I am due to recieve the loaner A8 from the TTVJ Audio loaner program and I am going to review and compare them against the EM5813. Hopefully it will help interested parties.
Cardas A8 IEM
- Thread starter audionewbi
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I am due to recieve the loaner A8 from the TTVJ Audio loaner program and I am going to review and compare them against the EM5813. Hopefully it will help interested parties.
k4rstar
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Nice, will keep an eye out for that.
May I ask if anyone compared A8 to Oriveti Primacy of Kennerton Jimo?
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I'm in a similar situation I used the UERMs (got tired of customs) but switch to these. To me they are the HD650 to the UERM's HD600.
musiclvr's Cardas A8 Review
PACKAGING/PRESENTATION
Upon receiving the A8s you are greeted by a nicely packaged and displayed pair of iems and case. I was immediately drawn to the intricately woven cable. The cable is really well made and a work of art in my eyes all by itself. The cable is moderately microphonic but less so than the EM5813’s cable. The iems themselves are well weighted and have this blue rubberized coating that, I’m sure, keep them from acquiring any dings from knocking against each other during their lifespan. I also really like the fact that you can order a separate cable in a balanced termination and simply snap it on or off to resume single ended playback.
TONALITY
The overall tonality of the A8s is one of the darker varieties that just drip with musicality. The listener is drawn into soundscape that is non-fatiguing and is planted within an intimate soundstage with no forced resolution.
BASS
The bass is one that never presents even a hint of distortion, is quick, and quite extended. It is incredibly detailed. I do get the impression that there is a soft rise in the mid-bass area sometimes. This can add to the immediacy of the bass impact. The bass does not bleed into the mids at any time so it is just a joy to experience when it is called upon. This type of presentation lends itself really well to music genres such, as Jazz, Soul, Funk, R&B, EDM, Electronica, Pop, and choice Rock albums.
MIDS
The Mids are placed slightly behind the Bass and Treble regions in terms of presence. It is not readily apparent on first listen but when compared to some more neutral HPs it is easy to discern. The upside to this type of tuning is that this lends to that non-fatiguing sound signature. Overall, I find the mid-range to be quite alluring and engaging with vocals. Both female and male voices which are just sublime. I will say that the mid-range is quite extended too in that vocal dictation is not hard to hear in busy pieces of music. Any music with acoustic accompaniment is absolutely mesmerizing. There is no grain to be heard but could use a little more separation at times. I find that the A8s mid region performance is of a high caliber, regardless of price, with small jazz ensembles, singer/songwriter music, and solo anything.
TREBLE
The treble is what had my attention the most with the A8s as I had to focus more to appreciate it. It is extended and offers bite without sharpness within an intimate soundstage. The treble offers up plenty of detail but possesses a gradual roll off. Having said that the sound of the A8 is never fatiguing unless driven by a bright source i.e. amp, dac, low bitrate recording, etc. I find the A8 does scale well with better quality gear. So to that effect the treble is revealing enough. I found that I craved a little more linearity in the upper most regions of the treble as the A8s do lack air as a result of said treble roll off. I find that some recordings can sound more intimate and round due to a constriction of soundstage height and depth. This tuning in the treble affects some rock/metal music in that it can sound somewhat congested.
EM5813 COMPARSION
Comparing the A8s to the EM5813s was really fun. I first noticed that physically the rear opening/port of each iem was different with the A8 having a more constricted opening/port. Although I found the A8’s cable to be more aesthetically pleasing I still favor the EM5813’s cable as I mostly listen at my desk and enjoy the added length, heft, weight. Yes I like the added weight for some reason as I associate weight with quality; at least in the audio world. I also like the polished brass finish over the rubberized coating of the A8 as I find the polished look to be more elegant. Moving onto the sound comparison: The A8s have a quicker Pace, Rhythm and Timing going for them over the Em5813s. This may be due to the treble being more accentuated in the lower treble region. I find that both iems roll off the treble in a natural way. So there is sense of natural spacing that sounds more round than wide or tall. I must say that the EM5813 has a wider soundstage and not by a little. I can only guess that this is due to having a more even transition on either side of the mid range whereas the A8s posses a soft “u” shaped sound. Maybe this may be due to the Em5813 having a wider rear “port”? I still feel that the bass on the EM5813 is more linear in that it doesn’t posses the upper mid-bass rise of the A8s. Overall I think the A8s sound more upfront in resolution portrayal at the cost of not sounding natural. Whereas the Em5813s sound is more linear but meatier. Think of the A8 as a fine nectar and the EM5813 as a sweeter, but thicker, honey.
Well that's all folks! If you have any questions I would be happy to try and answer them.
I want to give a huge THANK YOU to Todd Green from the TTVJ Audio website for this amazing opportunity to audition fine audio pieces in the comfort of my own home with my own equipment. I can honesty say this single thing has been what makes me a returning customer of TTVJaudio.com. He is also a pleasure to communicate with. Thanks again Todd!
PACKAGING/PRESENTATION
Upon receiving the A8s you are greeted by a nicely packaged and displayed pair of iems and case. I was immediately drawn to the intricately woven cable. The cable is really well made and a work of art in my eyes all by itself. The cable is moderately microphonic but less so than the EM5813’s cable. The iems themselves are well weighted and have this blue rubberized coating that, I’m sure, keep them from acquiring any dings from knocking against each other during their lifespan. I also really like the fact that you can order a separate cable in a balanced termination and simply snap it on or off to resume single ended playback.
