Can't find what you're looking for? Perhaps this page will explain why, or help you find it. Add to cart, thrink tubing, silver cables, HDMI, subwoofer cables, REL cables, etc.. Why Can't I Find...? Things you won't find on this site, and why. Sometimes we hear from people telling us that they're unable to find something that they're looking for on our website. It may be because they're looking in the wrong place. Or it may be because we don't have it. Or sell it. Or do it. This page lists the things some people are looking for on our site, but that they'll never ever find. Like, ever. If you're looking for discontinued and out-of-production products, please click here . An "Add to cart" button, a shopping cart, a buy now button, etc. This is not an e-commerce site . This is an informational site, with details about our products, links to contact us for more information, and a list of all of our dealers (physical & online) and distributors. We don't sell directly on this site, or otherwise. Please click here for our dealer list. Heat shrink We use heat shrink tubing on most of our cables, however we buy it at retail, and so should you. You don't want to buy it from us. N or can you. H eat shrink with the Cardas logo We understand that some people re-terminate their own cables, and would like to retain the factory look by applying heat shrink featuring the Cardas logo. However, we reserve this printed heat shrink for ourselves, to indicate that the re-termination or repair was performed at our factory, thus retaining the lifetime warranty. There are some online retailers, notably on less than scrupulous websites, offering what appears to be our logo'd shrink tubing. But it's counterfeit. Don't buy it. If you do your own repair or re-termination on a Cardas cable, own it. Be proud of your work. Don't pretend we did it. N eutrik XLRs, Furutech power connectors, and other non-Cardas brand connectors. As with heat-shrink, we buy these parts at retail, and so should you. Headphone connectors for HiFiMan, Dan Clark Audio, Audeze, Focal, etc. With the exception of Sennheiser HD800 & HD600/650 plugs, we don't make our own headphone connectors. If we don't make a connector, and have to buy it from another parts suppliers, we don't re-sell them. Bulk power cable, un-terminated power cables, or partially terminated power cables. The liability is just too high. A n incorrectly wired DIY speaker or interconnect cable will, at worst blow an amp, or at best, just not work. But an improperly wired power cable... we don't want to even think about it. A power, speaker, interconnect, or digital cable, that uses silver conductors. We produce extremely high quality silver wire, and it is used extensively in the audio industry. However, we do not use it ourselves. All of our cables use copper conductors. Why? In our experience, a well designed copper cable (such as a Cardas cable) will outperform (ie, sound better) than a silver cable. And cost a fraction of the price. Grounding posts / Ground posts We used to produce a grounding post. It was basically a small binding post. However sales were slow , and we realized that most manufacturers were simply buying our standard speaker binding posts to use as grounding posts. So we decided to discontinue the grounding post. For a list of our standard biding posts , click here. Inform ation about re-terminating or servicing my own cables. Nearly 100% of Cardas cables that people attempt to re-terminate or repair themselves end up here anyway. Just send it to us. We're better at it than you. Get a Return Authorization number at the link at the top of this page . The Cardas Room Setup & Speaker Placement Guide, and speaker placement calculators. Click here . Card as HDMI cables . We no longer offer a Cardas HDMI cable. Audio is our expertise, and we focus on that. Subwoofer cables Most subwoofers are connected with an interconnect. Some take a high-level speaker connection. There are a variety of Cardas cables that can be used in this application. Our cables most commonly used with subwoofers are Crosslink , Iridium , and Parsec . If you need help selecting a subwoofer cable for your system, please click here , or contact tech support . REL Subwoofer Cables We make cables for REL subs all the time. Any of our Phono cables can be configured for use w ith a REL su bwoofer. Speaker Pins We used to make a speaker pin, called the CNDP. A speaker pin is basically a solder cup attached to a silver/rhodium plated brass pin. Demand for speaker pins did not justify reproducing them when inventory ran low, so we discontinued the part. If you are a manufacturer in need of at least 2000 Cardas speaker pins, please contact us about producing a batch all for you. If you're an audiophile in need of fewer than 2000 speaker pins, we suggest that you consider the Audioquest BP10 Pin . Gold plated connectors We make cables for REL subs all the time. The current cable brochure:

Start Lean A Free Webinar on How to Unleash Your Inner Entrepreneur. Save My Spot Presented by Tamala Francis, Founder & CEO at Francis & Co. Introduce the webinar hosts by highlighting their career background or professional history. Just click “Edit Text” or double click the Text Box to add your own content. Save My Spot In this webinar we will cover Digital Marketing Funnel You can easily add your own content to this paragraph. Click on “Edit Text” or double click the Text Box to make it your own. Your Social Media Presence You can easily add your own content to this paragraph. Click on “Edit Text” or double click the Text Box to make it your own. Practical Branding Strategies You can easily add your own content to this paragraph. Click on “Edit Text” or double click the Text Box to make it your own. I want to join the webinar, Sign me up! First Name Last Name Email Message Submit Thanks for submitting!

