Cardas | SKU: NEW-CRCLBEXPC-2.5-20AMP

Cardas Audio Clear Beyond XL Power Cable

Clear Beyond XL is the most sophisticated power cable Cardas makes. It scales up Clear Beyond with bigger conductors, better shielding and improved noise filtering, and adds a ground-path filter that extends the path to ground to three times the length of the cable.

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HiFi+ Editor's Choice (2024)
Positive Feedback Reviewer Praise (2022)
Stereo Times Top Power Cable Pick (2023)

$4,100.00

Amperage

15 Amp 20 Amp

Condition

New

On Backorder. Available in 7 days or less

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Clear Beyond XL Is Cardas's Most Sophisticated Power Cable

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.

To build Clear Beyond XL, Cardas took Clear Beyond and scaled everything up: bigger conductors, better shielding and improved noise filtration, plus an extended ground-path filter designed by George Cardas. It is the top power cable in the Cardas line, available in 15-amp or 20-amp versions.

Scaled-Up Grade 1 Copper Conductors

Clear Beyond XL keeps Clear Beyond's Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen-free tin-plated copper and Golden Ratio gauge scaling, now in a TPE jacket, with each conductor carrying multiple lay lengths and its own individual shield rather than one shield around the bundle.

Cardas calls Clear Beyond XL its most sophisticated power cable, designed to give the largest, most power-hungry amplifiers clean, high-current delivery, while giving sensitive source components the stable, clear, noise-free power they need for the highest fidelity.

A Ground Path Three Times the Cable's Length

Beyond Clear Beyond's double shielding of tin-plated copper and magnet wire, Cardas adds another level of noise filtration to Clear Beyond XL: a toroidal ground filter built into the termination that works with a ground-leg extension system to extend the path to ground to three times the length of the cable itself, a geometry Cardas credits to George Cardas.

It terminates in Cardas's all-new premium E-5 connectors, with silver/rhodium-plated copper contact surfaces, which Cardas says are designed for the most demanding electronics on the market. The connector shell and the ground-path filter are built and tested together, so the shielding and the extended ground path work as one system rather than two separate add-ons.

The Connectors, Explained

Clear Beyond XL is available in a 15-amp or a 20-amp version, both terminating in Cardas's premium E-5 power plug with silver/rhodium-plated contacts, which plugs into the IEC inlet on your amplifier or component, and a standard NEMA 5-15 three-prong plug for the US wall outlet at the wall end. Choose the amperage that matches your component's rating.

What Reviewers Are Saying

HiFi+ named Cardas power cables an Editor's Choice in April 2024, calling the sound "a revelation" after living with them in a reference system.

Positive Feedback's Gregory Petan wrote in June 2022 that Cardas power delivered "open, stratospheric extension" in his listening notes.

Stereo Times's Dave Allison named Cardas power his number-two favorite power cable of the cables he tested in June 2023.

Who Is This Power Cable Best For?

You are powering the most demanding amplifiers in a reference system — Cardas designed Clear Beyond XL to give the largest, most power-hungry amplifiers clean, high-current delivery
You already own a Clear Beyond and want Cardas's ultimate power cable — Clear Beyond XL scales up every part of that design, conductors, shielding and ground-path filtering
Your equipment needs a 20-amp connection rather than the standard 15-amp — Clear Beyond XL is built in both amperages
You read the reviews above and want Cardas's most complete implementation of that sound — HiFi+, Positive Feedback and Stereo Times reviewed Cardas power cables in this reference tier
Your component draws light, steady current and a lower Cardas tier already covers it — Cardas Clear Beyond delivers the same E-5 termination and hand-terminated build at a lower price

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Plug the E-5 end into the IEC inlet on the back of your amplifier or component, matching the 15-amp or 20-amp version to your component's rating, 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

What does the extended ground path do?

Cardas built a toroidal ground filter into the termination that works with a ground-leg extension system to stretch the path to ground to three times the cable's own length, a geometry the company credits to George Cardas for its added noise filtration.

