Cardas Audio Iridium AC Power Cable

Iridium Is the Entry Point to Cardas's Power Cable Range

A power cable carries the last few feet of AC from the wall into a component. It can't add power a component doesn't draw, but a poorly shielded one lets noise ride in on that current.

Cardas builds Iridium around two 11.5 AWG Crossfield Conductors of Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen-free copper, wrapped in a PFA tape dielectric and finished with a toroidal filter, at the lowest price in the Cardas power line.

Grade 1 Copper, Crossfield Conductors

Cardas specifies two 11.5 AWG Crossfield Conductors of Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen-free copper, each carrying Cardas's SPN clear coat and a litz construction. The cable is double shielded with aluminum/mylar and tinned copper, then wrapped as a twisted pair with a natural cotton filler inside an Alcryn rubber jacket.

A Toroidal Filter on Every Run

Beyond the conductors and shielding, Iridium adds a toroidal filter built into the cable, the same filtration approach Cardas carries through its higher power cable lines. The gauge runs 2x11.5 AWG for an outside diameter of 0.490 inches, or 10.1mm.

The Connectors, Explained

Iridium terminates in Cardas's own 3455R power connector at the component end, which plugs into the standard IEC inlet on your amplifier, DAC or other component, and a standard NEMA 5-15 three-prong plug for the US wall outlet at the wall end.

Who Is This Power Cable Best For?

• You are moving up from a stock power cord for the first time — Iridium is the entry point to the Cardas power line, at its lowest price
• You want Cardas's Crossfield Conductor geometry without paying for the larger-gauge models — Iridium carries that geometry in an 11.5 AWG conductor
• You value a double-shielded, filtered build at an accessible price — the aluminum/mylar and tinned-copper shield plus the toroidal filter are standard on Iridium
• You are feeding a DAC, preamp or other lighter-draw component — the 11.5 AWG gauge suits that lighter, steadier current draw
• You want a third conductor and tin-plated copper — Cardas Parsec steps up to a twisted triad of tin-plated conductors borrowed from Clear Cygnus

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Plug the 3455R end into the IEC inlet on the back of your amplifier, DAC or other component, and the male end into a wall outlet or power conditioner outlet.

Then power up the system as usual. Other and longer lengths available. Call for prices.

Pairs Well With

A power cable is one link in the chain from the wall to your gear. It usually joins these categories.

• Power Conditioners — filter the whole circuit; the cable feeds the last few feet after it
• Integrated Amplifiers — the high-current load most power cables are built to feed
• Stereo Amplifiers — another high-current destination for the heavier gauges in this range
• Digital-to-Analog Converters — a low-current source component that still benefits from clean, quiet AC

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does shielding matter on an AC cable?

Cardas builds its power cables to keep radio-frequency and electromagnetic noise from riding in on the AC line and reaching sensitive circuits. A ground wire without that shielding can act like an antenna, pulling in exactly the noise a power cable is supposed to keep out.

Do power cables wear out?

Every metal conductor oxidizes over time; it is unavoidable chemistry, not a defect. What varies is the rate. Denser, better-shielded conductors with quality plating oxidize far more slowly, so a well-made cable performs the same way for years instead of drifting.

Will this affect my system's ground safety?

No change to your safety ground. Every cable in this line keeps the full three-conductor path, hot, neutral and ground, exactly as building code requires. What differs from a stock cord is conductor quality and shielding, not the wiring topology.

Is there a step up?

Cardas Parsec is the next rung. It moves to a triad of 14 AWG conductors borrowed from the Clear Cygnus line, with tin-plated copper for better long-term oxidation resistance.

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