Cardas Audio Clear Sky Interconnect Cable - 4.0 Meter - RCA to RCA - Pair

Clear Sky Is Where Matched Propagation Starts

Cardas Audio's Clear Sky is the entry to the Cardas Clear line, and the first Cardas interconnect to use Matched Propagation conductors. Cardas describes it as transparent, dynamic and neutral. The copper is Grade 1, 99.9999% pure, built as Litz wire around a Kevlar core.

Why Cardas Slows the Conductor Down

Matched Propagation is George Cardas's answer to a timing problem. A signal moves through copper faster than a charge moves through the insulation around it. Cardas says the lag smears low-level detail. Rather than add a network, Cardas sets the twist rate of each strand layer so the conductor's speed matches the dielectric's.

Air Tubes, Thin Tape and a Shield Held at a Distance

Two conductors at 23.5 AWG form a shielded twisted pair. Each sits in a non-conductive poly-e air tube, and the pair is bound in an ultra-thin FEP tape. A second layer of compressed air tubes then holds the tin-plated copper braided shield away from the conductors.

An extruded alcryn rubber jacket finishes the cable at 9.27 mm across. Cardas builds the Clear Sky for long or short runs alike, and says it suits any high-end system. Each cable is hand terminated in Bandon, Oregon.

The GRMO Plug, Built by Cardas

Clear Sky ends in the Cardas GRMO RCA plug. Cardas machines it from high-copper, non-magnetic brass, plates the contacts in silver with a rhodium flash, and fits a gold-plated screw-on cover. It is the same plug Cardas uses through the middle of its range.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You want the Clear line's core idea at its entry point — Matched Propagation conductors are what the whole Clear range is built on, so you are buying the principle itself
• Your sources sit near power supplies and routers — the braided shield rides on air tubes, off the conductors, so noise is rejected without loading the signal
• You need a long run — Cardas says Clear Sky is excellent in long or short lengths, so a source across the room is not a compromise
• You want a plug that grips — the GRMO's machined brass body and rhodium-over-silver contacts seat firmly and resist corrosion, so the connection stays clean
• Your components both offer XLR — the Clear Sky is single-ended RCA. If both your components have balanced XLR jacks, choose the Cardas Clear Sky XLR instead. Or call us and we will match the connector

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the Clear Sky from a line-level output, a DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage, to a line-level input on your amplifier or preamp. Keep left to left and right to right. Push each GRMO plug straight on until it seats. Pull it off by the barrel, never by the cable.

Then leave it alone. Cardas says its cables settle with use, so plug in and listen. Other and longer lengths available. Call for prices.

Pairs Well With

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

• Integrated Amplifiers — the usual input end
• Digital-to-Analog Converters — DAC output to amplifier
• Music Streamers — streamer output to amplifier
• Speaker Cables — the last link to the speakers

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Matched Propagation?

Cardas's conductor design. It sets the twist rate of each strand layer so the signal in the copper travels at the same speed as the charge in the insulation. Cardas says that keeps low-level detail from smearing.

What is the GRMO connector?

Cardas's own machined RCA plug. Brass body, silver contacts with a rhodium flash, and a gold cover that screws on over the cable.

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 Sky?

Cardas Clear Cygnus is the next rung. It moves to four conductors in a star-quad, adds a second layer of PTFE air tubes, and keeps the GRMO plug.

See It in Action

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

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

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