Transparent, deep soundstage, fast, detailed, open, great image focus

None that I can detect on my system

I did randomized AB/BC/CA testing of the Red Dawn Balanced interconnect versus Red Dawn Unbalanced and my Nordost Solar Wind Unbalanced interconnect. This was repeated over 12 trials during a weekend. These cables were tested between my pre-amp and my amp.

I made sure all cables were properly burnt in, and choose music I knew very well. I could not believe the difference between the Red Dawns and my Solar Winds. Moreover, the Red Dawn Balanced performed far superior in my system than the Red Dawn Unbalanced. All lengths were 1 meter.

The Red Dawn Balanced created a wide, open soundstage. The instruments and voices were separated on a black background. The image smearing that I had experienced with the Solar Winds was completely gone. On some material that tended to be bright on both the Solar Wind and the Red Dawn Unbalanced, smoothed out with the Red Dawn Balanced.

I have not experienced this much difference from a cable in my system before. Needless to say, I have a pair on order. Highly recommended.

Similar Products Used:

Nordost Solar Wind, Nordost Red Dawn Unbalanced

Clarity, delineation of notes and separation of layers. Crystalline highs without being grainy or grating. Musicality - makes one want to listen and one finds oneself turning UP the volume rather than down

Nothing significant

This cable is different in character from the Cardas - not better or worse - just different and more to my tastes. It si far superior to the Blue Heaven Interconnects. The listening experience with the Red Dawns throughout the system seems to draw one into the music more than the Cardas Neutral Reference... although there is no harshness or shrillness.
I use the Red Dawns between amp and CD player and amp and tuner with the following equipment:
Copland CSA28 amplifier
Magnum Dynalab Etude FM tuner
Arcam Alpha 9 CD player
KEF Reference Model 2 loudspeakers
other cables:
Cardas Golden Hexlink 5-c speaker wire (more like firehose than wires); Cardas Neutral reference interconnect.
Chang Lightspeed powerline filter; GUTWIRE power cords; Chang Power Cords

Similar Products Used:

Cardas Neutral Reference, Cardas Hexlink, XLO, Nordost Blue Heaven

transparent, airy sound with good depth and width to the soundstage

no weaknesses revealed through my system

I was using a Solar Wind interconnect and Flatline Gold biwire in my system but felt that I was not getting the best from it. This was made more difficult to pin down because I have recently made significant upgrades with big leaps in price and quality, but had not changed any cables.
I have swapped Mission 752 speakers for B & W 804 Nautilus, a Marantz CD63 KiSig CD player for a Copland CDa 289, and a Cyrus IIIi/Power amp/PSX-R Power Supply for a Meridian 501 Pre amp and 557 power amp.

I left the Flatline Gold in and only changed the Solar Wind for the Red Dawn and the difference was immediate. No more muddy, indistinct bass notes or muddled instruments in complex passages this was a revelation; every pluck of a Double Bass string was there and the soundstage was so much better.

Ok, so would it be worth changing the speaker cable as well? You bet! The solar wind really opens up the sound stage in depth and width and the three dimensional aspect of the music is wonderful.

Yes, I suppose there will be a better cable at a similar price, but it depends upon your own ears and what components you have. Frankly I do not have the inclination to search out another cable, I am well impressed!

System is:

Copland CDA 289 CD Player
Meridian 501 pre-amp
Meridian 557 power amp
B & W 804 Nautilus speakers
Soniclink Vermillion Interconnect ( CD to Pre- Amp )
Nordost Red Dawn ( Pre to Power Amp )
Nordost Solar Wind speaker cable

Similar Products Used:

Nordost Solar Wind Speaker Cable

Clean,clear,fast,open sound stage ,excites the sound fair price

On BAD recoredings is way to bright

Well, I gave this 4 stars before and was thinking about exchanging this for somthing with a more meaty sound. But I know I would miss the great things this cable does do.
It cleans up the sound stage. Details are better separated.
Spaces between notes are darker and more empty.
Thus the soundstage seems bigger,airier. THIS IS EXACTLY THE EFFECT I WANTED. So, if this is what your system needs,don't hesitate, just know that some midrange stuff may not be as fleshed out as with other cables.

Similar Products Used:

XLO Naim

FAST,DETAILED,CLEAR

BRIGHT,DRY, COLD

Just got a 1 mtr. pair for my new Lehman cube.
On some records its perfect. The extra clarity and lack of bloat is just what I needed/wanted. BUT...ON good recordings
....ones that do not need debloating,they can sound dry and clinical. I,m told to let them "break in". So, I will
get back to you on this one.

Similar Products Used:

XLO SIG.

Fast, detailed.

Lean bass and somewhat bright.

Good sounding and very detailed; however, these interconnects are very lean when it comes to bass. I also think these cables are very system dependent, so listen before you buy. However, they work well in my system. I use them between my Sunfire Theatergrand II and a Bryston 9B-ST (THX).

Similar Products Used:

Synergistic Research Res. Ref. and Luminesence (ph. 2), MIT MI-330 and Terminator 2

Transparent, fast with good soundstage

None

Very nice sounding cable in my systen sounds better than my Kimber Silestreak I use to use, this cable is more detailed and transparent, if you have a chance go to your local store and borrow one you'll be amazed.

Similar Products Used:

Tara Labs, Kimbe Siler Streak

Transparency, neutrality

Price

After much earing, I've decided to purchase these wonderfull cables. Comparing to many others, Nordost Red Down proved to be the most revealing and transparent of all cables. Musical and very detailed without beeing analitical, they present music in a unforced, natural way, creating a very large spacial presentation. Bass is powerfull and tunefull, midrange is clear, transparent and involving and highs are very extended, neutral and informative. One of the best buy components for a quality audio system. In my experience only SMP Reference could better them but at a very high price.

Similar Products Used:

Cardas, Kimber Select, Tara labs

I have found out length is important not matter how little. It also depends on you CD player also. Different brands do not react the cables the same way. Originally had Nordost Blue Heaven on my CD Player which are great by the way. I had a 0.6 meter and 1.0 meter pair. I found the 1.0 meter pair sounded better. The 0.6 had slightly better detail but was too bright and forward. The 1.0 meter has wider and deeper soundstage.Well a friend was upgrading and offered to sell me his Red Dawn. He had a 0.6 meter pair and 1.5 meter. First I tried the 1.5 meter since it would reach. Well the soundstage got even deeper and wider than the Blue Heaven, but the sound was very dry. So the Blue Heaven was preferable at first. I then moved my CD player so the 0.6 meter would reach the amplifier. What a difference 0.9 meter less made. It had the same effect as when I tried the shorter Blue Heaven way back when, it brightened (not too bright) the sound compared with the 1.5 meter Red Dawn and no dryness, but it still had a much better soundstage and better detail than the 1.0 meter Blue Heaven. So it is the winner and now makes my CD player sing. My Other Equipment is:
Cambridge Audio D500 CD Player
Cambridge Audio A3i Integrated Amplifier
Onkyo Integra T-4015 Tuner
Dual 505-2 Turntable w/Ortofon Cartridge
B&W DM602 Speakers with the 16" B&W stands.
Private Label High End Bi-wire Speaker Cable.

Clear, well balanced sound

Too soft, too little bass and depth in the sound

This cable is good, but I have now replaced it with Eclipse III from Wireworld. The SPM is better than Red Dawn, but not worth the price. The Eclipse cable is even better than the SPM, and costs litte more than red Dawn, but less than the SPM.

Similar Products Used:

SPM Reference from Nordost
Eclipse III from WireWorld Audio