Nordost Interconnect Flavors....

[DTB300]

The Solar Wind is a bit thin sounding, the Black Knight will not be a big improvement and the Red Dawn is just too bright. Blue Heaven is juuuuuust right!

Okay...Here is my findings and opinions on the Nordost lower priced IC's. I was not going to post this, but some of the members publicly and privately wanted me to.

First off: DISCLAIMER - This is not the final truth on these cables, just my testing and results. Everyone should go out and test these cables for themselves to find what they like. I am not here to argue if what I heard is the same as what you heard, or what some Audio Rag heard.

Black Knight: A nice entry level cable - does a nice job across the audio spectrum of reproducing the music. This cable is considerably better than the stock IC you get with equipment (thin cables with the molded Red and White RCA's), Radio Shack IC (gold or regular RCA), or even Monster Cable IC's.

Solar Wind: For a little more money than Black Knight you get a big improvement in sound from the Black Knight. The return of investment for the improvement in sound is very good here - especially when talking about cables.

Blue Heaven - This is completely different sounding cable out of the four. To me it is a laid back sounding cable - meaning the high end (treble) sounds slightly rolled off or less prominent. To me this causes some of the very good recordings to sound confined and limiting (slightly muffled?) in the amount of detail, ambiance and air around instruments. It does have a very nice midrange, reproducing vocals very well. The bass is also fuller sounding than the other cables. But does the Midrange sound better and the Bass sound fuller due to the cutting back of the high end?

To me this cable should have been priced like the Solar Wind, giving you two completely different sounding cables at a reasonable price range.

Red Dawn - I would agree on most assesments that it is just too bright. They should have taken what they had in the Blue Heaven, and just opened up the high end slightly (not as much) and they would have hit a home run. This cable is supposed to be the next level up from the Blue Heaven - based by price, but I felt the performance of it did not equate.

For me the Blue Heaven was the best - especially if you are in the digital world - CD. But depending on the recording, I felt it limited in what you needed to hear from it. If you have a bight sounding room (lots of reflections and hard surfaces all around) then this cable may be it for you. I have a rather dead sounding room, so this cable just accentuated the low end too much. It reminded me of "some" (not all) of the Tube Amps I listened to - "to die for" midrange and vocals, but it just did not do it across the entire spectrum.

With audio, we give up something to get something - not matter if we are talking about components or cables. We all have to decide if giving up something to get something is worth it. For me and this small testing that I did, the listed Nordost IC's do not give me enough, based on performance versus price, to warrant making a change from the currnet IC's I use. In the near future, I will be testing out some other cable with my favorite connectors (DH Lab Ultimate RCA's) just to see what is out there and what it gives me and what it takes away.

Dan

 

[mia]

For me and this small testing that I did, the listed Nordost IC's do not give me enough, based on performance versus price, to warrant making a change from the currnet IC's I use.
Dan

I decline to huff and puff over what something costs. It’s not my place, this is, after all, Audiophilia, where residents and transients are requested to check their rationality (the deadliest of all concealed weapons) with the sheriff. As I write, a $731 eBay bid on a 1966 Barbie has not met its reserve. A 1988 fancy-dress Barbie goes for $790. Ken’s up there too, bless his little pectorals. Paying extravagant sums for old baseball cards, comic books, Swatch watches and the like strikes me as screwy, yet the world is large enough for collectors of scarce junk to exist in rapprochement with the likes of you and me, who ask only that remarkably dear cables be audibly superior. Not different, superior. My fingerprints differ from yours, but I’d hesitate to make a qualitative comparison and share it with many when you've never listed your sources componets or speaker wires.

Oh well, audiophile cables invite controversy. Such is their fate. Pocket-protector types – polyester pants and comb-overs also do too.

 

[Robin]

Okay...Here is my findings and opinions on the Nordost lower priced IC's. I was not going to post this, but some of the members publicly and privately wanted me to.

Dan,

I appreciate your exuberence, initiating and following through in fine style, with your test, of the above listed IC cables. You have given me much to concider and relate to, when concidering IC cabling. I realize your test was subjective (your oppinion), but you have diffiinately inspired, challeged and got me thinking about the quality and type of sound, which is possible, in my system, according to my taste. I will take your sound advice (pun diffinately intended) and try out IC's on my own, as you suggested. Because, ultimately, as I am sure you would agree, I have to, "Trust My Ears"...

Thanks again, as always, for you excellent help and advice.

-Robin

 

[DTB300]

I decline to huff and puff over what something costs.

Then you must have enough $$$ not to worry about cost. And there are many companies out there that love this kind of buyer who will purchase something strictly based on the cost of the item - even for a slight improvement. There are many of us where $$$ is THE major player in decision making - if we do not huff and puff then companies will continue to try to "rake us over the coals" for products. .

Paying extravagant sums for old baseball cards, comic books, Swatch watches and the like strikes me as screwy, yet the world is large enough for collectors of scarce junk to exist in rapprochement with the likes of you and me, who ask only that remarkably dear cables be audibly superior. Not different, superior.

(I stated this earlier in the thread) And like all other products in our society, if someone will pay the price for something, let it be high priced cables, high prices cars, high prices TV's, etc. etc. they will keep making them. Once the masses stop paying these kind of prices, either the products will cease to exist, or the prices will be reduced.

And in regards to "audibly superior" cables....there comes a point of performance versus cost and as the cost of the Nordost cables went up, the performance did not go up accordingly. There is no way that the performance of the Red Dawn doubled over the performance of Blue Heaven, and the same with Blue Heaven over Solar Wind.

My fingerprints differ from yours, but I’d hesitate to make a qualitative comparison and share it with many when you've never listed your sources componets or speaker wires.

