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RCA or XLR — Which Do I Need?
The fastest way to know is to look at the back of your gear. RCA jacks are small, round, and color-coded. Red is the right channel. White or black is the left. Most home audio gear uses RCA. Higher-end preamps and integrated amps may also have XLR.
XLR jacks are larger, three-pin, and roughly cylindrical. They are often called "balanced." If both your source and your amp use XLR, get the XLR Clear Beyond. If both use RCA, get the Clear Beyond RCA. XLR is best for runs over 3 feet because it rejects more noise.
One caveat: some gear has both RCA and XLR outputs, but only one is true balanced. The other is just derived from the balanced signal. Check your manual or call us at 800-942-0220 if you're not sure.
What You Need to Know
What Is the Clear Beyond Interconnect Cable — What Does It Do?
An interconnect carries music between two pieces of gear. From a DAC to an amp. From a streamer to a preamp. The cable sends a small line-level signal between source and amplification. Every home audio system needs at least one pair.
This is the XLR (balanced) version of the Clear Beyond. XLR is a larger, three-pin connector found on flagship preamps and amps. The Clear Beyond is an inherently balanced design, so the XLR version uses all four conductors in their native configuration.
The Clear Beyond is Cardas's ultimate flagship. Nothing sits above it in the Cardas interconnect line. It is one rung above the original Clear and is intended for the most demanding reference systems.
What's the Difference With Cardas Clear Beyond Cable
The Clear Beyond builds on 30+ years of Cardas cable design. The conductors use Grade 1 Ultra Pure copper at 99.9999% pure. Inside each Litz conductor, the strands are ultra fine — between 47 AWG and 39 AWG. Finer than the Clear and far finer than the rest of the line.
The strand size jumps follow the Golden Ratio. George Cardas earned two patents for this stranding back in the 1980s. The result is a conductor with no two strands of the same mass, which Cardas designed to cancel out small resonances that build up inside ordinary cables.
The geometry is a Star-Quad 4-conductor design — four conductors instead of the Clear's three. The Star-Quad is inherently balanced, which gives Cardas more flexibility to fine-tune both RCA and XLR versions from the same internal cable.
Each conductor sits in anti-static LDPE air tubes, bound with carbon-impregnated PTFE tape. A second layer of PTFE air tubes (scaled 1.618 times larger than the core tubes) suspends the shield away from the conductors. The shield is a composite of tinned copper and magnet wire.
The XLR version uses a redesigned Cardas CG-XLR connector — Cardas's own balanced fitting, redesigned to match the Clear Beyond's wide cable diameter. The RCA version uses a Cardas XRCA 13 adapter. Each plug is hand-soldered with Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder.
Cable OD is 0.511" (12.98 mm) — the thickest of any Cardas interconnect. The Clear Beyond is built in small quantities by Cardas's senior terminators. Each pair is made to order at the Bandon, Oregon factory.
What Are the Clear Beyond's Matched Propagation Conductors?
Most cables are simply wires inside insulation. The wire and the insulation are not really designed to work together. Cardas had a different idea, which George Cardas patented in 2010 (US Patent 7,674,973).
Cardas calls it Matched Propagation Conductors. The wire-winding pitch and the geometry of the strands are calculated based on the dielectric — the insulation around the conductor. The whole conductor is designed as one matched system, not two parts.
This is Cardas's design approach, not settled physics. Cardas says the Clear Beyond takes Matched Propagation further than any other cable they make, with extra attention paid to the braiding stage and the dielectric materials. Every cable in the Clear range uses Matched Propagation, but the Clear Beyond is the most refined version.
Where Does the Clear Beyond Cable Belong in Your System?
The Clear Beyond is built for the most demanding reference-level systems. Cardas calls it completely neutral, with unsurpassed speed and transparency. The cable was designed to bring noticeable improvements in spatial imaging, dynamics, and low-frequency impact while keeping the classic Cardas musicality.
- Good fit: No-compromise reference systems; flagship DACs, streamers, preamps, and amplifiers; acoustically treated rooms; long runs between preamp and power amp where the Clear Beyond's heavier conductor really pays off; systems already wired with Cardas Clear that are ready to step up.
