Renato
Excellent product. Highly recommended
Comment from June 09, 2026 — Experience from April 12, 2026
Automatically translated — Show original (Italian)
Ottimo prodotto. Consigliatissimo
Cardas Clear Power 1m
Overview
The Cardas Clear Power mains cable is the result of over 25 years of research and development in the field of power cables. An evolution of the Golden Reference Power model, it features a construction aimed at delivering a neutral tonal balance, with an integrated filtering system designed to optimize dynamic management. Its large-gauge conductors (3 x 11.5 AWG) make it suitable for both high-consumption amplifiers and sensitive sources that require a stable, clean power supply.
Meticulous Physical Design Down to the Smallest Detail
The Clear Power stands out with its 15.49 mm outer diameter, a testament to the richness of its internal structure. At the heart of the cable, three multi-strand Litz OFC copper conductors of exceptional 99.9999% purity are arranged in a twisted triad—a geometry that naturally minimizes electromagnetic interference. Each 11.5 AWG conductor is made up of multiple copper strands whose diameters follow the golden ratio, a technique patented by George Cardas that limits micro-vibrational resonance phenomena.
The outer sheath, made of thermoplastic rubber (TPR), offers remarkable flexibility, greatly facilitating installation even in the tightest spaces. This flexibility is a pleasant contrast to the usual stiffness of large-diameter power cables. The Cardas Power connectors, entirely handmade in the workshops in Bandon, Oregon, feature solid copper blades and clips plated with a silver/rhodium combination, ensuring optimal conductivity while preventing long-term oxidation.
The double shielding, combining tinned copper and magnetic wire, creates a particularly effective barrier against electromagnetic and radio frequency interference. This protection is complemented by a complex internal structure that includes air tubes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE), bound by a polytetrafluoroethylene (FEP) tape, thus creating controlled air spaces that optimize the cable’s dielectric properties.
Exclusive Technologies Serving Musicality
The multi-layer internal insulation is a technical tour de force. PFA (perfluoroalkoxy), a material with exceptional dielectric properties, wraps the conductors in a cross-field layer geometry. This architecture, combined with the PE air tubes and PTFE tape, minimizes dielectric losses while maintaining constant impedance along the entire length of the cable.
The constant quality factor (Q), achieved through the golden ratio-based geometry, ensures balanced transmission across the entire frequency spectrum. This mathematical approach to cable design, inspired by the natural proportions found in the nautilus spiral (the iconic Cardas logo), prevents the resonance peaks that typically color the signal.
The Clear Power’s integrated filtering system works passively yet highly effectively to eliminate high-frequency noise present on the power grid. Unlike active filters, which can sometimes compress dynamics, this approach preserves the full available current while cleaning the signal of unwanted interference. The result is a heightened background silence that reveals musical details previously masked.
Remarkable Versatility of Use
Clear Power demonstrates exceptional adaptability to different types of equipment. On high-power amplifiers, its generously sized conductors guarantee unrestricted current delivery, allowing output stages to reach their full dynamic potential during the most demanding musical passages. Transients gain impact and definition, while the bass acquires greater authority and control.
With source components—CD players, DACs, preamplifiers—Clear Power reveals its finesse and ability to preserve micro-information. Instrument separation in the soundstage becomes more precise, vocals emerge with a palpable presence from the background, and sibilance loses its sometimes irritating edge, regaining striking naturalness. This dual character—both powerful and delicate—explains why this cable is equally suited to systems based on tube amplifiers and those using solid-state electronics.
Connectors are available in all international standards, including Schuko plugs for Europe and 20-amp IEC connectors for particularly power-hungry equipment. This configuration flexibility, combined with the option to order custom lengths, allows Clear Power to be tailored to the specific needs of any installation.
Technical Specifications
Connectivity
- Male plug: Schuko Europe
- Female plug: IEC rhodium-plated copper
Conductors
- Multi-strand Litz conductors in high-purity shielded copper
- Geometry based on the golden ratio, constant quality (Q) coefficient
- Conductor cross-section: 3 x 11.5 AWG
- 99.9999% OFC copper (grade 1)
Shielding and Insulation
- Double shielding:
- Tinned copper
- Magnetic wire
- Internal structure:
- Twisted triad
- Air tubes in polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
- Bonding with polytetrafluoroethylene (FEP) tape
- Internal insulation: PFA, PE tubes, PTFE tape
- Flexible outer sheath in thermoplastic rubber (TPR)
Technical Specifications
- Cable type: high-end power cable
- Outer diameter: 15.49 mm
- Connectors: Cardas Power silver/rhodium plated
- Flexibility: ultra-flexible TPR sheath
Advanced Features
- Available with all international power plugs
- Hand-assembled in the United States
- High-precision Cardas soldering and crimping
- Design inspired by the Golden Reference Power cable
- Neutral tonal balance with integrated filtering for enhanced dynamics
- Design based on 25 years of Cardas research and development
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clear Power better suited for amplifiers or sources?