Headphone connectors, such as HD600 HD650 plugs, HD800 plugs, 1/4" or 6.35mm plugs. Make your own headphone cable using Cardas connectors,. Headphone Connnectors 1/4" (6.35mm) TRS HD600/650 Plugs Where To Buy HD800 Plugs Bulk DIY Headphone Cable Back To Parts List How To Use Cardas Connectors HD800 Connectors H800 High quality connector for Sennheiser HD800 series headphones. Sold in sets of two. Base metal: Brass Plating: Gold plate Termination: Solder This part requires solder. Click here to learn about Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder & Cardas Rosin Flux. Click here for our soldering how-to videos. Part Number: P30.13 HD600 HD600 / HD650 Plugs Description: Cardas HPSC connectors offer a perfect fit for Sennheiser HD600/650 replacement cables. Molded in red and black, these connectors feature easy access for soldering and built-in strain relief. Sold in pairs one color each. Should also fit HD265, 525, 535, 545, 565, 565II, 580. Sold in sets of two. Base metal: High copper content, non-magnetic brass. Plating: Silver/rhodium Termination: Solder This part requires solder. Click here to learn about Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder & Cardas Rosin Flux. Click here for our soldering how-to videos. Part number: P39.17

The heaviest duty power strip on the market. The only one without any circuit boards or current limiting components. Pure power delivery. Featuring the Cardas 4818US and 4181EU power connectors. Nautilus Power Strip No Compromise Approach To Power Distribution US Nautilus Euro Nautilus Ground Wires for Nautilus Where To Buy US Nautilus Power Strip US Nautilus The Nautilus is the Cardas approach to pure power distribution. Its elegant design is centered around premium, custom designed connectors. Point-to-Point wiring with heavy gauge, Ultra Pure solid core copper conductors. Passive RFI/EMI protection on every outlet, the same filters found on our flagship power cables. 3D printed wire guides ensure the uniformity of each coil. Capable of delivering clean, high current to all six outlets. An attractive case echoes design features from the original Cardas Golden 6A power strip. This power strip is perfect for anyone who wants their entire system connected to one high quality device. Standard Terminations: Standard 15 amp IEC inlet and Cardas 4181US premium power outlets. A 20 amp IEC is also available. Assembled by hand in Bandon, Oregon. Conductors: Solid core Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen free copper insulated with extruded PVC. Ground conductor is Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen free cop- per, gauge sizes scaled to Golden Ratio proportions. Cross-field layer geometry, insulated in a PFA jacket. Chassis: Antiresonant extruded aluminum body with copper plated brass end caps. 1 kilogram copper earth plate. Dimensions: 15.75”x4.25”x2.5” Weight: 7.65 lbs. Internal wiring of Nautilus US Nautilus, 15 amp IEC Cardas 4181US outlet Internal wiring of Nautilus 1/5 Euro Nautilus Power Strip EU Nautilus Standard Terminations: Standard 15 amp IEC inlet and Cardas 4181EU premium power outlets. Assembled by hand in Bandon, Oregon. Also available with 20 amp IEC. Conductors: Solid core Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen free copper insulated with extruded PVC. Ground conductor is Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen free cop- per, gauge sizes scaled to Golden Ratio proportions. Cross-field layer geometry, insulated in a PFA jacket. Chassis: Antiresonant extruded aluminum body with copper plated brass end caps. 1 kilogram copper earth plate. Dimensions: 476.25mm x 105.25mm x 76.70mm Weight: 3.46 kg EU Nautilus internal EU Nautilus internal 4181EU connector EU Nautilus internal 1/4 Ground Wire Cardas Ground Wire Grounding issues between components leads to noise and hum. A central grounding point eliminates these problems, leading to greater dynamics, im- proved spatial imaging, and a lowering of the noise floor - especially in environ- ments with an excess of radio frequency and electromagnetic interference. Cardas 17.5 AWG multi-stranded Litz conductor Ground Wires are ideal for use with the Cardas Nautilus Power Strip. A Cardas CAB Banana connects to the 4mm jack next to the IEC on the Nautilus. Several Cardas Ground Wires can be attached to the CAB Banana, and from there, to unused line-level connectors on your equipment (ie, an RCA or XLR jack). In addition, some audio equipment has ground points to which a spade can be attached. Every sound system is unique, and Cardas Ground Wires can be purchased individually, or in sets. Any length is available, and Cardas Ground Wires are available with nearly any possible connector, allowing you to create a custom loom for grounding your system. Standard Termination: Spade, Banana, XLR, RCA. Terminations will depend on your equipment’s available connection points and the central grounding point that you’re using. To use the Nautilus Power Strip as your central ground point we suggest a Cardas CAB to which a single banana and up to three spades can be attached. Cardas Ground Wires are compatible with other makes of ground boxes that use spade or banana connectors. Refer to the manufactures of your equipment if you have any question on how to properly attached a ground point. Design/Construction: Conductors: Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen free copper with SPN clear coat (Litz), gauge sizes scaled to Golden Ratio proportions. Cross-field layer geometry, insulated in a clear PVC jacket. Gauge: 1x17.5 AWG Outside Diameter: 0.173”/4.40mm Ground Wires on Nautilus Some of the Ground Wire termination options 3 Ground Wires on a CAB banana Ground Wires on Nautilus 1/4

Cardas EM5813 and A8 Ear Speakers. Ear Speakers EM5813 & A8 Ear Speakers A8 Ear Speakers EM5813 Ear Speakers Where To Buy A8 A8 Ear Speakers The A8 Ear Speakers feature a 10.85mm Ultra Linear, Contour Field, Dual Magnet Driver - producing brilliant highs and deep bass - but most importantly, it sounds musical. The black chrome body incorporates a Golden Spiral curve, as with the EM5813. The lightweight, flexible cable has separate conductors for each channel and is now a continuous solid run from source to speaker. Available with balanced or custom configurations. Comes terminated with 3.5mm TRS standard. EM5813 EM5813 Ear Speakers Cardas Ear Speakers are efficient, natural, musical, and are the result of years of meticulous design by George Cardas. Components of the EM5813 were manufactured in Oregon, California, and The People’s Republic of China. Custom alloys were sourced from Italy, Germany and the US, magnets from China, and thin film from Japan. The EM5813 can be ordered with - or reterminated with - balanced connections.

When George Cardas developed the Clear interconnect cable, he realized there were no XLR connectors on the market that matched the performance potential of the cable. So he designed the Cardas CG XLR. Machined from high purity brass, with contact surfaces plated with silver and rhodium. The chassis mount version soon followed. XLR Connectors Cable Mount Where To Buy Chassis Mount Back To Parts List How To Use Cardas Connectors CGXLR CG XLR Reference level cable mount 3 pin XLR. Three piece threaded design with solder pins. Fourth solder pin connects to XLR body. Red or black O-ring channel indicator included. Fits cable up to 11mm OD. Base metal: High copper content, non-magnetic brass. Plating: Silver/rhodium Termination: Solder cups Cable opening: 11mm/0.433” This part requires solder. Click here to learn about Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder & Cardas Rosin Flux. Click here for our soldering how-to videos. Part numbers: P37.3 for CG F XLR (Female) P37.4 for CG M XLR (Male) CG XLR for gallery CG XLR for gallery 1/1 CMXLR CM XLR Reference level chassis mount 3 pin XLR. Two piece design with set screw. Convertible from PCB to solderable. Fourth solder pin connects to XLR body. Gold plated mounting cup. Base metal: High copper content, non-magnetic brass. Contact Surface: Silver/rhodium Termination: Solder cups or PCB This part requires solder. Click here to learn about Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder & Cardas Rosin Flux. Click here for our soldering how-to videos. Part numbers: P37.2 for CM F XLR (Female) P37.1 for CM M XLR (Male) cm_xlr_drawing CM XLR parts cm_xlr_drawing 1/2 CE XLR All new Cardas economy XLR. Now standard XLR termination on Crosslink , Iridium , Parsec , Sky , and Cygnus interconnect. Base metal: High copper content, non-magnetic brass. Contact Surface: Silver Termination: Solder This part requires solder. Click here to learn about Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder & Cardas Rosin Flux. Click here for our soldering how-to videos. CE XLR

