Cardas Audio Clear Interconnect Cable - XLR to XLR

Clear Is the Cable the Rest of the Cardas Line Points To

Cardas Audio's Clear is the interconnect Cardas designed for reference systems in acoustically neutral rooms. The company describes it as completely neutral and transparent, with superb dynamics, extension and speed. It says the Clear works in long or short runs alike. This is the Rev.1 version. It is hand terminated in Bandon, Oregon.

Other length & termination options are available. Call us to discuss your needs.

Three Conductors in a Triangle

Three conductors at 25.5 AWG sit in an equilateral triad, a triangle rather than a pair or a square. Each is a Matched Propagation conductor on a Kevlar core, built from Cardas Grade 1 copper, 99.9999% pure, in Litz form with every strand enamel coated.

Strands Down to 41 Gauge, Suspended in Air

The individual strands run from 41 AWG to 39 AWG, and their sizes step in Golden Ratio proportions. Each conductor wears an ultra-thin extruded PTFE jacket and sits inside an anti-static LDPE air tube. Carbon-impregnated PTFE tape binds the three.

A second ring of PTFE air tubes, scaled 1.618 times larger than the core tubes, holds the composite shield of tinned copper and magnet wire away from the signal. An ultra-soft extruded TPR jacket finishes the cable. It measures 11.43 mm across.

The CG XLR, Machined for the Flagship Tier

Clear ends in the Cardas CG XLR, the company's reference cable-mount XLR. It is a three-piece threaded design in high-copper, non-magnetic brass, with silver contacts under a rhodium flash. A fourth solder pin bonds the shell to the body, and a red or black O-ring marks the channel.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Stereophile lists the Clear Rev.1 in its 2025 Recommended Components, noting that with it in his system its reviewer "gained significant measures of detail and transparency."

The Absolute Sound named the Clear an Editors' Choice in 2013, and Stereophile has kept it in Recommended Components from the 2018 edition through the 2026 edition.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You have a reference system in a treated room — Cardas designed the Clear for exactly that, so the cable is chosen for the room you built
• You need a long run — Cardas says the Clear works in long or short runs alike, so separates across the room are not a compromise
• Your rack radiates — the composite shield rides on its own ring of air tubes, so noise is rejected without loading the signal
• You want the reference plug — the CG XLR is machined brass with rhodium-over-silver contacts in a threaded three-piece body, so it grips and resists corrosion
• Your components have only RCA jacks — the Clear XLR is balanced at both ends and will not fit an RCA jack. Choose the Cardas Clear RCA instead, or call us and we will match the connector

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the Clear from a balanced XLR output on your DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage to a balanced XLR input on your preamp or amplifier. Keep left to left and right to right. Line up the pins and push until the latch clicks. Press the latch tab to release the plug.

Then leave it alone. Cardas says its cables settle with use, so plug in and listen.

Measure the Path, Then Add a Little Slack

Measure the route the cable will really take between your components, around shelves and behind the rack. Then add a little slack. As audio legend George Cardas puts it, "A cable that's just long enough usually turns out to be just not long enough." Keep the left and right cables the same length. We recommend a matched pair.

XLR on Both Ends, or Not at All

Balanced XLR works when both components have XLR jacks, and we recommend using XLRs whenever they do. If one component has only RCA jacks, use an RCA cable instead of an adapter. You only get the possible benefits of a balanced output with a pure XLR-to-XLR connection.

A Long Run Between Components?

If your amplifier and speakers sit far from your source, we recommend a long interconnect over a long speaker cable. A really long interconnect affects system performance less than a really long speaker cable.

When Is It Time to Upgrade?

An interconnect often stays in a system for years, so it is easy to overlook. Look again when something else changes: a new DAC, streamer or phono stage, a better amplifier, or a move to components with balanced XLR jacks.

Pairs Well With

An interconnect is one link in the chain. It usually joins these categories.

• Preamplifiers — source to preamp, preamp to amp
• Stereo Amplifiers — the power amp end of a separates system
• Digital-to-Analog Converters — DAC output to preamp
• CD Players & Transports — disc player to preamp

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the equilateral triad?

Three conductors arranged as a triangle with equal sides. Cardas uses it in the Clear in place of a twisted pair or a star-quad.

What is the CG XLR connector?

Cardas's reference cable-mount XLR. A three-piece threaded brass body, silver contacts under a rhodium flash, a fourth solder pin to bond the shell, and a red or black O-ring to mark the channel.

What does Rev.1 mean?

The current version of the Clear. Cardas lists the interconnect as Rev 1, and Stereophile notes the revision applies to both the RCA and the XLR versions.

How long does break-in take?

Cardas says at most 200 hours, and usually half that. Its advice is simple: "Plug them in, leave them plugged in, and enjoy your life."

What warranty does Cardas give?

A lifetime warranty. Every Litz strand is sealed in enamel, so the copper does not oxidize. Cardas says that is why its cables last.

Is there a step up from the Clear?

Cardas Clear Beyond XLR is the top of the line. It moves to four conductors in a star-quad, strands down to 47 gauge, and a 13 mm body with a CG XLR redesigned to fit it.

See It in Action

Audio Advisor's tour of the Cardas factory in Bandon, where the Clear is built and terminated.

Audio Advisor walks through Cardas cable construction, from Litz strands to hand-soldered plugs.

Need a Different Length or Connector?

The most popular configurations are shown on this page. If your system requires a different length or termination, call our audio experts. We’ll help you choose the right configuration and arrange a custom cable for your system.

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