TONALITY
The overall tonality of the A8s is one of the darker varieties that just drip with musicality. The listener is drawn into soundscape that is non-fatiguing and is planted within an intimate soundstage with no forced resolution.
BASS
The bass is one that never presents even a hint of distortion, is quick, and quite extended. It is incredibly detailed. I do get the impression that there is a soft rise in the mid-bass area sometimes. This can add to the immediacy of the bass impact. The bass does not bleed into the mids at any time so it is just a joy to experience when it is called upon. This type of presentation lends itself really well to music genres such, as Jazz, Soul, Funk, R&B, EDM, Electronica, Pop, and choice Rock albums.
MIDS
The Mids are placed slightly behind the Bass and Treble regions in terms of presence. It is not readily apparent on first listen but when compared to some more neutral HPs it is easy to discern. The upside to this type of tuning is that this lends to that non-fatiguing sound signature. Overall, I find the mid-range to be quite alluring and engaging with vocals. Both female and male voices which are just sublime. I will say that the mid-range is quite extended too in that vocal dictation is not hard to hear in busy pieces of music. Any music with acoustic accompaniment is absolutely mesmerizing. There is no grain to be heard but could use a little more separation at times. I find that the A8s mid region performance is of a high caliber, regardless of price, with small jazz ensembles, singer/songwriter music, and solo anything.
TREBLE
The treble is what had my attention the most with the A8s as I had to focus more to appreciate it. It is extended and offers bite without sharpness within an intimate soundstage. The treble offers up plenty of detail but possesses a gradual roll off. Having said that the sound of the A8 is never fatiguing unless driven by a bright source i.e. amp, dac, low bitrate recording, etc. I find the A8 does scale well with better quality gear. So to that effect the treble is revealing enough. I found that I craved a little more linearity in the upper most regions of the treble as the A8s do lack air as a result of said treble roll off. I find that some recordings can sound more intimate and round due to a constriction of soundstage height and depth. This tuning in the treble affects some rock/metal music in that it can sound somewhat congested.
EM5813 COMPARSION
Comparing the A8s to the EM5813s was really fun. I first noticed that physically the rear opening/port of each iem was different with the A8 having a more constricted opening/port. Although I found the A8’s cable to be more aesthetically pleasing I still favor the EM5813’s cable as I mostly listen at my desk and enjoy the added length, heft, weight. Yes I like the added weight for some reason as I associate weight with quality; at least in the audio world. I also like the polished brass finish over the rubberized coating of the A8 as I find the polished look to be more elegant. Moving onto the sound comparison: The A8s have a quicker Pace, Rhythm and Timing going for them over the Em5813s. This may be due to the treble being more accentuated in the lower treble region. I find that both iems roll off the treble in a natural way. So there is sense of natural spacing that sounds more round than wide or tall. I must say that the EM5813 has a wider soundstage and not by a little. I can only guess that this is due to having a more even transition on either side of the mid range whereas the A8s posses a soft “u” shaped sound. Maybe this may be due to the Em5813 having a wider rear “port”? I still feel that the bass on the EM5813 is more linear in that it doesn’t posses the upper mid-bass rise of the A8s. Overall I think the A8s sound more upfront in resolution portrayal at the cost of not sounding natural. Whereas the Em5813s sound is more linear but meatier. Think of the A8 as a fine nectar and the EM5813 as a sweeter, but thicker, honey.
Well that's all folks! If you have any questions I would be happy to try and answer them.
I want to give a huge THANK YOU to Todd Green from the TTVJ Audio website for this amazing opportunity to audition fine audio pieces in the comfort of my own home with my own equipment. I can honesty say this single thing has been what makes me a returning customer of TTVJaudio.com. He is also a pleasure to communicate with. Thanks again Todd!
k4rstar
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Nice, hopefully the first of many written reviews for the A8. It's about time.
I love the A8's, they retain that smooth Cardas sound signature, yet are lighter than the prior model. I have to sell him however (see signature) as I've determined that I just can't stand having something in my ear.
pieman3141
100+ Head-Fier
I've had a major issue with these IEMs ever since day 3, and I contacted Cardas via an online form, but never heard back. The screen inside the IEMs tore apart while I was changing tips, so that one side is significantly louder than the other. This issue, along with the extremely short cables going into each earpiece, makes the IEMs a huge $400 regret. Is there some way this issue can be resolved?
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That's horrible hopefully something will be done have you tried contacting the dealer.
mochill
Headphoneus Supremus
My cardas a8 is neutral not congested at all, i use heavy bass music to work the diaphgram in .have about 20hrs in the iem and i love it.
I don't feel that the A8 generally sounds congested. However, with Rock music that has 2 drum sets, 2-3 vocalists, 2 Bass Guitars, and 2 Electric Guitars the A8 does falter in separating things. To be fair, most iems do in the given price bracket. I must admit that I have become accustomed to using BA iems these days which seem to be more precise and speedy i.e. the Noble Wizard Savants. Everyone's neutral is different and with that being said I find the Bass region to be slightly elevated compared to the other frequencies. It isn't bothersome by any means and adds to the musicality of the A8.
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My dream iem is the a8 with a less microphonic cable and the k10 sweet tremble
mochill
Headphoneus Supremus
Upgrade the cable to the clear cable for $540 
.
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