Frequently asked questions about Cardas products. Are spades better than bananas? Is XLR better than RCA? Does cable length matter? Do we make custom cables? Why do we use rhodium over silver plating? How long do Cardas cables last? What kind of copper does Cardas use? All of these & more are addressed. Frequently Asked Questions We field questions over the phone and via email all day long. This page contains an amalgam of some of the questions we get. Spades vs Bananas ? Spades provide a superior electrical & physical connection. Bananas making changing cables easier. And some plastic-encased binding posts make using spades difficult to impossible. Bananas wear out, especially when they’re plugged & unplugged a lot. Spades basically last forever. Bananas may be preferable to HiFi dealers, as they make cable comparison demos easier. End-users are better off using spades whenever possible. RCA vs XL R? If you’re connecting two components that both have both choices, go with XLR. It can be sonically advantageous sometimes , and rarely if ever detrimental. If you're connecting components in which one has RCA only, and the other has both XLR and RCA, use RCA. Don't use an adapter just so you can take advantage of the XLR jacks on one piece of gear. You can only get the (possible) benefits of a balanced (XLR) output with a pure XLR to XLR connection. What does single-wire, bi-wire, and shotgun bi-wire mean? These are all speaker-cable terms. A single wire speaker cable has a positive & negative connector (spade or banana) on each end of the cable. A bi-wire speaker cable has a positive & negative connector on the amp-end, and on the speaker end, two positives, and two negatives. One set goes to the low-frequency binding posts on the speaker, and the other pair goes to the high-frequency posts. A shotgun bi-wire is actually two cables, which are joined on the amp end. So that you have entirely separate speaker cables going to the lows and highs on the speaker. I've heard the above terms used differently. So have we. But if you're inquiring about Cardas speaker cables, that's how we use the terms. Do you make custom cables? In short, yes. But that can mean many different things. In order of the simplest meaning, to the most complicated: 1. An unusually terminated cable can be considered custom. Such as an interconnect that goes from XLR to RCA. Or a power cable that uses a Neutrik Speakon connector instead of a typical wall plug. 2. A cable for a very specific application, such as a power umbilical that goes from an outboard power supply to a tube-preamp, using proprietary multi-pin connectors, and a bulk cable that we already make. 3. A cable of your own design, using Cardas copper, manufactured by Cardas to your specifications, with a minimum order of 2000 feet. All of these are possible. Just let us know what you need. Contact Brian Von Bork at 541-347-2484 to discuss. Should I go with l ong speaker cables, or long interconnects? If you have the option, go with long interconnects instead of long speaker cables. Interconnects cost less per foot (or per meter, if you're in the civilized world). And a really long interconnect will affect system performance less than a really long speaker cable. But sometimes you don't have the option, and you just gotta go with a long speaker cable. And that's fine. Do some cables need to be a specific, or minimum length? Some people argue that power and/or digital cables need to be a specific length, or a minimum length. We've read the forums in which these arguments are put forth. We're unpersuaded. The perfect length for any cable is long enough to comfortably span between components, but not so long that you buy more cable than you need. NOTE: Be caution about buying a cable that's just long enough. A cable that's just long enough usually turns out to be just not long enough. Does a pair of cables need to be the same length? Ideally, yes. We will make you an uneven pair if you want it, but you're always better off - in terms of sonic performance - with a matched pair. We strongly recommend avoiding wildly disparate lengths, such as a 1-meter left channel cable, and a 5-meter right channel cable. We'll do it, but we don't think it's a good idea. And if the length difference is minor, just get the matched length pair. Can I buy just a single cable, such as a single interconnect or speaker c able. Yes. But my d ealer says you only sell interconnects & speaker cables in pairs. They're wrong. Our price book does only list typically paired cables, such as speaker & interconnect cables, as pairs. But we'll gladly sell you a single interconnect or speaker cable. I can't find the cable I want , or the specific length or termination I want on my dealer's website. We offer more options than any dealer can be expected to show, or have in stock. If your online dealer's site doesn't show a particular option, you'll probably have to call or email them. All Cardas cable dealers have access to our entire product line. The fancy boutique HiFi shop in the rich part of town that sells Clear Beyond Speaker cable can order a Cardas female RCA jack for you. The online dealer that only shows standard lengths & terminations on their website can also get you an unusual length & termination. What is the capacitance (o r inductance, resistance, etc.) per foot of a specific cable? Contact us by email with the model of cable you're curious about, and the length you need to know the measurement for. We'll measure a cable of that length here at the shop, and let you know. How do measurements (capacitance, etc.) affect a cable’s sound? Minimally, if at all. There are a variety of values that can be measured using a multi-meter, an oscilloscope, and various other devices. But none of them will tell you anything about how the cable is going to sound. And a lot of the conventional wisdom touted on audio forums is inaccurate - we know, you’re shocked 😂. There are neutral, extremely accurate cables with high capacitance values. There are cables that measure nearly identically, and sound nothing alike. Our most accurate interconnect, Clear Beyond , has twice the capacitance of our second most accurate interconnect. We’re happy to provide measurements if you're curious. But understand that buying a cable based on capacitance (or any other value) is like choosing a meal at a restaurant based on weight. A steak and a salad can weigh the same. Weight alone tells you nothing about what you'll get. And there is no way to measure or quantify the taste of food. Why are your cables blue ? My wife says it clashes with the decor and won't let me have them in the house. That sounds controlling and manipulative. Blink three times if you need help. Can I mi x & match within the Cardas product lines? Yes. You can use a Clear Sky speaker cable with Parsec or Clear Cygnus interconnects, and a Clear Beyond power cable. Or whatever. People do that all the time. There is no need to stay within a specific product line. Can I use a Cardas cable in a system that already has non-Cardas cables. Such as a Cardas speaker cable with (other brand) interconnects. Of course. Our cables play well with each other, and with other brands. As a general rule, If it sounds good and nothing breaks, go with it. How does a Cardas cable compare to another brand's cable? That's really a question for your dealer. When posed with such a question, we're faced with a quandary. Do we go for the low hanging fruit, and tell you that obviously our cable is better? Or do we decline to answer? There are a lot of other cables out there. We haven't tried them all. We're kinda focused on our own thing. It would be like asking the Beatles if their music was better than The Rolling Stones. Asking BMW if they make better cars than Mercedes. Asking Rolex if they make better watches than Omega. The answer you get will tell you more about the graciousness of the answerer than anything else. And we're obviously biased. We think there are a lot of good reasons to buy a Cardas cable. Sound being the main one. But there are many other reasons, which you can read about all over this site. When we have compared our cables to other brands, we've never felt that ours lost the shootout. And that's all we'll say on the matter. What is meant by "musicality"? For us, musicality is a spectrum that spans from "barely listenable" to "I can't stop listening". As an example of the former, your smart phone has speakers. You can