Its versatile design makes it perfectly suitable for both. The three 11.5 AWG conductors provide enough current capacity for the most demanding amplifiers, while the filtering system and tonal neutrality make it a wise choice for revealing the finesse of source components.
How does Clear Power differ from the Golden Reference Power it replaces?
While the Golden Reference Power was designed to add a certain warmth and smooth out the rough edges of some systems, Clear Power adopts a philosophy of maximum transparency. It benefits from the matched propagation technologies developed for the Clear range, offering superior neutrality while retaining the signature Cardas musicality.
How does the filtering system affect dynamics?
Contrary to common misconceptions about filtered cables, Clear Power enhances dynamics rather than compressing them. The passive filtering eliminates high-frequency noise that masks details, allowing for better differentiation of sound levels and a greater perceived dynamic range.
Is Clear Power suitable for use with UPS units and power conditioners?
Absolutely. Its robust construction and excellent transmission characteristics make it an ideal complement to power treatment devices. Some users even report better results when connecting their conditioner with a Clear Power rather than the original supplied cable.
What length should I choose for optimal performance?
Cardas recommends using the shortest possible length to minimize losses, while leaving enough slack to avoid mechanical stress. Standard lengths of 1 and 2 meters suit most installations, but custom lengths can be ordered to meet your specific needs.
User reviews
François
I use different cables on my two systems: Cardas Clear for my headphone system and Nordost Heimdall for my speaker system. I've been able to compare both extensively on each system.
The Cardas Clear cables (both power and interconnects) are warmer and more musical, magnificent for intimate headphone listening, with a level of detail, balance, and substance across the entire spectrum that's very elegant for music.
The Nordost Heimdall cables, in the same price and quality range, are more lively and transparent in the bass, midrange, and treble registers, providing perfectly straight, neutral, and pure power delivery that lets the electronics, speakers, and room acoustics bring their own sonic colors and musical personality.
Two different and excellent approaches, depending on your taste and what you're looking for, which you can combine - for example, powering electronics with Heimdall and using Cardas Clear or Cardas Clear Reflection (even warmer) for analog interconnects and speaker cables.
Comment from September 12, 2025 — Experience from September 01, 2025
Automatically translated — Show original (French)
J'utilise des câbles différents sur mes deux systèmes, des Cardas Clear pour mon système casque et des Nordost Heimdall pour mon système avec enceintes, j'ai pu comparer longuement les deux sur chacun des systèmes.
Les câbles Cardas Clear (en alimentation comme en liaison), sont plus chaleureux et musicaux, magnifiques pour une écoute intimiste au casque, avec un niveau de détails, d'équilibre et de matière sur tout le spectre très élégant pour la musique.
Les Nordost Heimdall, dans la même gamme de prix et de qualité, sont plus vifs et transparents sur les registres du grave, du médium et de l'aigu, assurant une alimentation parfaitement droite, neutre et pure, qui laisse le soin aux électroniques, aux enceintes et à l'acoustique de la pièce d'apporter leurs couleurs sonores et leur personnalité musicale.
Deux approches différentes et excellentes, en fonction de ses gouts et de sa recherche, que l'ont peut marier, par exemple alimentation des électroniques avec des Heimdall et liaisons analogiques et câbles d'enceintes Cardas Clear ou Cardas Clear Reflection (encore plus chaleureux).
Les câbles Cardas Clear (en alimentation comme en liaison), sont plus chaleureux et musicaux, magnifiques pour une écoute intimiste au casque, avec un niveau de détails, d'équilibre et de matière sur tout le spectre très élégant pour la musique.
Les Nordost Heimdall, dans la même gamme de prix et de qualité, sont plus vifs et transparents sur les registres du grave, du médium et de l'aigu, assurant une alimentation parfaitement droite, neutre et pure, qui laisse le soin aux électroniques, aux enceintes et à l'acoustique de la pièce d'apporter leurs couleurs sonores et leur personnalité musicale.
Deux approches différentes et excellentes, en fonction de ses gouts et de sa recherche, que l'ont peut marier, par exemple alimentation des électroniques avec des Heimdall et liaisons analogiques et câbles d'enceintes Cardas Clear ou Cardas Clear Reflection (encore plus chaleureux).
- Eco-contribution included in the sale price.