venustas or jps superconductor 3 speaker cable?

Just a few comments here. The Purist Venustas and JPS Superconductor 3 are two very different sounding speaker cables. I own the Superconductor 3 and have auditioned the Venustas in my system before. The JPS is a relatively more neutral sounding cable that very clearly reveals detail without being analytical or bright. It also showcases a very nice sense of 3-dimensionality. Compared with the JPS, the Venustas displays a warmer sound, with a very relaxing tonal presentation of many instruments, particularly from the midrange on down. For me, it seems just a bit too rolled on the top, thereby occasionally dampening the music's sense of life. It is a more laid back sounding cable. I like that, but I also simultaneously want as much clarity as I can get. Nonetheless, there are aspects of the Venustas' sound that I find most beguiling. It possesses the ability to mimic the sound of the violin and many other orchestral instruments in a manner rarely captured by other cables. The JPS just happened to meld more synergistically with my system, which by the way includes the extremely fine Purist Proteus Provectus tonearm cable. This cable has the wonderful qualities of the Venustas without what I feel is the latter's minor shortcoming. Notwithstanding my personal observations or impressions, I strongly urge you to contact The Cable Company and secure an audition of both the JPS and Venustas and/or possibly Provectus cable[s] in your home system. You need to listen for yourself and determine what satisfies you most. Best of luck.

I just realized you're considering the revised Praesto version of the Venustas, which I have not heard. It might possibly offer a more extended top than the earlier Venustas. Also, my Provectus is the one which preceded the current Praesto incarnation. Still, the key is to decide for yourself after a good listen.

Hi, Opus88 has great comments above and I can't offer the direct comparison like he does.

I have tried the Praesto revision vs non Praesto revision Purist cables. The Praesto is a little more quiet, allowing more detail and imaging. Plus it's a little more dynamic and a little more extended. All of my listening has been on Proteus Provectus (the two revisions)

It's not huge, but it's a definite improvement. I am a huge fan of the Proteus Provectus Praesto. I've had Venastus, Dominus Ferrox, and 20th anniversary before. All are good. The Venastus is a great value and like Opus says, I suspect the Praesto improves it.

System matching is critical in cables. Just because I love it doesn't mean it meshes with your system and your likes/dislikes. That said, PAD has my vote...

As a C1 owner I compared the S3 to the Nordost Heimdall and Frey's. I thought the S3's were equal in the high end. The S3's were a little laid back in the mids. But what made me decide on the Frey's were 2 fold. First the Nordost has a hair more detail/clarity which although at first listen seemed to be a 'thin' sounding cable. The longer I listened the more I heard more 'air' between the instruments and vocals which made for a better sound stage. Second the bass. Only when listening to deep kettle drums did the Nordost really shine. The S3's sounded more like a thump than a drum. I even took the cables to a friends system and heard the same thump. So that thump wasn't my electronics or room.

I was lucky to have both cables to demo in my home for 6 weeks. At first listen to both cables my gut reaction was the S3's were better. It wasn't until I heard the kettle drums did I finally make up my mind.

As far as the Purist Audio I will admit I have never heard them. But as Opus88 mentioned the cable company has a nice loaner program. That will give you the opportunity to hear them in your home on your system without a salesman.

Just another option and my opinion