pull up Spotify, and play a low bitrate MP3 of your favorite song on your phone's speakers. You'll recognize the song. But will it move you? Will you feel it? If you're into high performance audio, the answer is "no". Because the tiny speakers built into your phone aren't capable of sounding musical. On the other hand, a decent stereo system, properly set up in the room, playing your favorite song from a high quality digital file or an analog source will move you. You'll connect with it. You'll feel it. You'll experience the emotional message contained within. You might even tap your feet, or get up and dance. You might shed a tear. This is because a nice stereo system is musical. That's what we mean by "musical" and "musicality". And the right cables - Cardas or otherwise - will improve upon the musicality of a system. What will I experience with Cardas (or any decent) cables? A good cable will not fix a bad system. And never build a system based on the cables. Work the other way around. Curate the best gear you can. Set it up properly . And then chose the appropriate cables for the system, based on the gear you have, and considering that gear's strengths and shortcomings - as well as the room in which it is placed. A good cable, like the rest of the components, makes the system sound better. You'll get deeper, tighter bass. Stronger mid-range. More high frequency extension without harshness. Spatial imaging - the sense that the music extends beyond the speakers - improves. A bad cable will make the system sound thin and brittle. Bass is muddy. The midrange is lifeless. The high frequencies are either lacking, or overly accentuated and unpleasant. Your wife tells you that something doesn't sound right. Because she has better hearing than you. #truth. Unless you are the wife. In which case, did you realize your husband doesn't have the same ability to hear high frequencies as you? W hy are all of your con nectors plated with rhodium over silver? This is a tried and true plating method that results in a beautiful finish that is durable, highly conductive, and sounds great in audio applications. There are thousands of Cardas connectors plated this way going back over 35 years, that still sound & look as good as new today. Bare copper is a great contact material, but is oxidizes quickly. And copper oxide is not a good conductor. We do sell some bare copper parts, but we generally suggest plated parts unless you enjoy spending quality time with steel wool on a regular basis. Gold plated parts seem like a great idea. Unfortunately, the vast majority of gold plated parts (like 99.9999% of them) have a magnetic nickel under-plate, to add shine to the gold, and to prevent the base metal from leeching through the gold plate. This results in a connector that is inferior to both rhodium/silver and bare copper. A true hard/thick gold plate, without nickel underneath, is extremely expensive - we just received a quote for pure/thick gold plate on some parts and it was $900 per connector. NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH. **OUR COST**. So yeah, your gold plated connectors have nickel underneath, and that's not so great. Did we mention that we suggest rhodium over silver? What kind of copper is in Cardas Cables. We use our own Cardas Copper, produced using our own proprietary method developed by George Cardas over 35 years ago. Crosslink & 101 speaker use Cardas Grade 2 copper. All of our other cables use Cardas Ultra Pure Grade 1. Many other high-end manufacturers, and scientists at laboratories around the world also use Ultra Pure Cardas Grade 1 for its superior electrical and thermal conductivity. Read more about Cardas Copper here. Is Cardas copper Oxy gen free (OFHC)? We're pretty sure all copper in the audio industry is OFHC. There was a time when Oxygen free copper was cutting edge, but now it's all OFHC. The $20 interconnects at Best Buy are probably OFHC. Seeking out OFHC copper cables is like seeking out a car that's been NHTSA certified, or meat that's USDA certified. It's a bare minimum, and a given, that audio grade copper is OFHC.. Is Cardas copper OCC? Our nearest equivalent is Grade 2, found in 101 Speaker & Crosslink. Our higher end cables (from Iridium to Clear Beyond) all use Cardas Grade 1 Ultra Pure copper. On many occasions, our copper has been compared to OCC by manufacturers and laboratories seeking the best quality copper, and to the best of our knowledge, Cardas Grade 1 has never failed to win out. Click here to see photomicrography images of standard copper, OCC copper, and Cardas Copper. Do you make silver cables? We made a silver speaker cable once and we didn't like how it sounded. It now collects dust in storage. Eventually we'll strip out & sell the silver, and send somebody's kid to an Ivy League university with the proceeds. We do make silver wire for other manufactures but we barely use it ourselves. We have found that with a sophisticated design, a copper cable will match or even outperform a silver cable, at a fraction of the cost. Our Clear Beyond Headphone Cable incorporates a single strand of Cardas Silver in each conductor, with multiple strands of Cardas Copper. What is "Matched Propagation"? The subject of George's US Patent 7,674,973, Matched Propagation solves an age old problem with transmission line conductors dating to the early days of the telephone. You can read more here , but here's a summary: The audio signal travels through a cable at basically the speed of light. The dielectric (surrounding) materials charge and discharge at about 70% the speed of light. This mismatch in speed results in a loss of intelligibility. In a Matched Propagation conductor, each strand of wire is exactly the same length, and twisted at a pitch that makes each strand 30% longer than the cable itself. We're slowing down the signal to match that of the dielectrics. This solves the intelligibility issues that early telephone engineers faced, and that causes a degradation in sound in otherwise highly articulate audio systems. The telephone companies installed coil boxes on the cables to address the issue, but the was an after-the-fact solution. The Cardas Matched Propagation solution solves the problem within the cable, every inch of the way. Such that the loss of intelligibility never happens in the first place. Should I use a cable burn-in or break-in device? In our experience, these are ineffective at best. We can't speak for other brands. Perhaps there are cables that respond well to the sine waves & square waves being run through them for hours. We have found that Cardas cables break in faster - and better - by playing music through them. If you have a cable burner at home, you might be able to use it to expedite break-in. But you'll have to be extremely quick about transferring the cables from the burner to the system. Like, superhuman quick. If the break-in device is elsewhere, such as your dealer, by the time your get the broken-in cables home, they're not anymore. There are two primary aspects to cable break-in. One is the building of a uniform charge in the conductors and dielectrics. This charge is almost entirely lost the moment a cable is remove from the system (or break-in device). The other is physical, as the internal components in the cable relax from being coiled for packaging and shipping. Cable burners can do nothing to speed up the process of physically relaxing the internal components, and the charge they build up in the cable doesn't last when going from the burner to the stereo. There really isn't any need to fret over cable break-in time. It takes, at the most 200 hours. Usually half that. That's just a few days. Days go by fast, and they never top coming. Just hook up your cables, leave the stereo running, and enjoy. What if I buy a Cardas cable, but eventually I ch ange my system and I need different connectors. We can re-terminate your Cardas cables with the connectors you need. Learn more here . What is the warranty on Cardas cables? Lifetime. How long does a Cardas cable last? Forever. Litz conductors have a protective enamel coating on every strand of copper. Among other benefits, this prevents the copper from degrading due to oxidation. Since Cardas cables will never oxidize, they last forever. And if they don't for some reason, we have a lifetime warranty. So bam, you're back to it lasting forever. Put it in your will. How do I solder to your connectors? Click here How do I work with your chassis wire or bulk cable? Click here How do I get an update on my order statu s? 1. Dealers & distributors, please contact info@cardas.com . 2. If you placed an order through a dealer or distributor, please contact them for a status update. We aren't able to cross reference the end-user's name with the dealer through whom the product was ordered. In other words, if John Smith orders a Cardas cable from Big City Hifi Shop, and then he calls us to ask for an update, we have to contact Big City Hifi Shop and ask them which of their recent orders are intended for John Smith. You'll get an update a lot faster by going direct to your dealer. Why are you located in Bandon, Oregon Because it never gets hot here, and bad traffic is a tourist slowing down to take in the view. Back in 1992, the lease on the facility that housed Cardas Audio in Upland, California (near Los Angeles) was up for renewal. before signing a new lease, George & Darcy Cardas took a drive north along the California and Oregon coast, seeking out a new home for the company. When they arrived in Bandon, they knew they had found it. So they moved the company and most of the staff to Oregon. What's George up to these days? World travel. Golf. Bicycling. Driving electric cars. George does what he wants. Have a question you don't see answe red above? Send us an email