- Not a fit: Systems where the Clear or Clear Reflection already match the gear; rooms with significant acoustic problems (the Clear Beyond's resolution will reveal those problems); listeners who want a warm, forgiving cable.
- Different connector? If your gear uses RCA, see the Cardas Clear Beyond RCA sister page.
- Step down a rung? The Cardas Clear sits below the Clear Beyond and is also reference-grade.
Length: Use the shortest cable that reaches your two pieces of gear, with a little slack. See the length selector above. Need a custom length? Call 800-942-0220.
What About the Clear Beyond Warranty?
Cardas backs the Clear Beyond with a lifetime warranty. The warranty covers shorts, loose plugs, and other defects in the cable. It does not cover normal wear, scratches, or pet damage. Cardas honors the warranty out of their Oregon shop.
If your needs change later, Cardas can re-terminate the cable. They can swap XLRs for RCA adapters, or cut a long pair into two shorter pairs. Pricing varies. Call us at 800-942-0220 or contact Cardas for a quote.
Pairs Well With
Building your system? Here are some natural matches for the Clear Beyond:
- Different connector? See the Cardas Clear Beyond RCA if your gear uses single-ended connections.
- Step down a rung? The Cardas Clear uses the same Matched Propagation design with a 3-conductor triad geometry.
- Matching speaker cable: The Cardas Clear Beyond Speaker Cable is the flagship partner.
- Matching power cable: The Cardas Clear Beyond Power Cable brings the same family to your wall outlet.
- Reference DACs and streamers: Browse our DACs and streamers.
Features & Specifications
Conductor
Cardas Grade 1 Ultra Pure OFHC copper, 99.9999% pure (six nines), in Litz construction with SPN clear coat, built around a Matched Propagation Kevlar core. Strands inside each conductor range from 47 AWG to 39 AWG — even finer than the Clear and the rest of the line.
Geometry
Star-Quad 4-conductor — four conductors in a balanced array. Anti-static LDPE air-tubes bound with carbon-impregnated PTFE tape wrap. Cross-field layer geometry. Gauge sizes scaled to Golden Ratio.
Matched Propagation Conductors
Cardas's patented conductor design (US Patent 7,674,973). The Clear Beyond uses the most advanced version Cardas builds, with extra attention paid to the braiding stage and the dielectric materials.
Air-Tube Suspension
Outer layer uses PTFE air-tubes scaled 1.618 times larger than the core tubes (Golden Ratio applied to the dielectric) to suspend the shield away from the signal-carrying conductors.
Dielectric
Anti-static LDPE air-tubes. Carbon-impregnated PTFE tape. Ultra-thin extruded PTFE jacket around the conductors.
Shielding
Composite shield of tinned copper and magnet wire. Rejects RFI (radio, Wi-Fi, cell signals) and EMI (transformers, motors).
Connectors
Redesigned Cardas CG-XLR balanced connectors — Cardas's own XLR fitting, redesigned for the Clear Beyond's 0.511" cable diameter. The Clear Beyond RCA sister cable uses the Cardas XRCA 13 adapter.
Termination
Hand-soldered with Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder in Bandon, Oregon.
Outside Diameter
0.511" / 12.98 mm — the thickest of any Cardas interconnect.
Jacket
Cardas signature blue alcryn rubber. Flexible despite the cable's thickness.
Available Lengths
Multiple lengths stocked at Audio Advisor. See the length selector above for current SKUs. Need a custom length? Call 800-942-0220.
Warranty
Cardas Audio lifetime warranty against functional defects.
