PHP codes to change the text. So, I think that answers that question. As for the prices, I have a very systematic method of writing especially high fidelity reviews. I have read your points and I concur. So, I will change my review. That's my honest explanation.

 

[Thaddy]

I just think that if you're favorably comparing the Blue Jeans to the top-o-line Cardas cables, that the price is most certainly a pro. However, it's a minor issue and it's yours to change if you wish, so I'll stop

Otherwise, I'm glad to see the overlooked budget cables getting some good publicity. I'd love to see you toss in the Signal Cables into the mix, they are my favorite budget offering, so I'm a little biased

 

[Ferbose]

Low-price gears make the most compromises and therefore sonic differences of several low-price gears should be most evident. This simple reasoning is self-evident. If you compare two stock cheap headphones of PCDPs with a KSC-75, the differences should be easy to tell. That suggests there is a lot of sonic improvement to be made with better headphones.

When I take three cheapo cables of any kind and compare them, I can at best hear some nuances. Like what Welly has said, if I am put through strict D*T tests (I know, can't discuss it here), I think I would fail. Now there are those who claim "night and day" differences will miraculously emerge when the cable is hi-end (hi-price) enough. Fine, I tried a few times and still only heard nuances. And all those fancy systems I have heard with fancy cables, I never felt fancy cables are good enough to cover up the weaknesses of the speakers, headphones, or amplifers, or even the source.

I applaud Welly's effort to review top cables from reputable hi-end cable companies and reputable real-world cable companies. It reaffirms my believe that cables only cause tiny, tiny differences, and the exotic stuff does not get you any further than reasonably good stuff. Oh shoot, I forgot that sound engineers already figured this out decades ago, and only use reasonable stuff such as Mogami and Belden wires and Neutrik connectors and let reputable folks do custom assembly and wiring. When a million dollars is spent on a studio, surely one can put in a few exotic cables in the critical places if it matters that much--why not? (Sure, some audiophile recordings pride themselves with the use of exotic cables and specify in the liner notes--if it pleases the consumer, why not?).

Why didn't I go for the professional grade cables in the first place? Because I read too many consumer audio magazines. Did I forget to mention that great amplifiers of the 60's come with these weak screw speaker terminals that accept weak-ass zip cord bared ends? And that was the golden age of stereo.

Enough said, in the end people will just do what Simon and Garfunkel has prescribed: "All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest."

 

[Welly Wu]

I have revised my review to reflect the low and affordable prices for the Blue Jeans Cable and Volex power cord as strengths instead of weaknesses.

All in all, I am glad that I wrote what I heard and believe. I made some terribly expensive mistakes, but you are learning from them. I won't go so far as to say that all high end audio cables are snakeoil and a complete rip-off, however I will say that you should be wary of a greater danger: the professional audio reviewers and their lies. If you research the history of high end audio, then you will discover that it was the professional audio reviewer who "pump primed" the market by changing the common opinion that wire doesn't make any sound differences. Then, wire companies became high end cable manufacturers. Prices jumped, but gradually. Then, they got more expensive. Today, they are so expensive that they are out of line if you take a look at the history of the invention of high end audio and the US economy with regard to average wealth that accounts for inflation during time.

This is important research information. It clearly demonstrates that professional audio reviewers were and still are the leaders who created and continue to perpetuate the notion that without high end cables, your audio system sucks. In my humble opinion, this is patently false. The science does not support their outlandish claims in their creative non-fiction writings. Yet, the market has accepted it and continues to support it. Demand is still keen and prices reflect it.

I did not want to get into this discussion, but my growing research leads me to this general conclusion. Add to this the element of male ego and you have a potent cocktail for lies, deception, and legal robbery.

Don't make the same mistakes into believing audio reviewers at faith. Don't make the same mistake of believing that high end cables are the only way to unlock the sound performance of your audio system no matter if it is humble or well, and I don't want to sound egotistical, as ultra high end as mine. It really does not make that much of a difference except in terms of prices.

 

[Clarity]

Thanks Welly I really enjoyed your review

Its been almost 2 months now and I am still enjoying the BJCs along with the Volex 17604. Probably one of the best purchases I've made without breaking the bank. I like to spend my money elsewhere.

 

[Sleestack]

There was a time when I had Cardas Golden Reference running in all of my systems. After some extensive testing with Cobalt cables, I realized that if there is an audible difference, I can't hear it. I continue to use CGR XLRs on my SDS-XLR b/c they color match well, but as far as sonic differences go, I just don't hear them. I'm happy to spend hundreds of thousands on gear that makes an audible difference to me, but cables are one area where I buy based on construction, appearance and basic technical specifications.

