Cardas Audio Clear Beyond XL Power Cable
Category: other
What You Need to Know
What Is This Cable and What Does It Do?
This is an aftermarket power cable. It replaces the cord that came in the box with your gear. Its job is to send clean, steady AC power from your wall outlet to your audio component.
Clear Beyond is one of the top two power cables Cardas makes. Only Clear Beyond XL sits above it. The Cardas line goes Iridium, Parsec, Clear Cygnus, Clear Reflection, Clear, Clear Beyond, and Clear Beyond XL.
What's Different About This One?
Clear Beyond is hand-built in Bandon, Oregon. George Cardas started the company in 1987. He used to work as a phone-line engineer. He holds three U.S. patents on cable design. His daughter Angela runs the company today.
Clear Beyond uses three 10-gauge tin-plated copper wires. AWG means American Wire Gauge. A lower number means a thicker wire. 10 AWG is heavier than the 11.5 AWG used in Clear and Clear Reflection. Heavier wire carries more power without strain. This matters for high-current amps.
The wires are pure 99.9999% Cardas copper. Cardas makes its own copper. They draw the wire slowly in a special hydrogen atmosphere. This keeps the copper very pure. Other top audio brands use this same copper. So do science labs around the world.
Clear Beyond uses Cardas Matched Propagation. This is a patented method (US Patent 7,674,973). Cardas mixes strand sizes inside each wire. This lowers internal noise. The strand sizes follow the Golden Ratio (1:1.618). Both ideas come from George Cardas's patents.
Each of the three wires gets its own shield. Then there's a second shield around all three. That's more shielding than the cables below it in the line. A toroidal filter sits on the ground leg to block more noise from the wall.
Clear Beyond uses Cardas's own E-5 connectors. They're solid copper plated with silver, then rhodium. The shells are metal with anti-resonant inner shells. A small filter ring sits at the IEC end for extra noise rejection.
Where Does This Cable Belong in Your System?
Clear Beyond is built for reference-level systems. Use it on the gear that matters most.
- Good fit: High-current power amps, monoblocks, large integrated amps, top-tier DACs, streamers, preamps, and reference source gear. Works on any component with a C13 inlet.
- Need 20-amp? If your amp uses a 20-amp inlet (the wider, sideways slot), see the Cardas Clear Beyond Power C19 version on its own page.
- Top of the line: For the most power-hungry amps, step up to Clear Beyond XL.
Length: Use the shortest cable that will reach. Measure the real path the cable will take, not a straight line. Add a foot of slack. Shorter is better.
Hand-Built and Backed for Life
Every Clear Beyond is built by hand in Bandon, Oregon. It comes with a Cardas lifetime warranty. Cardas can also re-end the cable if your system changes. They can swap connectors (such as C13 to C19) or change the length. Call us at 800-942-0220 for current re-termination pricing.
What the Reviewers Are Saying
HiFi+ — Editor's Choice Award, April 2024
HiFi+ named Clear Beyond an Editor's Choice in their 25th Anniversary issue, calling the cable "a revelation" for its detail retrieval and quiet noise floor. — HiFi+ 25th Anniversary Issue, April 2024
Positive Feedback — Gregory Petan, June 2022
Petan praised Clear Beyond's "open, stratospheric extension" along with rich tonal weight and natural ease across the whole frequency range. — Positive Feedback Issue 19, June 2022
Stereo Times — Dave Allison
Allison placed Clear Beyond as his #2 favorite power cable. He praised its ability to separate instruments and its nimble low-end definition. — Stereo Times, June 2023
Video: Inside the Cardas Factory
Darko.Audio's Jana Dagdagan visited the Cardas factory in Bandon, Oregon to film how Clear Beyond cables are made. The video follows the build process from copper draw to compression-die forged terminations.
Pairs Well With
Building a reference system? Here are some good companions:
- Step up: Cardas Clear Beyond XL Power is the flagship. Heavier wires and even more filtering for the most current-hungry amps.
- Step down: Cardas Clear Power is a strong choice for your source gear in the same system.
- Match the family: Pair with Cardas Clear Beyond Interconnect and Clear Beyond Speaker Cable for a full Clear Beyond loom.
