Cardas Audio Clear Reflection Power Cable

Clear Reflection Brings Litz Conductors and E-5 Connectors

A power cable carries the last few feet of AC from the wall into a component. It can't add power a component doesn't draw, but a poorly shielded one lets noise ride in on that current.

Cardas's Clear Reflection carries three 11.5 AWG litz conductors, double shielding, and the company's premium Cardas E-5 connectors. Cardas says it brings modern conductor technology to a classic power cable design, and calls it a phenomenal value.

Three 11.5 AWG Cardas Litz Conductors

Cardas specifies three 11.5 AWG litz conductors for Clear Reflection, insulated in a PFA jacket with PE air tubes and PTFE tape spacing the geometry. Litz construction, many fine strands individually insulated and woven together, is built to reduce the skin-effect losses that a single heavy conductor suffers at higher frequencies.

Double Shielding, Cardas E-5 Connectors

The cable is double shielded to keep radio-frequency and electromagnetic noise off the conductors, and terminates in Cardas's E-5 connector, the same premium connector family the company carries through its higher power lines. The gauge runs 3x11.5 AWG for an outside diameter of 0.610 inches, or 15.49mm.

The Connectors, Explained

Clear Reflection terminates in a Cardas E-5 power plug at the component end, which plugs into the IEC inlet on your amplifier, DAC or other component, and a standard NEMA 5-15 three-prong plug for the US wall outlet at the wall end.

Who Is This Power Cable Best For?

• You already own a Parsec and want Cardas's premium E-5 connector — Clear Reflection carries it, as do the Clear Beyond cables above it
• You want heavier conductors than Parsec's — Clear Reflection's three 11.5 AWG litz conductors are thicker than Parsec's 14 AWG
• You are feeding an amplifier or a component with real current demands — the larger 0.610-inch gauge gives Clear Reflection more headroom than Parsec
• You value a double-shielded, litz-conductor build in the middle of the Cardas range — that is exactly the tier Clear Reflection occupies
• Your component draws light, steady current and Parsec already covers it — Cardas Parsec is the lower-priced cable one rung down

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Plug the E-5 end into the IEC inlet on the back of your amplifier, DAC or other component, and the male end into a wall outlet or power conditioner outlet.

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

Pairs Well With

A power cable is one link in the chain from the wall to your gear. It usually joins these categories.

• Power Conditioners — filter the whole circuit; the cable feeds the last few feet after it
• Integrated Amplifiers — the high-current load most power cables are built to feed
• Stereo Amplifiers — another high-current destination for the heavier gauges in this range
• Digital-to-Analog Converters — a low-current source component that still benefits from clean, quiet AC

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does shielding matter on an AC cable?

Cardas builds its power cables to keep radio-frequency and electromagnetic noise from riding in on the AC line and reaching sensitive circuits. A ground wire without that shielding can act like an antenna, pulling in exactly the noise a power cable is supposed to keep out.

Do power cables wear out?

Every metal conductor oxidizes over time; it is unavoidable chemistry, not a defect. What varies is the rate. Denser, better-shielded conductors with quality plating oxidize far more slowly, so a well-made cable performs the same way for years instead of drifting.

Will this affect my system's ground safety?

No change to your safety ground. Every cable in this line keeps the full three-conductor path, hot, neutral and ground, exactly as building code requires. What differs from a stock cord is conductor quality and shielding, not the wiring topology.

Is there a step up?

Cardas Clear is the next rung. Cardas describes it as born from its Golden Reference Power line, with additional filtering that increases dynamics.

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