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.

Should I choose the 15-amp or 20-amp version?

Match it to your component's power inlet and its rated draw. A 20-amp C19-style inlet is typical on larger power amplifiers and conditioners; most integrated amps, DACs and preamps use the standard 15-amp connection. Check your component's rear panel or manual before ordering.

Is there a step up?

Not in the Cardas power cable line we carry. Clear Beyond XL is the top of that range. If you want to go further, call us and we will talk through the whole chain.

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Learn More

Want to learn more about power cables, AC filtration, or system setup? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.

Features

Three 9 AWG conductors of Cardas Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen-free tin-plated copper, with gauge sizes scaled to Golden Ratio proportions in a Cross-field layer geometry
Each conductor has multiple lay lengths and its own shield, and the whole cable is double shielded with tin-plated copper and magnet wire
Twisted triad mixed with PVC air tubes bound with FEP tape, in a TPE conductor jacket under a super-flexible TPR outer jacket
A toroidal ground filter built into the termination works with a ground-leg extension system that extends the path to ground to three times the length of the cable
Cardas E-5 premium power plugs with silver/rhodium plated solid copper contacts, soldered and crimped
Made for the largest, most power-hungry amplifiers, and for sensitive source components that need stable, noise-free power
Terminated by hand in Bandon, Oregon

Specifications

Type: AC power cable
Conductors: Cardas Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen-free tin-plated copper
Gauge: 3 x 9 AWG
Geometry: Twisted triad mixed with PVC air tubes, bound with FEP tape
Shield: Individual shield on each conductor, plus double shield of tin-plated copper and magnet wire over the cable
Filtration: Toroidal ground filter in the termination, with ground-leg extension system
Conductor Jacket: TPE
Outer Jacket: Super-flexible TPR
Outside Diameter: 18.17 mm (0.715 in)
Termination: Cardas E-5 power plugs, silver/rhodium plated solid copper contacts
Made In: Bandon, Oregon, USA

"The Clear Beyond performed as its name implies. From the upper mid-band on up, there is an open, stratospheric extension laden with effortless detail rendition, micro transient crispness, and space. With time, the rest of the spectrum catches up to that exalted level and becomes very linear bottom to top."

"When fully burned in, the Clear Beyond is of one sonic piece. Nothing sounds out of place or varying in character from one frequency range to another. The mid-range was a perfect bridge from the treble to the bass. Open, clean as a whistle, and fast as a jackrabbit. Vocals breathe beautifully rising and falling dynamically with great ease, and loaded with delicate inflection. Of course this applies to instrumentals as well. This wire allows for a very expressive, temporal, and rhythmic presentation, with a very high swing level. As a result, the musical engagement is very high."

"So transparent is the Clear Beyond, it is the perfect interface for those who want as little between their components as possible."

"In conjunction with the Clear Beyond's neutrality and the fire hose full of information that it flushes through the system, it also manages to maintain a dose of that Cardas magic that those who are familiar with the brand, have so valued over the years. This may seem to contradict all the above talk of neutrality, implying there is a "sound" related to the Clear Beyond. On an absolute level, that would have to be true. But this is one of those times where I gladly accept the paradox of neutrality and implicit "magic" while sitting back, throwing on some beloved music, and counting my blessing."

- Gregory Petan, Positive Feedback Issue 19, June 24, 2022

"The Cardas Audio Clear Beyond Power XL is an all-around winner. While it performs like an ultimate power cord in all the ways one would expect with its pedigree, it enhances realism bringing textural musical nuances to life. It does this at every frequency, with every instrument, vocals, drums, and ambiance. Everything becomes a performance, not just a recording. An unabashed breakthrough in power cord design, you absolutely must listen to it in your audiophile system. The better the system, the better the Cardas XL Power Cord will perform. Just wait until you hear what the XL does in your digital setup!"

- Robert H. Levi, positive-feedback.com, February 13, 2019

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Cardas Audio Clear Beyond XL Power Cable

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