 

[philodox]

Nice review Welly Wu!

I've seen Blue Jeans cables linked in some threads, but never checked them out. I went over there [to their website] and had a look around. I must say, I like what I see. They seem to have a good no nonsense attitude as well.

That said, you didn't exactly save me money as it looks like I will be spending around $200 USD on their stuff after shipping. But man, am I ever getting a lot of stuff for my two bills!!! Quote:

1x 1 foot Belden 1694A Digital Audio Cable [RCA/RCA, Red] 1x 3 foot BJC Optical Digital Audio Cable 1x 3 foot pair Belden 1505F Stereo Audio Cables [Black] 2x 3 foot Belden 1800F Balanced Audio Cable [XLR Male/XLR Female] 2x 10 foot Belden 1800F Balanced Audio Cable [XLR Female/XLR Female] ***Lavry to K340 extension*** 1x 20 feet of BJC "Ten White" Speaker Cable, Unterminated ***Rewire my Polk Audio speakers*** 3x Spade Lugs, Gold-plated, pair

Does anyone know of a good place to buy Volex cords in Canada?

Thanks,

Jay

 

[Welly Wu]

THE least expensive place to buy Volex 17604 power cords worldwide is from Carlton-Bates at http://www.carlton-bates.com . HOWEVER, you must buy a minimum of 5 cords or else they will charge you a very high fee and shipping fees on top of that. Otherwise it is a terrific value as the cords cost less than $5.52 USD each. Here you go: http://www.carlton-bates.com/cb/invs...=Volex%2017604 .

It is a bargain. My Cardas Golden Reference Power cord, just one, cost me dearly: $439 USD.

 

[philodox]

Awesome, assuming shipping isn't crazy I'll buy 10 or so... might as well have nice power cables on my computer and monitor.

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox Awesome, assuming shipping isn't crazy I'll buy 10 or so... might as well have nice power cables on my computer and monitor.

Yes this is a good idea. I had about 30 of these things.

I don't really have any left over though.

 

[markl]

Quote:

All in all, I am glad that I wrote what I heard and believe. I made some terribly expensive mistakes, but you are learning from them. I won't go so far as to say that all high end audio cables are snakeoil and a complete rip-off, however I will say that you should be wary of a greater danger: the professional audio reviewers and their lies. If you research the history of high end audio, then you will discover that it was the professional audio reviewer who "pump primed" the market by changing the common opinion that wire doesn't make any sound differences. Then, wire companies became high end cable manufacturers. Prices jumped, but gradually. Then, they got more expensive. Today, they are so expensive that they are out of line if you take a look at the history of the invention of high end audio and the US economy with regard to average wealth that accounts for inflation during time.

With all due respect to you Welly (and I know you're a good guy, you did me a very nice favor once that I've not forgotten), to come close to (despite your disclaimer) drawing such sweeping conclusions about the performance of *most* audio cables based on such a (IMO) *small* sample size is a bit of a slippery slope, IMHO.

I've been through well over 30 pairs of ICs at all price points, up to 16 power cords (21 if you include all the Virtual Dynamics models), and IMO, I would say *in general* (very very roughly), there actually is a noticeable correlation between price and performance, though I would agree it's not as strong and clear-cut as with other audio components (amps, speakers, etc.). Power cords are also, I agree, especially tricky and picky about which component they like. But frustratingly, a cord that sounds so-so on one piece of gear in your signal chain, can sound quite good on another. This makes it VERY hard to generalize about any one power cord's performance, which, as I've noted in my lengthy power cord reviews, can make them of somewhat dubious value. In the end you can report what you heard in your system, but that's no guarantee the next guy will experience the exact same thing in theirs.

I like that Volex cable, it does absolutely nothing particularly wrong, in the sense of being absolutely inoffensive, it has a nice tone, too. There are many more expensive cords I've tried that harm the signal in one way or another, despite whatever good they may do, so I guess that's no small thing. But with the Volex, IMHO, you eschew many of the potential *gains* that a good, synergistic power cord can make in your system.

If I had a budget system and wanted a cheap cord to remove any obstacles imposed by a stock cord, I could accept the Volex, though I'd prefer a Jellyfish. But, if I had an upper mid-fi or a high-end system, I'd want something better, and yes, that costs a little more...

The most expensive ICs I've ever had in my system were $1200, as was the most expensive power cord (though I didn't pay those street prices). So, I can't comment on, and honestly don't think I'd ever be especially interested in any of the hyper-expensive esoteric cables out there (though I concede to the average dude $1200 IS esoteric). I would much rather plug that money back into places where the difference will be more apparent.

 

[fierce_freak]

Does anyone know if Blue Jeans will make a mini to mini?