The Cardas Frequency Sweep & Burn-In LP is a unique set of tools for setting up and maintaining your turntable & cartridge, with benefits that apply to your entire system. Contains several sweeps & tones, channel & phase checks, white noise, and much more. Includes a stroboscope center label. Frequency Sweep LP The Ultimate Vinyl System Setup & Maintenance Tool The Cardas Frequency Sweep and Burn-in Record is a unique tuning tool for system set-up, diagnostics and maintenance. It was produced by George Cardas and mastered by Stan Ricker. The "Sweeper", in addition to the standard tones, includes relative and absolute polarity checks, vocal channel identification and frequency sweeps that ultrasonically clean the cartridge stylus and degauss the entire system. And, locked, pink noise grooves that repeat endlessly, blank plateaus, even a sync label to check platter speed. All on a 180 gram pressing with a smiling Stan cover. Format: 180 gram vinyl LP Part number: P47.9 Download the PDF below for complete instructions: Frequency sweeps are available on our website, for sweeping your system, and portable components. Online Frequency Sweeps

Frequency sweeps from the Cardas Clarifier App Frequency Sweeps Clarifying Frequency Sweeps The frequency sweeps from the Cardas Clarifier App are now available here on our website. Running a frequency sweep from time to time can degauss your system, from the electronics to the loudspeaker drivers, restoring clarity. Play these frequency sweeps at a reasonable volume. The extremely low and high sections will be inaudible. You may not hear anything for the first several seconds, so don't boost the volume, as when it does become audible, you may damage your system if it's turned up too high. You may want to forward to the 15 second mark on the long sweep, and the 5 second mark on the short sweep, to set your volume. Then start over from the beginning. Long Frequency Sweep Cardas Audio 00:00 / 01:11 Short Frequency Sweep Cardas Audio 00:00 / 00:20 Frequency Sweep LP We also offer an LP with frequency sweeps and other tracks for setting up and maintaining your phono system.

Cardas banana plugs are made from brass, and plated with silver and rhodium. Banana Plugs Premium Banana Where To Buy Economy Banana Back To Parts List How To Use Cardas Connectors Gold binding nut for attaching spades or bare wire. Tapered hole at the back for soldering wire or stacking additional banana plugs. Spring loaded split tip for maxi- mum contact surface area and retention. The CAB is a single banana. The CABD is a pair, joined with a removable plastic yoke. These bananas can be terminated to a cable with solder, or used as a spade (or bare-wire) adapter. See gallery below for these applications. Base metal: High copper content, non-magnetic brass Plating: Silver/rhodium Termination hole: 3 AWG/6mm/0.236” This part requires solder. Click here to learn about Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder & Cardas Rosin Flux. Click here for our soldering how-to videos. Part numbers: P40.9 for CABD (Dual bananas with spacer/insulator) P40.2 for CAB (Single banana) CABD Drawing CABD Parts CAB (Single Banana) CABD Drawing 1/4 The Definitive Video About Cardas CAB & CABD Bananas The CAB & CABD Bananas are soldered to a cable in the same way as a spade. Here's a video to demonstrate. CABD CAB / CABD Banana Solderable single banana plug. Traditional spring loaded banana tip. Simple design can accommodate large or small wire. Base metal: Non-magnetic brass Plating: Nickle Termination: 3 AWG/6.35mm/0.25” This part requires solder. Click here to learn about Cardas Quad Eutectic Solder & Cardas Rosin Flux. Click here for our soldering how-to videos. Part Number: P40.15 cabe_drawing cabe_drawing 1/1 How To Solder To A CABE Banana CABE CABE Banana

Detailed information about Cardas Audio, covering topics such as Matched Propagation, cable constructions, Golden Ratio scaled conductors, cable break in, cable burn in, and a brief history of the audio cable. Want a little information about Cardas? Well here's a lot. Deep Dive Looking for a little more information? Well you came to the wrong place. Because here is a lot more. Matched Propagation Cable Construction History of Audio Cable Why Cardas? Golden Ratio / Constant Q Golden Section Stereo Magic Cable Break-In What Goes Into A Cardas Cable Cardas Copper Videos About Cardas Audio Choosing A Cable Do Measurements Matter PDF FAQ Matched Propagation Matched Propagation Conductors Cardas' patented, Matched Propagation cables (US Patent 7,674,973) address a core problem that is intrinsic to all cables (audio, telephone, data, etc.), matching the signal propagation velocity of the conductor to that of the dielectric quite clearly improves the sound of audio transmission. The Trouble is Dielectrics The best solid insulating materials transfer charge 22% slower than standard conductors. This is a mismatch that can be corrected in only one way; you must match the velocity of the conductor to that of the dielectric in the cable itself. Networks, working after the fact, cannot restore lost low level information or the lost time integrity of the music. The Matched Propagation Solution Cardas' ingenious, patented solution uses a precisely controlled coated strand geometry to mitigate the effects of cable capacitance continuously in the cable. This technique eliminates the low level smearing and preserves musical integrity and dynamic range by correcting an imbalance in the basic velocity relationship of the cable's conductors and dielectric. Huge Dynamic Range of Resolution Matched propagation cables preserve phase, dramatically lower resonance effects, have a huge dynamic range and amazing resolution. They preserve low level detail, leading edge integrity and accurately preserve the heart, soul and emotion in the music. Matched Propagation technology brings unprecedented clarity and realism to your listening experience. Matched Propagation technology can be found in all cables in our Clear product line, and in our Parsec Interconnect. Cable Construction This video shows part of the process of constructing a Cardas Pure Copper Litz Conductor. Cable Construction A Short History Of Audio Cable A signal cable's quality is primarily determined by the relationship of its conductors and dielectrics. In thelate 1800's, signal cables were created to replace telephone, open wire, transmission lines. In the 1800's, telegraph signals used a single open wire lead and the ground for the return. Transmission distance and dynamic range were determined by voltage and repeater sensitivity. It was a simple rising impedance system that could deliver a finger tapped, digital signal 200 miles on an 8 gauge wire! By 1870, the “open wire, ground return” systems hit their limit. With the advent of the Telephone millions of quiet, low distortion lines would be needed. The existing cables were unusable because of a basic miss match in the way conductors and dielectrics transfered signal. By 1873, James Maxwell had deduced four basic laws that explained known electric and magnetic phenomenon, but it was two more decades before they found a workable solution cable problem. By 1890, shielded, dry paper insulated cables evolved. The better dielectric constant and the velocity of propagation of dry paper improved sound quality and transmission distance, but after this, the quality of telephone cables has changed very little. Compared to "open wire", cables