(503) 222-2599
Cardas HPI Headphone Interconnect

Cardas

HPI Headphone Interconnect

$20 - $28

Cardas · Headphone Cables

The original portable-audio upgrade cable: a short 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm interconnect in Cardas copper for a DAP, phone or laptop feeding a portable amplifier or DAC.

Price is for one cable.

Options and pricing

3 conductors
2 × 25.5 AWG + 1 × 23.5 AWG
Shielded
twisted triad
3.1 mm
outside diameter
15 / 30 cm
lengths

Headphone Interconnects (HPI) bring Cardas sound to compact portable systems. Two 25.5 AWG and one 23.5 AWG Cardas Litz conductors with Golden Ratio stranding and PFA insulation form a shielded twisted triad bound in FEP tape with cotton fillers, under a PVC jacket just 3.1 mm across.

The standard termination is 3.5 mm stereo to 3.5 mm stereo, in 6 in (15 cm) and 1 ft (30 cm) lengths, hand terminated in Bandon, Oregon.

Key technologies

  • Ultra Pure Cardas Copper. Grade 1, 99.9999% pure oxygen-free copper, drawn and annealed slowly through silver dies, then given a single poly-nylon coat to prevent oxidation and crosstalk between strands.
  • Golden Ratio scaled Litz conductors. Multi-stranded conductors in which each layer of strands steps up in size by 1:1.618 from the centre outward, a Cardas patent that controls strand resonance.
  • Shielded twisted triad. Three conductors bound in FEP tape with cotton fillers, shielded, under a slim PVC jacket.
  • Made in Bandon, Oregon. Every Cardas cable is built and hand terminated at the Cardas factory on the southern Oregon coast, and carries a transferable lifetime warranty.

Choosing a length

  • 6 in (15 cm) suits a source strapped to a portable amplifier; 1 ft (30 cm) gives room for the two to sit side by side.
  • For a 3.5 mm to RCA connection into a hi-fi system, see the Cardas iLink.
Specifications
Type 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm interconnect
Conductors 2 × 25.5 AWG + 1 × 23.5 AWG Grade 1, 99.9999% OFC Litz, Golden Ratio stranding, PFA insulation
Geometry Shielded twisted triad bound in FEP tape with cotton fillers
Jacket PVC
Outside diameter 0.122 in (3.1 mm)
Terminations 3.5 mm stereo to 3.5 mm stereo
Lengths 6 in (0.15 m) or 1 ft (0.3 m)
Sold as Single cable

cardas.com · Specifications and pricing from the Cardas Spring 2025 Retail Catalog. Cable lengths are metric; Cardas builds any length to order.

Where it sits in the range

Cardas headphone cables run from Parsec to Clear Beyond; all are built to order with the amplifier plug and headphone connectors you specify.

  • HPI Headphone Interconnect (this model): 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm
  • iLink: 3.5 mm to RCA for portable sources
  • Parsec Headphone: shielded star-quad, the value pick

We stock or demo select Cardas lines and can order anything in the catalog, from Iridium to Clear Beyond.

Plan your cabling with Pearl Audio

Pearl Audio is an authorized Cardas dealer in Portland, Oregon, a short drive from the Cardas factory in Bandon. We can measure your runs, recommend terminations for your components, and special-order custom lengths and connector options. Call (503) 222-2599 or email sales@pearlaudio.com.

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