Gentlemen,
A contrarian opinion. I have recently heard the Cardas top of the line aes digital cable ($600) from my dcs bridge to a half a dozen DACs in several of my systems.
I found the sound warm/ syrupy. Guys who like the soft dsd digital or running an underpowered tube amp with a hard to drive speaker will probably like Cardas.
But I found Cardas lacking transparency and dynamics of the top stealth, norDist Valhalla 2, and even a 10 year old $600 transparent aes cable. YMMV!!!
I hope this description can save someone who is not looking for validation some precious time and money.
Yup. Your description of Cardas checks out. Cardas always err on the warm bloomy (I call it "muddy") side of things. Supposedly, though, the "Clear Beyond" have done away with this signature and might be worth trying if you're set on using the brand.
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