were still inefficient, signal quality was poor and transmission distance was very limited. The cable problems were and always will be, rooted in the difference between conductor and dielectric time constants. Signal travels at light speed on open wire, but must slow considerably in cables, as conductors are forced to track the slower dielectric velocity of propagation (VoP). At audio frequencies the trauma of this transition obliterated the signal in short order, rendering cables unusable except for short distances. As a note, dry paper insulated, twist pair cables of the time were probably superior to what we have today. Technically dry paper is a better dielectric than PFA. As used by the telephone company, the cables were pressurized with dry nitrogen to assure the paper maintained its dielectric constant of 2.0 or less. By 1900 the country was in crisis and ATT (Bell) offered a huge reward to any one that could resolve the problem. In 1904, Michael Pupin came forward with the solution. By placing coils of wire in series with the conductor, at intervals in the cable, you could match the conductor propagation velocity (and subsequent cable loading) to that of the dielectric. They were called load coils (or Pupin coils or inductors). They did not really fix the cable problem, but combined with a plethora of networks, EQ and amplification, they did make cable usable. In effect they traded bandwidth and dynamic range for a fairly dramatic increase in the distance over which an intelligible signal could be transmitted. A patent was issued to Michael Pupin in 1904 and AT&T paid him generously for its use. The basic flaw in load coils is that they make the correction at intervals rather than continuously in the cable. Essentially they match conductor velocity to that of the dielectric with a series of chokes. Cable itself has changed little since the 1890's. The focus is on compensating for its problems or bypassing it all together. A true solution to telephone audio frequency cable problems was not found. Radio and Digital Carrier Systems simply bypassed the audio cable problem by converting the signal to easily repeated pulses. These systems made the first transatlantic telephone cable possible. In 1956, using a pair of huge, unidirectional coaxial cables with polymer dielectric in ridged copper tubes, they could carry 48 lines, with a bandwidth of 3 kilohertz, over 1500 miles between Scotland and Nova Scotia, using nearly 100 repeaters. Local telephone service still uses coil loaded balanced lines (3.2 kilohertz Bandwidth). With equalization and amplification, a directional pair of these cables can cover small distances. For longer runs load coils are removed and digital carrier is used. In the 1960s, audio began to establish its own standards. The lossy “600 ohm balanced lines” were abandoned before stereo arrived and solid state components in the 1970's drove originating impedances even lower, making the “rising impedance system” universal. This "system” is very efficient, but provides little or no cable damping and cable resonance was back! Signal quality was lost and at first, "solid state" took the blame. But in reality solid state was only one part of a complex chain reaction. A cable resonance control system had been unceremoniously dropped in the pursuit of simplicity, component compatibility, larger dynamic ranges and the economy of construction. The origin of bright fatiguing sound, was a ghost from days gone by, because we forgot the cable! In the 1970's, the realization that cable was indeed part of the equation spawned a era of experimentation. Soon cable alternatives became available, along with the screams of nay sayers. It is amazing how fast we lose the lessons that were learned by our ancestors. In the 1980’s, signal cable reasearch resumed with a vengeance in audio industry. It was soon apparent that loss was not the issue, and it was also apparent that conductors made a noticeable change in cable resonance and glare. Tiny bronze strands, individually insulated, in different lays (litz wire), concentric's, weaves and braids, different shaped large solid conductors, and different metals were tried. Eventually dielectric involvement was minimized and a conductor geometry evolved! In the 1990's, resonance associated with metals and dielectrics, microphonics, eddy currents and many other issues that contribute, in part, to a complex picture were and continue to be addressed. To achieve a dynamic range of true resolution, over a 100db range, requires attention to many details in the cable and connections. In the end the main problem will be the same: dielectrics can't transfer charge as fast as conductors can propagate and “rising impedance systems” can't shunt the resultant electrical turbulence. By 2000 most of the cards were on the table, face up, if you chose to look. The main players were busy making cable and gave little time to those who wished the cable problems were not true. The overall depth of knowledge is now at a new level. I for one am enjoying watching it sink in. 2009 The impact of conductor/dielectric transition time differentials runs deep. Asymmetrical dielectric charge and decay causes subtle waveform distortions, floating DC offsets, inter transient noise, and veiling of low level information. It is responsible for Inter Symbol Interference (ISI) and jitter. It is why the dielectric constant seems to vary with frequency. It is the most fundamental issue that must be resolved in cable design. The speed (Vop) of Solid and bare stranded conductors is about 127% of the best solid dielectric. How you balance this difference is key to cable quality. Simply reducing dielectric involvement or placing coils on the ends of the cable is not the answer. By Matching conductor velocity to dielectric constant, resonance and waveform distortion can be eliminated, without the bandwidth and dynamic range limitations of periodically loaded cables or the glare and distortion of unloaded cables. Signal in a cable can be envisioned as a boat entering a canal at high speed. Initially, the boat breaks the surface of the water with much turbulence. As the boat begins to decelerate it generates a smooth wave (charge builds in the dielectric) and as the boat speed approaches wave speed (VOP) turbulence subsides. The boat can now travel at wave speed without creating any turbulence. This speed is the VOP of the boat in water. Matching conductor propagation to dielectric constant, rather that allowing the change to take place as cable length accrues, quiets transient turbulence and makes it possible to produce a silent cable that sounds the same at every length and maintains the clean, natural harmonic halo found in the original signal. It is curious how the human focus works. Seemingly gross flaws in low frequency reproduction and crossovers are largely ignored as we try to view tiny details through windows of clarity in the system. Details at -60 db from the fundamental signal are still relevant and those details are strongly influenced by the quality of the cables. History of Cable Why Cardas? Cardas’ cable design incorporates, Golden Ratio, Constant Q, Cross-Field, pure copper Litz, conductor technology. Why should I use it? What will it do for my system? It is said, wire is just wire. In reality, a high-end audio cable must balance resistance, capacitance, inductance, conductance, velocity of propagation, RF radiation and absorption, mechanical resonance, strand interaction, high filtering, reflections, electrical resonance, dissipation factors, envelope delay, phase distortion, harmonic distortion, structural return loss, corrosion, cross-talk, bridge-tap and the interaction of these and a hundred other things. As a high-end cable manufacturer, Cardas Audio strives to address every detail of cable and conductor construction, no matter how small. An elegant solution deals with quality, not quantity. Cable geometry problems are resolved in the cable’s design, not after the fact with filters. George introduced the concept of Golden Section Constant "Q" Stranding to high-end audio, but Golden Ratio, 1.6180339887... : 1 is as old as nature itself. Golden Ratio is the mathematical proportion of life itself, the heart of musical scales and chords. "Discovered" by the Greeks, but used by the Egyptians in the Great Pyramid centuries before, man has employed Golden Ratio to create his most beautiful and naturally pleasing works of art and architecture. The signal used by your system, be it digital or analog, through tube or solid state, is always alternating current. The cyclic effect of alternating current