Pangea Audio Premier SE True Balanced™ Interconnect XLR to XLR, Various Lengths

The Premier SE Brings Air-Tube Insulation to a Balanced Cable

Pangea Audio's Premier SE True Balanced uses Cardas Grade One copper for every audio conductor, not only the signal line. Jay Victor wrapped the signal and return conductors in PE air tubes. Pangea says that insulation had been limited to far costlier cables until manufacturing improved. It is a three-conductor balanced cable with three layers of shielding.

Why Air Tubes Are Hard to Make

An air tube is polyethylene extruded as a hollow sleeve, so the conductor sits mostly in air rather than plastic. The tube has to be processed slowly or it collapses during manufacture. Air stores very little charge. That is why cable designers chase it, and why Pangea took on the slower process.

Three Shields and a Rubber Jacket

Three layers of shielding wrap the conductors: a silver-plated copper braid, an aluminum and Mylar foil, and a carbon-filled PE layer. Pangea added the carbon layer as one more barrier to noise without stiffening the cable. The jacket is thermoplastic rubber, not PVC, and Pangea says it stays soft and pliable.

The Prime 500 XLR Plug, Explained

The Premier SE ends in Pangea's Prime 500 XLR plug, also sold as the XLR 500. The pins are one-piece solid metal, gold plated, set in advanced polymer insulators. The machined metal cover is black chrome, a baked-on finish Pangea chose because it resists chipping. A spring latch locks the plug into the jack. Every plug is soldered by hand.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You want air-tube insulation in a balanced cable — both the signal and return conductors sit in PE air tubes, so the insulation is no longer the compromise
• Your gear shares a shelf with power supplies — braid, foil and a carbon-filled layer keep what the rack radiates off the signal
• You route cable through a cabinet — the rubber jacket bends without fighting back, so tight turns do not strain the jacks
• You want a plug that locks — the Prime 500's spring latch clicks into the jack and holds until you press it
• Your components have only RCA jacks — the Premier SE is XLR at both ends and will not fit an RCA jack. Choose from our Interconnects with RCAs instead, or call us and we will match the connector

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the Premier SE from a balanced XLR output on your DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage to a balanced XLR input on your preamp or amplifier. Keep left to left and right to right. Line up the pins and push until the latch clicks. Press the latch tab to release the plug.

Then 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.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Prime 500 XLR?

Pangea's own XLR plug, also written XLR 500. It has gold-plated one-piece solid pins, a machined metal cover in black chrome, polymer insulators and a spring-type locking mechanism. Pangea solders it to the cable by hand.

What is air-tube insulation?

Polyethylene extruded as a hollow tube, so the conductor rests mostly in air rather than plastic. It has to be made slowly or it collapses. Both the signal and the return conductors get it here.

Which components does it connect?

Any line-level source with XLR outputs, a DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage, to a preamp or amplifier with XLR inputs. Both ends must have XLR jacks.

Is there a step up from the Premier SE?

Cardas Parsec XLR is the next step we recommend. It keeps Cardas Grade One copper and adds a Kevlar core in each conductor and polyethylene air-tube insulation.

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