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Rarely review products but here goes. Given my respect for Cardas, really waited to get this product. Bought one of the first from Headroom as soon as it went on sale. Have it for around 4 weeks.
Very different from my Westone 4s. This is dark sounding IEM, which can sound good or bad depending on the source. Tried it with the different tips both the white and blue included with the Ear Speaker as well as Comply T-500 foam tips. Heavy cable for an IEM which is a bit microphonic but not an issue for me. White silicone tips sounded best to me, while the blue tips gave a more balanced sound. The Comply just boosted bass too much that it masked the treble detail. Silicone tips did not give me the isolation when on a noisy street and subway. I usually use Comply foam isolation tips for that, surprised how congested it made the Cardas sound. The Cardas uses a single dynamic driver vs the Westone which uses multiple BA drivers.
Burnt in the Ear Speakers for about two weeks running them 10 to 15 hours per day from my iPod. The Cardas sounded good though my iPhone 4S without an amp.
For home listening with an amp the Cardas sounds great with reservations. Using it with a NuForce ICON DAC amp sounds nice and full. Less luck with a Leckerton UHA-6S which sounds fantastic with my Westones but unfortunately not with the Cardas. As stated the Cardas sonic signature features the bass which while not flat is satisfying and big.
Rock tracks like have a nice full low end at the expense of some high end detail and transients. Classic rock like Aerosmith and AC/DC sound like you are in a big concert venue minus the actual physical thump of the bass hitting you. Newer stuff like Chicken Foot and Red Hot Chili Peppers have a nice fullness again but lacked transient detail.
Jazz both electric and acoustic also have a nice balance with a sound that I can only describe as smokey. Vocal jazz had again a nice roundness to the overall presentation.
Bright country recordings also sound good through these IEMs. Also good with R&B and Hip Hop, especially for bass lovers. Classical both large and small ensembles had the distance that felt again like you were in a concert hall, which I think is the best way I can describe the sensation I get while listening on these phones.
Why only four stars? The Cardas did not wow me as the best universal IEMs I have tried like the Tralucent 1+2 or FitEar 334 which have the low end, plus the clarity and the detail. But then these come in at 3x the price. Could have been the phones I have are defective, but I felt there was a lack of detail in my EM5813s, though I was impressed with their bass response.
Compared to the Westones which are in the same price range, it is a toss up depending on mood. The Cardas is one of the few IEMs that nicely play back low TR808 kick samples (like the opening on Qunicy Jones' "Moody's in the Mood" from the Q's Juke Joint CD) or the fat bass growl on a reggae dub track. The Westones while more balanced and detailed, don't have this warmth (or mud depending on your taste).
Hope this review helps. Just my opinion others may be different.
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