Quick-Reference Specifications
| Conductor | Cardas Grade 1 Ultra Pure OFHC, 99.9999%, ultra-fine Litz, Matched Propagation Kevlar core, Star-Quad 4-conductor (strands 47–39 AWG) |
| Geometry | Star-Quad 4-conductor, Matched Propagation, Golden Ratio strand sizing, Crossfield |
| Dielectric | Anti-static LDPE air-tubes, carbon-impregnated PTFE tape, ultra-thin extruded PTFE jacket |
| Air-Tube Suspension | PTFE outer air-tubes scaled 1.618x core tubes |
| Shielding | Composite shield: tinned copper + magnet wire |
| Connectors | Redesigned Cardas CG-XLR balanced, machined |
| Termination | Hand-soldered with Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder |
| Outside Diameter | 0.511" / 12.98 mm — thickest in the Cardas interconnect line |
| Jacket | Blue alcryn rubber |
| Available Lengths | See length selector above for stocked SKUs |
| Country of Origin | Hand-built in Bandon, Oregon, USA |
| Warranty | Cardas lifetime warranty against functional defects |
Frequently Asked Questions
What components benefit most from an upgraded interconnect?
The link between your source and your amp matters most. That means the cable from a DAC, streamer, or CD player to your preamp or integrated amp. The Clear Beyond is built for reference systems where every other link in the chain is also reference-grade.
Is the XLR Clear Beyond a better cable than the RCA Clear Beyond?
The Clear Beyond is an inherently balanced design with four conductors. On a true balanced (XLR) system, the XLR version uses all four conductors as designed. The RCA version uses Cardas's XRCA 13 adapter for single-ended gear. If both your components support XLR, that's the better fit.
My equipment has both RCA and XLR outputs. Which should I use?
If the run is over 3 feet between your two components, XLR is generally the better pick — it rejects more noise. For short runs on the same shelf, RCA does just as well. Some gear is also "true balanced" only on the XLR side, so XLR may sound better there. Check your manual.
What length do I need?
Cardas built the Clear Beyond for both long and short runs. Use the shortest cable that reaches your two pieces of gear, with a little slack. Most rack systems do well with a 1-meter pair. Round up to the next length we stock.
How does the Clear Beyond compare to the Cardas Clear?
Both use Matched Propagation and Cardas Grade 1 Ultra Pure OFHC copper. The Clear Beyond adds finer Litz strands (47–39 AWG vs Clear's 41–39), a Star-Quad 4-conductor geometry (vs Clear's triad), and a thicker outer diameter for more conductor mass. Cardas calls it a step up in spatial imaging, dynamics, and bass impact.
Can Cardas re-terminate or repair the Clear Beyond later?
Yes. Cardas offers re-termination and repair on their own cables, in their Oregon shop. They can change XLR plugs to RCA adapters, or cut a long pair into shorter ones. Pricing varies. Call us at 800-942-0220 for a quote.
See It in Action
Audio Advisor's video tour of the Cardas factory shows how the Clear Beyond and the rest of the Cardas line are built — the same shop, the same hands, on every cable.
This second Audio Advisor video walks through Cardas cable construction step-by-step — Litz strands, Golden Ratio sizing, Crossfield layering, and hand-soldered terminations.
Professional Reviews
Stereophile — Herb Reichert, Gramophone Dreams #63, May 2023
Stereophile's Herb Reichert described the Clear Beyond as opening up the recording space with a new sense of dark quiet and well-sortedness. He praised its grand spaciousness and abundant detail, calling the cable a substantial upgrade over Cardas's entry-level Iridium.
hi-fi+ — Alan Sircom
hi-fi+'s Alan Sircom described the Clear Beyond as a step up on Cardas's already outstanding Clear, with no sacrifices in performance. He praised its lyricism, precision, and ease of listening, and concluded that the Clear Beyond is very highly recommended.
Positive Feedback — Robert H. Levi, May 2019
Positive Feedback's Robert Levi called the Clear Beyond the very best wire Cardas had ever produced. He praised its neutrality, transparency, speed, and depth, and noted the cable remained flexible and easy to install despite its complex construction.
Quick check before you order — RCA or XLR?
This is the XLR (balanced) version of Cardas Clear Beyond. The internals — conductors, geometry, dielectric, and termination quality — are similar to the RCA version. The difference is the connectors.
RCA and XLR are not interchangeable. Confirm both your source and your destination have matching XLR jacks before ordering. Need the RCA version? See the Cardas Clear Beyond RCA page.
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