- Need 20-amp? See the Clear Beyond Power C19 version for amps with a 20-amp IEC inlet.
- Gear that benefits: Browse power amps, integrated amps, and power conditioners.
Features & Specifications
Three 10 AWG Conductors — Heavier than the 11.5 AWG wires in Clear and Clear Reflection. Built for the high-current loads of large power amps and monoblocks.
Tin-Plated Cardas Grade 1 Ultra Pure Copper — 99.9999% oxygen-free copper with tin plating. The plating slows tarnish and helps long-term stability.
Matched Propagation Conductors — Cardas patented method (US Patent 7,674,973) that mixes strand sizes to lower internal noise.
Litz Construction with Golden Ratio Strands — Many fine insulated strands per wire, sized to the Golden Ratio. A patented Cardas method.
Individual Shielding Per Leg Plus Overall Shielding — Each of the three wires gets its own shield. Then a second shield wraps all three. That's more shielding than any other Cardas cable except Clear Beyond XL.
Toroidal Filter on Ground Leg — A filter sits on the ground wire to block more noise from the wall before it reaches your gear.
PTFE Dielectric with PVC Air Tubes and FEP Tape — PTFE is the same plastic family as Teflon. Air tubes lift the wires apart for clean signal transfer.
Cardas E-5 Connectors — Pure copper plated with silver, then rhodium. Metal shells with anti-resonant inner shells. Includes Cardas's filter ring at the IEC end. The signature Cardas Nautilus logo is embossed on the shell.
Hand-Terminated in Bandon, Oregon — Every cable is built and tested at the Cardas factory.
Super-Flexible TPR Jacket — Soft deep-blue jacket. Stays manageable behind a rack despite the heavy wires inside.
Lifetime Warranty — Cardas backs every cable for life.
Quick-Reference Specifications
| Conductor | Cardas Grade 1 Ultra Pure 99.9999% OFC, tin-plated, 3 × 10 AWG, litz |
| Conductor Design | Matched Propagation (US Patent 7,674,973), Golden Ratio strand sizing, Crossfield layer geometry |
| Dielectric | PTFE insulation, PVC air tubes, FEP tape wrap |
| Shielding | Individual shield per conductor plus overall double shield |
| Filtration | Toroidal noise filter on ground leg |
| Outer Diameter | 0.650" / 16.51mm |
| Connectors | NEMA 5-15P to IEC C13; Cardas E-5, rhodium over silver over solid copper |
| Termination | Hand-soldered and crimped in Bandon, Oregon |
| Jacket | Super-flexible deep-blue TPR rubber |
| Available Lengths | Multiple lengths — see selector above |
| Warranty | Cardas Audio lifetime warranty |
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Clear Beyond different from Clear?
Clear Beyond uses heavier 10 AWG wires (Clear is 11.5 AWG). It adds individual shielding on each leg and a toroidal filter on the ground. These changes matter most for high-current power amps.
How is Clear Beyond different from Clear Beyond XL?
Clear Beyond XL is the flagship. It uses even heavier wires and adds extra ground-leg filtration. The path is extended about three times the cable length for more noise rejection. Clear Beyond is the right choice for most reference systems. XL is for the largest, most current-hungry amps.
Do I need the C13 or C19 version?
Look at the inlet on the back of your gear. C13 is the most common shape. C19 has a wider, sideways slot. C19 is mostly used on big power amps and monoblocks. If you're not sure, call us at 800-942-0220.
What length do I need?
Use the shortest cable that will reach. Measure the real path the cable will take. Add a foot of slack. Shorter is better.
Will this fit my outlet?
Yes. The C13 version uses a 15-amp NEMA 5-15P wall plug and a 15-amp IEC C13 plug at the gear end. It fits any standard U.S. household outlet.
Can Cardas re-end this cable later?
Yes. Cardas offers re-termination service. They can change the connector (such as C13 to C19), the wall plug, or the length. Pricing varies. Call us at 800-942-0220 for a quote, or contact Cardas direct.
What's the warranty?
Cardas backs every cable they make for life. If anything ever goes wrong with the cable itself, they'll fix or replace it.
