Thread: Clarus Crimson speaker cables (quick review)

I know a couple of guys on this forum use these , I have now got close to 250 hours of continuous run time on these and last night was the first real pointy ear session that I have had

These are very good cables

The frame work :

Driven by custom Clayton Audio m200 class A monos to Arteluthe Stiletto speakers

The length is long at 21 feet

Previous speaker cables just removed were the Analysis Plus Big Silver oval (23’), prior were in descending order : Nordost Hiemdal (20’), Nordost Red Dawn (20’) and Kimber 12tc (21’)

As you can imagine the Clarus at this length are not cheap and the absolute max I can afford

The Clarus , unlike any cable I have used don’t have any magical fireworks going on in one frequency or another. They simply just go away and let the music be. There is a naturalness about the presentation I have been thus far unfamiliar with. It is very hard to articulate but (for example) live recordings are closer to a real presentation it’s far easier to suspend disbelief than any cable prior. This is or should I say was, my primary objective.

Two things that are very apparent , my amps have amazing dynamics and they are absolutely free flowing through these cables, I actually didn’t know the Anslysis Plus were restricting them until these went in…
The grain free upper end is quite something, again I didn’t actually know there was grain up there until these went in… small orders of magnitude but enough that if you were intimated to my rig you would notice.

There are a couple of first world audiophile nit-pics… and yes I’m really picking nits here.

I have to really be cognoscente of the volume levels. This is a strange phenomenon to me, I’m playing the music much louder…. Not because I need volume to hear what’s going on but because it’s effortless and fatigue free to do so… good way to ruin your ears

The bass response has improved just enough that I will in the short term need to do some speaker placement adjustments . I have a difficult room and it seems changes in equipment and cables that effect the bass response predicates some Tom-foolery to adjust (minor) the speaker placement

Great cables , I think most people in the almost ultra high end speaker cable market should seriously give these a try

Originally Posted by Mr Peabody

21 feet would cost but that is the same for many brands.

I don't know if you have Clarus anywhere else in your system but they have a cumulative effect on sound quality influence. I am also happy with the Concerto. I also use their power cords.

I found the Crimson to provide a darker, quieter, background and a nice sparkle to the highs with a natural midrange.

I had a friend who was an engineer, he liked building his own speakers and cables. He is the first person I heard of using different strands for different frequencies. So when I saw Clarus did the same I knew there had to be something to it. Of course, proof is always in the listening.

I am currently working towards updating my complete loom of power cables. Or should I say the next major expenditure will be four of the Crimson power cables. I very much doubt I will change out the Shunyata Alpha XLR’s I have in play. I like them very much.

I have little doubt at this point in the audiophile world of cables and marketing/branding etc that the Clarus product is as good as all but the very best cables available without a lot of the hoop-La

They really do have a black background or in lay-terms , very quiet. But they have a very even handed increase of sound quality throughout all of the audible soundscape. There has been cables here that “may” have did one thing or another better…. The Heimdals from Nordost come to mind but the Clarus just makes every part of the audible range better…. Better in any way one could quantify in audiophile speak.

I look forward to the power cables when the time comes.

I was very happy with Clarus Crimson for several years. For the price they are quite good, but suffer a bit in build quaiity. Spade connector was too easily damaged/fell off. Many yrs ago so maybe they have better quality now. I have upgraded to Jorma Prime which in my ears are quite a lot better, but also pricier.