Cardas Parsec Digital 2m

Cardas Parsec Digital, digital coaxial cable

Between a CD player and a digital-to-analog converter, the coaxial connection carries data, but how it carries that data matters: a cable with varying impedance distorts signal edges and makes the receiver’s job harder. The entry-level model in the Cardas digital cable range, the Parsec Digital replaces the former High Speed Data with a more flexible jacket, better-quality plugs and a construction derived from the analog Parsec range.

A 75-ohm impedance maintained from end to end

The coaxial S/PDIF standard specifies a 75-ohm impedance for the source output, the converter input and the cable connecting them. When these three values match, the signal passes from one device to the other without bouncing back; when they differ, some of the energy is reflected at the ends and blurs the transitions between digital signal states. The bits still arrive, but the precise timing of each transition becomes less clearly defined, and it is this timing uncertainty, known as jitter, that the converter must then absorb. On the Parsec Digital, the 75-ohm impedance follows directly from the cable geometry, meaning the conductor diameter and its distance from the shielding through the chosen insulation materials. The actual benefit also depends on the converter: a model with an effective reclocking stage is less sensitive to the quality of the connection than a simpler receiver.

Six-nines copper with individually enamelled strands

The central conductor is grade 1 oxygen-free copper with 99.9999% purity, the same as in Parsec interconnect cables. It consists of strands each coated with a transparent SPN enamel, following the Litz wire principle: insulated from one another, the strands do not exchange current, and the enamel protects the copper from oxidation throughout the cable’s life. The strand diameters follow the proportions of the golden ratio, an approach developed by George Cardas and found throughout the brand’s production, and the layers are wound in what is known as cross-field geometry, with each layer wound in the opposite direction to the previous one to limit the conductor’s inherent resonances. PTFE insulation, the material known as Teflon and valued for its low losses, surrounds the assembly.

Double shielding kept at a distance by air tubes

Around the insulation, low-density polyurethane air tubes are held together by FEP tape, a fluoropolymer similar to PTFE. These tubes keep the shielding at a consistent distance from the conductor, and this stable spacing determines the impedance along the entire length; air, one of the best insulators available, also reduces the amount of solid material in contact with the signal. The shielding combines two layers: an aluminized polyester film that covers the entire circumference and blocks high-frequency interference, and a tinned copper spiral that ensures ground continuity. The dark green outer jacket, more flexible than that of the High Speed Data, matches the color of the other Parsec cables. The cable remains lightweight and bends without resistance, making it easy to route behind furniture without putting strain on the devices’ RCA sockets. This flexibility has a logical trade-off: a very tight bend or crushing locally changes the spacing between conductor and shielding, and therefore the impedance, so it is better to guide the cable through curves rather than kink it.

GRMO plugs in rhodium-plated eutectic brass

The ends are fitted with Cardas GRMO RCA plugs whose bodies are made from eutectic brass, a non-magnetic alloy that melts and solidifies at a single temperature, without an intermediate phase, giving it a homogeneous structure. This body receives an underlayer of silver, an excellent conductor, followed by rhodium plating. A very hard metal, rhodium withstands wear from repeated connections and corrosion, whereas silver alone would eventually tarnish; its bulk conductivity is lower than that of silver or gold, but as a thin layer it maintains excellent contact that does not deteriorate over time. The gold-plated brass shell protects the plug and provides a good grip without forming part of the signal path. The cable is terminated by hand at the Cardas workshop in Bandon, Oregon.

The devices connected by the Parsec Digital

A digital coaxial output is fitted to most CD players, transports and network players, and the corresponding input is found on converters, integrated amplifiers with a digital section and many home theater amplifiers. The Parsec Digital carries stereo PCM up to 24-bit and 192 kHz, depending on what the devices support, as well as compressed Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 streams; lossless cinema formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio) and full-resolution Dolby Atmos require an HDMI connection. Compared with a Toslink optical connection, coaxial supports higher sampling rates on many devices, with optical often limited to 96 kHz. However, it electrically connects the grounds of the two devices, whereas fiber isolates them: when hum caused by a ground loop is present, optical retains an advantage. For devices fitted with BNC sockets, the Parsec Digital is also available in a BNC version and a mixed RCA-to-BNC version.

Technical Specifications

Composition

• Eutectic brass body
• Gold-plated brass plug
• Rhodium plating on silver

Electrical Specifications

• 75 Ω digital coaxial cable
• Double shielding

Dimensions

• Cable length: 2 m