Price Paid:  $150.00 from AR marketplace

Summary:
First of all, this is for the Cardas L-15 not the standard Lightening. The L-15 is thick and well built & makes the standard lightening look like a penciled neck geek. The L-15 has bass in spades. It has a smooth detailed top end to die for! Never harsh or bright but full of detail. AIR? We are talking world class air and seperation here. I have other cables that retail for 3x the price of this cable, but barely better and in some respects this cable bests even that BIG boy! Retail is only $15 more than the standard Lightening at $270, but find them from time to time used b/w $125 and $175. It will smash anything close to it's price range!

Strengths:
Very deep powerfull bass, great seperation of instruments. Detailed upper range too! this is the l-15

Weaknesses:
KIND OF STIFF, BUT SO WHAT

Similar Products Used:
HT Cyber-Link Copper, Acoustic Zen Silever Photon, Sonic Horizon Skyline, JPS Superconductor, Electra Glide Signature

Summary:
I strongly believe that this is the best digital coaxial cable money can buy. Sure its pricey, but compared to other brands/models, it's definately the best bang for the buck.
Bass is solid, and high frequencies are clean and clear. No harshness here.
I've used this cable for a few years now.
I originally had it between my Adcom CD player to my Sonic Frontiers Line1 tube pre-amp. Currently my use of this cable is between a Toshiba SD-6200 DVD and a Lexicon 7.1 setup.
When my components are upgraded, or my hi-fi tastes change, the Cardas Lightning will remain in my system.

Strengths:
Sound quality, construction.

Weaknesses:
If anything... the price.

Similar Products Used:
Monster, XLO, Kimber, and Audioquest.

Price Paid:  $210.00 from mortone hifi

Summary:
A very nice cable and well worth the money. l was very impressed with its performance even before the break in period, huge sound stage, detail, detail ,detail!! great powerfull bass, highly recommended.

Strengths:
precise detail,powerfull bass, wonderfull highs, wide sound stage, build quality

Weaknesses:
a little pricey but worth it

Similar Products Used:
tara labs,monster cable,kimber cable

Summary:
It impressed me since the beginning. Its like a wine, as much it gets older, it gets better. It's open, detailed with amazing highs. I compared it to the terrific Iluminations D.60 and also to the Van Den Hul Second and for me Cardas Lightning was the number one. Unfortunately today I don't have it in my system because a very special friend listened to it in my stereo room and fell in love with Lightning. I didn't think twice, I gave it as present and when I tried to buy a new Lightning, I couldn't find it in the stores.
I am planning to write to Cardas Audio in America and naturally I will buy it back or the new Cardas Neutral Reference digital cable Cardas is producing at present.
Congratulations, George Cardas! Lightning is a product to show to the world what America is able to do.
If somebody is interested to improve his/her system, please give a chance to this wonderful cable. It's magic!

Strengths:
Everything. Natural sound, detailed, a high end product

Weaknesses:
I am still looking for

Similar Products Used:
Van Den Hul "First and Second", Iluminations D.60...

Summary:
I tried a Lightning cable after hearing the Cardas High Speed cable. I am using between a Rotel RDD 980 transportand Audio Alchemy DTI 2.0. I liked some of the things the High Speed cable did, especially in the bass, but it had problems. The rest of the music was muted and muffled. I thought the Lightning would be better and it was, but not for the difference in price. The bass was fantastic, and there was a large, deep, soundstage, but the higs and mids were still too dulled down. I just couldn't live with the lack of detail and had to return them. If you have a system that is on the bright, and edgy side this cable might be perfect for you, but it didn't work for me. I'll give it a 3 if used in a bright system.