Cardas Audio A8 Earbuds 30th Anniversary Edition

One Driver, One Cable, Made by Cardas

The Cardas Audio A8 30th Anniversary Edition is a wired in-ear earphone, which Cardas calls an ear speaker. One 10.85mm Ultra Linear, Contour Field, Dual Magnet driver sits in each black chrome earpiece, and a 3.5mm plug fits any standard headphone jack.

Cardas Audio built its name on cable, and the A8 shows it. The lightweight cable has separate conductors for each channel. It runs as one unbroken piece from plug to earpieces, with no connector in the middle.

Why the Cable Has No Break in It

Cardas lists balanced and custom plugs as options, and Hi-Fi+ calls balanced versions a factory special order. The standard plug is a 3.5mm TRS, which suits phones, players, laptops and portable amps.

What the Driver and Body Are Doing

Two Magnets Behind a Single Driver

One dynamic driver plays the whole range. Hi-Fi+ reports that its two magnets work to reduce eddy currents. It is rated at 32 ohms and 110dB, so a phone or player can drive it.

The brass shell wears a shiny black chrome finish with the Cardas nautilus outline in white. The body follows a Golden Spiral curve, which Cardas builds into its design. Passive isolation is rated at 20dB, so outside noise is reduced.

A Cable Made for Daily Carry

The cable is 46 inches (116cm) of 99.99% pure Litz copper wound in a Golden Ratio pattern. Hi-Fi+ calls this style of cable strong and flexible. The whole set weighs 31.2 grams.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Alan Sircom, Hi-Fi+, July 2, 2018: the cables "remain strong, flexible, and practically immune from conduction noise," and he ended his review with "Highly recommended!"

Frank Iacone, Headphone.Guru, October 23, 2017, reviewed this edition alongside the standard A8 and wrote: "Out of the box I knew immediately that this was a special ear-speaker." He rated it Highly Recommended.

Who Is the A8 30th Anniversary Edition Best For?

• You listen on a phone, player or laptop — the 32-ohm rating suits portable sources, so you can start with gear you own
• You like a single full-range driver — one driver covers the whole range, so each ear hears music from one source
• You are hard on cables — with no connector in the middle, there is nothing to work loose
• You like gear with a story — the brass shell and black chrome finish mark thirty years of Cardas, so it suits a collection as well as a commute
• You want wireless earbuds — the A8 has a fixed cable and a 3.5mm plug. Add a USB-C or Lightning adapter from our headphone accessories if your phone has no jack, and a portable headphone amplifier for finer volume control

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Plug the 3.5mm TRS plug into the headphone jack on a phone, tablet, music player or laptop. It also fits a portable headphone amp or DAC. A phone without a jack needs a USB-C or Lightning adapter with a DAC built in.

Try each ear tip in the box and keep the one that seals without pressure. A good seal is what delivers the isolation rating. Plug in, seal the tips, press play.

Pairs Well With

What finishes a portable listening setup around the A8:

• Headphone amplifiers — finer volume control on the go
• Digital-to-analog converters — a clean digital path from a laptop or phone
• Headphone accessories — cases and spare tips for the earpieces
• Headphones — a full-size pair for the listening chair at home

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the A8 work with my phone?

Any phone, tablet, player or laptop with a 3.5mm headphone jack works. For a phone without one, use a USB-C or Lightning adapter that has a DAC built in.

Do I need a headphone amplifier?

The A8 is rated at 32 ohms and 110dB, so a phone or player can drive it. A portable amp or DAC is a choice, not a requirement.

Can I get the A8 with a balanced plug?

Cardas lists balanced and custom plugs. This version comes with a 3.5mm TRS plug. Our team at 800-942-0220 can tell you what is possible.

What is the cable made of?

It is 46 inches (116cm) of 99.99% pure Litz copper in a Golden Ratio pattern. Each channel has its own conductors, and no connector sits between plug and earpieces.

How do I get the best fit?

Try each ear tip in the box. A secure seal gives you the rated 20dB of isolation and keeps the earpieces comfortable on long listening sessions.

What's the warranty?

Cardas covers the A8 30th Anniversary with a one-year warranty.

See It in Action

Hi-Fi Insider unboxes and reviews the A8 30th Anniversary:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about earphones, headphone amplifiers, or getting a good in-ear fit? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.