vibrates the wire in your system like the strumming of a guitar string. The beating of the capacitive, inductive and mechanical elements in audio cable is set in motion by the transient energy of the audio signal, just as the guitar string is set into motion by the strike of a pick. This form of vibration or resonance distorts the audio signal and produces many sound anomalies, from colored bass to glare. Every interconnect, every speaker cable, every chassis and speaker wire has its own resonant signature. Like the mass, tension and hardness of the guitar string, the mass, tension and hardness of the conductor, coupled with its inductance and resistance, and the capacitance of the cable, determine what sound is made. Each strand in a cable has its own note or beat. Conductor strands interact with other same sized, near unison, and multiplistic sized strands creating beats the same way a cube listening room would, or one with multiplistic dimensions like 8’ x 16’ x 32. Stereo systems depend on the purity of the audio signal. When the cable linking all components together imparts its own sound, the audio signal is corrupted. Cardas created a conductor that absorbs or cancels the noise released by the current fluxuation, by progressively layering strands that share no common resonant multiple. This conductor uses the same mathematical proportioning seen in the worlds greatest concert halls for essentially the same reasons. The infinite indivisibility of the Fibonacci Sequence or Golden Section is a key to controlling resonance. The ratio of ø (Phi), or 1 to 1.6180339887... to (infinity), is the Golden Mean, called Golden Ratio or Golden Proportion. In Golden Section Stranding, individual strands are arranged so each strand is coupled to another, whose note or beat is irrational with its own, thus nulling interstrand resonance. This is the famous "Silent Conductor". It is the silence of Cardas conductors that allows them to be so uniquely musical and pure. At the heart of cable oscillation is delayed or stored energy. This energy results from the lowered internal "Q", or resonant point, of conventional conductors. Cardas cables employ a unique stranding method where strands diminish in size towards the interior of the conductor. This design is called Constant Q Stranding and it allows each strand of the cable to share the load equally. It is a very effective method of reducing the Non-linearity seen in conventional conductors, without compromising the symmetry of the conductor or the capacitance of the cable. Ordinary Cables are di-pole antennas, both radiating and absorbing RFI/EMI, which sustains system resonance. George’s cable design incorporates Crossfield Construction in its manufacture, which reverses every other stranding layer to defuse the di-pole effect and match conductor propagation to that of surrounding dielectric materials. Cable resonance is further reduced through the use of ultra pure copper, air dielectrics and state of the art connection techniques. Our ultra pure and homogeneous metals have proven to be the best conductors for audio signals. Cardas uses diamond dies exclusively, drawing the strands in a hydrogen reduction atmosphere. This process reduces the amount of impurities and eliminates the surface contamination that occurs when standard metal dies are used. As each strand is drawn, the resultant ultra pure surface is immediately given a urethane enamel "Litz" coating. This is a continuous process that results in a perfectly insulated strand and ultimate longevity of the conductors. Ordinary uncoated copper stranding corrodes in a relatively short time. Cardas meticulously maintains the purity of the conductor strands until they are sealed at termination. Why Cardas Golden Ratio, Constant Q Stranding Golden Section Stranding mathematically eliminates resonant multiples in conductors by sequencing strand masses and their associated inductive effects in an irrational progression. A great cable has the best dielectrics and conductors, and the geometry to match one to the other. Golden ratio constant "Q" conductors (GRCQ) correct conductor problems and match dielectric propagation velocity. Interior propagation of solid strands slows in proportion to strand size and signal change, resulting in eddy currents, skin effect, "Q" fluctuations and conductor resonance. Cardas individually insulates strands and proportions their size to depth in conductor, eliminating eddy currents, "Q" fluctuations and resonance. Strands are precisely layered to match dielectric materials and cable type. Golden Ratio keys into the proportioning of conductors and dielectric as elegantly as it does into music and nature itself. Golden Ratio Const Q Golden Section Stereo Magic Alternating current can shake a wire like a guitar string. The audio signal in a stereo system is seen as alternating current. The audio signal, be it digital or analog, through tube or solid state, is always alternating current. The signal's cyclic effect, causes all the wire in the system to vibrate and ring. This ring becomes a song sung to the resonance of the electrical and mechanical components of the cable. Every interconnect, every speaker cable, every chassis and speaker wire has its own song. The stored mechanical and electrical tension and time delay characteristics of the cable determine what song is sung. Each and every strand in a cable has its own note or beat. Two or more wires of the same mass and tension have common mechanical resonating points and share the same note. Two or more wires or bundles of wires, differing in size, each have their own resonant points. When combined, wires find new points of interaction, creating yet another note. The sound produced by any stereo system depends on the purity of the audio signal. When the cable that links all the components together imparts its own sound the audio signal is corrupted. There is a unique way to eliminate the harmonic or resonant effect produced by the conductor itself. Create a multiple strand conductor, where the individual strands share no common mathematical node or resonant point and layer them to cancel the noise they each create. An infinitely indivisible progression known as the Fibonacci sequence or Golden Section is the key to resonance control. The ratio of Phi, or 1 to 1.6180339887...to infinity, is the Golden Mean, called Golden Ratio or Golden Proportion. In Golden Section Stranding, strands are arranged so that every strand is coupled to another, whose note is irrational with its own, to dissipate conductor resonance. This creates a silenced conductor, allowing Cardas cable to produce the purest possible audio signal. No other cable geometry, no other conductor design, can create the listening magic of Golden Section Stranding. The root or power plant of conductor oscillation is stored and reflected energy. The progressively layered constant Q conductors effectively attenuate this energy. Cardas cables employ a unique stranding method where the smaller strands are placed towards the interior of the conductor in Golden Proportion. This is called constant "Q" stranding. It is a very effective method for reducing the inductively stored and reflected energy that fuels cable resonance. Cardas uses pure copper, Litz wire, pure PFA and air dielectrics, ultra pure eutectic solders, custom made rhodium plated connectors and each cable is terminated by hand. It is this meticulous attention to the details of design and care in construction that have made Cardas the heart of the most uniquely musical systems in the world. Golden Section Cable Break-In Note: An in-depth description of cable break-in follows. However here's the TL;DR - just plug in your cables and use them. Many things need time to break in. For example: denim jeans, guitars, and cast iron pans. How many wear/wash cycles until your jeans feel great? How many chords & notes until a guitar plays like a dream? How many meals must it cook before a cast iron pan is fully seasoned? These aren't questions we usually ask. We acquire the jeans, guitar, or cast iron pan. We use it, and we know that it will improve over time. Yet when it comes to HiFi equipment, people often become fixated on the break-in period. In a HiFi system, the speakers can take weeks to really come alive. A power amp will need time for the capacitors to fully charge, both when new, and after being turned off for any period of time. And yes, your cables will need time to settle in and perform as designed. But don’t stress too much about it. Think of it like getting a new pair of leather boots. You put them on, and they feel stiff. How many steps does it take for those boots to break-in? 50,000 steps? 