Clearer Audio Optimus Reference Power Cord features Clearer Audio’s 99.9999% oxygen-free, Ohno Continuous Cast silver conductors (99.99% pure for the earth), each of which are shielded with a six-layer copper-silver hybrid active shield, and then the entire cable itself is then further shielded with an additional active copper foil shield before being wrapped in CL3 PVC insulation. The cable features the company’s own ‘Super Suppressor’ ferrite rings at both ends of the cable. The ‘Reference’ grade means the individual 3mm2 conductors are some 20% larger than their Optimus grade versions. The plugs begin and end with high-grade Furutech gold-plated plugs and sockets
Typically, Clearer Audio recommends a 200 hour burn in time with its power cords at this level, but the ones we had for review had been used extensively, and no such run-in time was needed. How they sounded out of the box was how they will sound to someone who gave it the hundreds of hours.
The Clearer Audio power cords tie the system together, in a way that makes the rest of the Silver-Line Optimus Reference cables appear to mutually connect across the board. The system displays a sense of balance here; the sound is detailed yet not bright, dynamic yet not aggressive, possessed of deeper – but not ‘fatter’ bass, and creates a sound with some degree of space ‘around’ the notes.
Spending an order of magnitude more on power cords buys you a little more ‘free’ sounding cables: in absolute terms, the Clearer Audio sound is one of precision, clarity, and an openness to the soundstage, but that openness can be even more expressive and vibrant. However, to achieve that you will need to either sacrifice some of that precision, some of that clarity, or truly monumental amounts of money!
There’s nothing in the Clearer Audio Silver-Line Optimus Reference power cords that breaks new technological ground. These are just well-made cables, with sensible technologies properly applied. But there is a sense of consistency to the performance from one end to the other. We’re taking the slow route to a complete system solution here, and it has been well worth the journey, as the power cords are firm recommendations for a firm foundation.
Price & contact details
- Product: Clearer Audio Silver-Line Optimus Reference Power Cord
- Basic price: £1,195/1m
- Price per additional 0.25m: £240
- Price as tested: £1,675 (1.5m)
- Maximum recommended length: 5m
- Optional configurations: Slimline IEC, figure 8, 16A, Au, Ag, Rh plating
Manufactured by: Clearer Audio
URL: www.cleareraudio.com
Tel: +44(0)1702 543981
Tags: FEATURED
By Alan Sircom
More articles from this authorRead Next From Review
See allReiki Audio SuperSwitch Master Pro + Servant Pro
- Mar 27, 2024
Melco Audio N1-S38 music server
- Mar 27, 2024
Focal Utopia 2022 headphones
- Mar 27, 2024