Transparent , Kubala , Luminous , or RS Poiema


Hi everyone. I am looking to potentially recable my whole system and would love to hear your thoughts on the following cables for interconnects, speaker wire, and digital cables...

Transparent
Kubala-Sosna
Luminous
Ridge Street Audio Poiema!!

My current gear is the following...
Ayre V-3 amp
Krell Showcase Pre/Pro
Vandersteen 2Ce Signatures and VCC-1 Center Channel
Cardas Golden Cross I/C and Digital Lightning 15
Alpha Core MI 2 Speaker Cable

I have heard the Transparent Ultra and Premium digital cable and think they are quite good, but they are very expensive and I have seen glowing reviews on the other cables as well. I am prepared to pay if necessary, but would prefer not to if I can find something comparable at a cheaper price. I know that cables are person and/or system specific and am going to try to audition each, but wanted to hear other thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of each. Please advise...
kmiller5
Ridge Street Audio Poiema!!! power cords and interconnects are the most neutral wires I have ever heard. In fact, I cannot imagine hearing a less colored and more neutral cable.

I've owned or heard in my system:
Purist Audio Venustas and Dominus
Revelation Audio Paradise
Ridge Street Audio Midnight Special Edition, Poiema!! and Poiema!!!
Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference and Silver Reference
Audience Au24
Empirical Audio Holophonic PC
Z Squared Topline Au/Au
VH Audio Pulsar
Kimber Select 1030
JD, I apologize for my rough-edged reply. I just got off replying to two emails on this subject and with much frustration, so when I saw your response I snapped back and this was un-called for.
John
Rich: I listened to Carly Simon again tonight and the coverage in her voice from the lows to the highs is not only so wonderful in a musical sense, but as you point it, it makes for a great evaluative tool.

As for using Cardas cables to compare the K-S to the Dominus, I have already been rung over the coals for doing this, but in my case, with the Coincident spkr cables. So I think we quickly learn that our conclusions and/or faults that we may identify to a new product under evaluation can ultimately be caused by something we already have in our system and not the new product at all.

John
I have read with great interest this thread. About 3 weeks ago now I got a pair of Virtual Dynamics Revelation SIGNATURE Ic's from Rick Schultz at the RMAF. I have them between my Source and preamp and am experiencing what I think are pretty impressive sonics. Very natural sounding with the sense that "nothing is being left out".

I tried Venustas at 1 point, but they were almost "too much", as I think Rgs92 commented. ALso have tried/am using Au24s, Cardas Golden Cross, Monster Sigma Retro, Siltech 88s and Stereovox 600 (old series)and Nirvana S-X in various locations (long story). Each has its strengths and weaknesses - I haven't found the weakness in the VD at this point - they just keep getting more and more revealing, without losing musicality. The Signatures aren't out yet - they will debut at CES in January.

I have another pair of Revelation Ic's and a biwire pair of Revelation speaker cables coming (if they ever clear customs in Montana - its been 4 days there so far...). According to Rick, my system will be "transformed". These cables were supposedly designed to compete with the Kubalas, et al., so I thought I would at least mention them. I'll be happy to report on my "mostly Revelation" system later if there is interest, either here or on another thread.

Hope this helps
Tvad, I have the Ridge Street Audio Poiema !!! Signature on my APL Denon 3910 and it made a significant improvement over the previous cable. No contest. Have you listened to any of the Ridge Street speaker cables? I currently use Acoustic Zen Satori shotgun, and am very pleased, but I'm considering bi-amping my speakers and if do, I might give the Ridge Street Audio speaker cables a try.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Gary