100,000 steps? More??? Nobody really knows. You just wear the boots, ignore the stiffness, and one day you find yourself thinking “Wow these are the best boots ever”. Likewise with cables - plug them in, leave them plugged in , and enjoy your life. We emphasize that they should be left plugged in. When you remove a cable, you lose much of the progress towards break-in, such that when re-connected, you're basically starting over. If you enjoy swapping cables for comparisons, that's fine. Just know that you're really comparing un-broken-in cables, even if one (or both) pair has hundreds or thousands of hours of use. Once removed, they no longer benefit from that usage. Upon re-installation, they're starting over as if they're new. With that, here's what's going on during cable break-in: There are many factors that make cable break-in necessary and many reasons why the results vary. If you measure a new cable with a voltmeter you will see a standing voltage because good dielectrics make poor conductors. They hold a charge much like a rubbed cat’s fur on a dry day. It takes a while for this charge to equalize in the cable. Better cables often take longer to break-in. The best "air dielectric" techniques, such as PFA tube construction, have large non-conductive surfaces to hold charge, much like the cat on a dry day. Cables that do not have time to settle, such as musical instrument and microphone cables, often use conductive dielectrics like rubber or carbonized cotton to get around the problem. This dramatically reduces microphonics and settling time, but the other dielectric characteristics of these insulators are poor and they do not qualify sonically for high-end cables. Developing non-destructive techniques for reducing and equalizing the charge in excellent dielectric is a challenge in high end cables. The high input impedance necessary in audio equipment makes uneven dielectric charge a factor. One reason settling time takes so long is we are linking the charge with mechanical stress/strain relationships. The physical make up of a cable is changed slightly by the charge and visa versa. It is like electrically charging the cat. The physical make up of the cat is changed by the charge. It is "frizzed" and the charge makes it's hair stand on end. "PFA Cats", cables and their dielectric, take longer to lose this charge and reach physical homeostasis. The better the dielectric's insulation, the longer it takes to settle. A charge can come from simply moving the cable (Piezoelectric effect and simple friction), high voltage testing during manufacture, etc. Cable that has a standing charge is measurably more microphonic and an uneven distribution of the charge causes something akin to structural return loss in a rising impedance system. When I took steps to eliminate these problems, break-in time was reduced and the cable sounded generally better. I know Bill Low at Audioquest has also taken steps to minimize this problem. Mechanical stress is the root of a lot of the break-in phenomenon and it is not just a factor with cables. As a rule, companies set up audition rooms at high end audio shows a couple of days ahead of time to let them break in. The first day the sound is usually bad and it is very stressful. The last day sounds great. Mechanical stress in speaker cables, speaker cabinets, even the walls of the room, must be relaxed in order for the system to sound its best. This is the same phenomenon we experience in musical instruments. They sound much better after they have been played. Many musicians leave their instruments in front of a stereo that is playing to get them to warm up. This is very effective with a new guitar. Pianos are a stress and strain nightmare. Any change, even in temperature or humidity, will degrade their sound. A precisely tuned stereo system is similar. You never really get all the way there, you sort of keep halving the distance to zero. Some charge is always retained. It is generally in the MV range in a well settled cable. Triboelectric noise in a cable is a function of stress and retained charge, which a good cable will release with both time and use. How much time and use is dependent on the design of the cable, materials used, treatment of the conductors during manufacture, etc. There are many small tricks and ways of dealing with the problem. Years ago, I began using PFA tube "air dielectric" construction and the charge on the surface of the tubes became a real issue. I developed a fluid that adds a very slight conductivity to the surface of the dielectric. Treated cables actually have a better measured dissipation factor and the sound of the cables improved substantially. It had been observed in mid eighties that many cables could be improved by wiping them with a anti-static cloth. Getting something to stick to PFA was the real challenge. We now use an anti-static fluid in all our cables and anti-static additives in the final jacketing material. This attention to charge has reduced break-in time and in general made the cable sound substantially better. This is due to the reduction of overall charge in the cable and the equalization of the distributed charge on the surface of conductor jacket. It seems there are many infinitesimal factors that add up. Overtime you find one leads down a path to another. In short, if a dielectric surface in a cable has a high or uneven charge which dissipates with time or use, triboelectric and other noise in the cable will also reduce with time and use. This is the essence of break-in A note of caution. Moving a cable will, to some degree, traumatize it. The amount of disturbance is relative to the materials used, the cable's design and the amount of disturbance. Keeping a very low level signal in the cable at all times helps. At a show, where time is short, you never turn the system off. I also believe the use of degaussing sweeps, such as on the Cardas Frequency Sweep and Burn-In Record (side 1, cut 2a) helps. A small amount of energy is retained in the stored mechanical stress of the cable. As the cable relaxes, a certain amount of the charge is released, like in an electroscope. This is the electromechanical connection. Many factors relating to a cable's break-in are found in the sonic character or signature of a cable. If we look closely at dielectrics we find a similar situation. The dielectric actually changes slightly as it charges and its dissipation factor is linked to its hardness. In part these changes are evidenced in the standing charge of the cable. A new cable, out of the bag, will have a standing charge when uncoiled. It can have as much as several hundred millivolts. If the cable is left at rest it will soon drop to under one hundred, but it will takes days of use in the system to fall to the teens and it never quite reaches zero. These standing charges appear particularly significant in low level interconnects to preamps with high impedance inputs. The interaction of mechanical and electrical stress/strain variables in a cable are integral with the break-in, as well as the resonance of the cable. Many of the variables are lumped into a general category called triboelectric noise. Noise is generated in a cable as a function of the variations between the components of the cable. If a cable is flexed, moved, charged, or changed in any way, it will be a while before it is relaxed again. The symmetry of the cable's construction is a big factor here. Very careful design and execution by the manufacturer helps a lot. Very straight forward designs can be greatly improved with the careful choice of materials and symmetrical construction. Audioquest has built a large and successful high-end cable company around these principals. The basic rules for the interaction of mechanical and electrical stress/strain variables holds true, regardless of scale or medium. Cables, cats, pianos and rooms all need to relax in order to be at their best. Constant attention to physical and environmental conditions, frequent use and the degaussing of a system help it achieve and maintain a relaxed state. A note on breaking in box speakers, a process which seems to take forever. When I want to speed up the break-in process, I place the speakers face to face, with one speaker wired out of phase and play a surf CD through them. After about a week, I place them in their normal listening position and continue the process for three more days. After that, I play a degaussing sweep a few times. Then it is just a matter of playing music and giving them time. Break-In

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