Cardas Audio Clear Headphone Cable for HiFi Man Headphones

Clear Headphone Cable, Built for Single-Ended HiFiMan

A headphone cable must physically match both ends of the chain: the connector on your headphones and the connector on your amplifier or DAC. Getting either wrong means the cable simply will not plug in, which is why the fit matters as much as the build quality.

Cardas Clear Headphone Cable is built for HiFiMan headphones with single-ended earcup sockets, terminating in a Cardas 1/4" (6.35mm) stereo male plug at the amplifier end and HiFiMan's single-ended connector at the headphone end.

Grade 1, 99.9999% Pure Oxygen-Free Copper

Cardas builds Clear Headphone Cable around a dual mono run, two completely isolated cables for left and right, the same approach used in its speaker cables. The conductors are Matched Propagation Kevlar-core Litz wire, Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen-free copper with SPN clear coat, gauge sizes scaled to Golden Ratio proportions, insulated in an FEP tape-wrapped jacket.

Dual Mono Geometry With a Suspended Shield

Cardas suspends a composite shield of 42 AWG tinned copper and magnet wire away from the signal conductors, carried on oversized PTFE air-tubes, then finishes the cable in an ultra-soft extruded TPR jacket. The gauge runs 8x26.5 AWG for an outside diameter of 0.170 inches, or 4.31mm.

The Connectors, Explained

This cable terminates in a Cardas 1/4" (6.35mm) stereo male plug at the amplifier end, and in HiFiMan's single-ended earcup connector at the headphone end. Check your HiFiMan model's earcup socket before ordering, since HiFiMan also sells dual 2.5mm-socket models that this cable does not fit.

Who Is This Headphone Cable Best For?

• Your HiFiMan headphones use single-ended earcup sockets — this cable is built for that connector, not the dual 2.5mm socket some HiFiMan models use instead
• Your amplifier or DAC has a standard 1/4" headphone output — the amp end is a Cardas 1/4" stereo male plug, the most common headphone jack size
• You want Cardas's dual mono construction, the same approach used in its speaker cables — Clear Headphone Cable scales that design down specifically for headphones
• You are replacing a stock or worn cable on a reference-level planar headphone — Clear Headphone Cable is Cardas's dual-mono flagship replacement line, not its entry tier
• Your HiFiMan model uses dual 2.5mm earcup sockets instead — the 2.5mm-connector version of this cable is built for that socket type; check your earcups before ordering

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Plug the Cardas 1/4" (6.35mm) stereo male plug end into the headphone output on your amplifier or DAC, and the other end into your HiFiMan headphones' single-ended earcup sockets.

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

Pairs Well With

A headphone cable is one link between your headphones and an amplifier or DAC. It usually joins these categories.

• Headphone Amplifiers — the amp end of this cable plugs directly into one
• Headphones — the cable only helps once it's matched to the right pair
• Digital-to-Analog Converters — many desktop DACs include a headphone output this cable can feed
• Headphone Accessories — stands, cases and other gear for the same headphone this cable serves

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the amp-end plug made of?

Cardas machines its own GRQ-series 1/4" plug from eutectic brass and plates it rhodium over silver, a non-magnetic combination Cardas says keeps the contact clean for years. The cable itself carries a Cardas lifetime warranty against bad or intermittent internal connections, shorts, and loose connectors.

What happens if I order the wrong connector for my headphones?

It simply won't plug in. Headphone connectors aren't interchangeable the way many amplifier connectors are, so check your headphones' own connector, and the amp-end plug your amplifier or DAC uses, before ordering.

How do I know if my HiFiMan headphones are single-ended or dual 2.5mm?

Check the sockets on the earcups themselves. Models like the base HE1000 V2, Edition X V2 and HE560 use a single-ended socket; the original HE1000, Edition X and Susvara can use either single-ended or dual 2.5mm versions depending on which cable shipped with them. Check the plugs on your existing cable before ordering.

Is the amp-end plug balanced or single-ended?

Single-ended. The amp end is a standard Cardas 1/4" (6.35mm) stereo male plug, not a balanced XLR plug.

What does dual mono construction mean here?

Cardas runs two completely isolated cables, one for the left channel and one for the right, rather than sharing a single jacketed cable for both. It's the same geometry Cardas uses in its speaker cables, scaled down for headphone use.

Is there a step up?

the 2.5mm-connector version of this cable is the fit for HiFiMan's dual 2.5mm-socket models, not a step up in build, just a different connector on the same Clear Headphone Cable construction.

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Learn More

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