My sources have been listed before in many threads but since you are new here to posting.... CLSIIz's, SA-102, SP16L, DVP-NS999ES (heavily modified) Feel free to make your comparisons as it does not change my opinions on these cables in my system - and their performance versus cost comparisons. What you find in your system, and what others find in their system will ALL BE DIFFERENT - that is a fact that all audiophiles know. That is what makes cables such a challenge in our hobby - one opinion or many opinions, will NEVER convey what someone will hear in their own system. This is the TRUTH of cables that all controversies agree on.

Dan

 

[DavidG]

T

What you find in your system, and what others find in their system will ALL BE DIFFERENT - that is a fact that all audiophiles know. That is what makes cables such a challenge in our hobby - one opinion or many opinions, will NEVER convey what someone will hear in their own system. This is the TRUTH of cables that all controversies agree on.

Dan

This is why the 'cable debate' can never be resolved! Cables form a link in the signal path of our systems and a given cable will perform differently depending on the components it is connected to. This is why one of my most frequent pieces of advice is 'trust your ears' - if it works for you, then it's good and worth going for, otherwise you shouldn't buy it.

However, there are so many products out there that we all need some sort of information to give us something to audition before we can make our minds up.

Cheers,

David

 

[DTB300]

However, there are so many products out there that we all need some sort of information to give us something to audition before we can make our minds up.

But what information would that be? They have tried the scientific approach and electronic values do not equate to a specific sound. Even with same equipment we have room acoustics (a major player), power quality, our own ability or inability to hear certain frequencies, and so on. Resulting in again with differences in sound. So even listing my equipment as the other poster requested really means nothing. They could own the exact same thing with completely different results due to items I listed above.

So while we may be able to start off with some sort of baseline with information or recommendations of people you trust for what they hear, it all comes down to personal preferences and what sounds good in your system - this is the best cable!!

Personally I agree with Tascam, the cable industry has extreme profit margin markups on higher costing cables which do not equate into a substantially or equally higher quality of sound reproduction. But like all the other EXPENSIVE things in our lives we each have to decide if the cost versus performance is worth it - for some it is yes, for me no. I will use my extra money saved to purchase music to listen to and not worry about the small minute changes I "could" have had.

Dan

 

[SugarMedia]

Well, for me, I love my SPM's and Red Dawns. I feel I got great value for the price paid and a sonic difference that was definitely noticeable and pleasing.

I Hope some on lookers will give them a try, and see if they do well in your system, as they have done in mine.

Further technical reading:
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_3_4/v3n4f.html
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_2_1/flatln.html

 

[DTB300]

Well, for me, I love my SPM's and Red Dawns. I feel I got great value for the price paid and a sonic difference that was definitely noticeable and pleasing.

I'll be glad to quote you...and will even leave it in BOLD font.

Funny...one of the reviews you posted for "further reading" confirms exactly what I heard. BH too smooth when they used with Tube Amps, and the Red Dawn fit the bill - due its brighter nature.

Like I have always stated...you have made a good purchase since you like the cables and found the cost versus performance is worth it.

 

[SugarMedia]

...and I knew you'd be the one.

 

[SugarMedia]

I will post differences between my own Blue Heaven and the new Frey and Heimdall interconnects soon, because I will get them on demo shortly! See attachment for picture of the Frey.

Greetings Garmtz- Here's a reply from Nordost on the New Cables.

"Tyr, Frey and Heimdall are indeed built on the technology of Valhalla and Valkyrja. Our intent was to make more affordable cables that utilized the Mono-Filament technology. In September we will be releasing matching speaker cables as well to each of those lines. "

MSRP for each of these as a 1 meter with RCA’s

Tyr $1,799.99 USD
Frey $899.99 USD
Heimdall $599.99 USD

 

[DTB300]

...and I knew you'd be the one.

And I knew you would be disappointed if I didn't

 

[DavidG]

Greetings Garmtz- Here's a reply from Nordost on the New Cables.

"Tyr, Frey and Heimdall are indeed built on the technology of Valhalla and Valkyrja. Our intent was to make more affordable cables that utilized the Mono-Filament technology. In September we will be releasing matching speaker cables as well to each of those lines. "

MSRP for each of these as a 1 meter with RCA’s

Tyr $1,799.99 USD
Frey $899.99 USD
Heimdall $599.99 USD

I guess that rules them out for me - they go beyond what I call 'real world' pricing!! To me, Nordost have a strange view of what is 'more affordable'!!

Cheers,

David

 

[garmtz]

I will also get the loudspeaker cables on demo... If they are worth THAT MUCH more than the Blue Heaven will be reported here!

 

[Jean-Marie]

I guess that rules them out for me - they go beyond what I call 'real world' pricing!! To me, Nordost have a strange view of what is 'more affordable'!!

More affordable meant just a little bit cheaper, but just a little bit.

Hey Guy, if you don't have enough $$$ to buy nordost cable, just go to "Best Buy" ))

 

[DavidG]

More affordable meant just a little bit cheaper, but just a little bit.

Hey Guy, if you don't have enough $$$ to buy nordost cable, just go to "Best Buy" ))

Oh, I run Nordost speaker cables (6m runs of Blue Heaven), but I wouldn't pay the extra for something that only gives a very slight improvement. For interconnects, I've found VdH to be about the best out there for my equipment.

Cheers,

David

 

[Jean-Marie]

Oh,I wouldn't pay the extra for something that only gives a very slight improvement.

I fully agree with you,

It was just a joke

JM

 

[garmtz]

I am playing devil's advocate here, but I have the following thought for you: the distributor for Nordost here claims that even the least expensive new interlink (Heimdall) is better than the much more expensive older Quattro Fil. Maybe Nordost found out that they needed to release a new product priced under the Quattro Fil but at least it's performance? Is the Heimdall a slightly improved and better looking version of Quattro Fil for a much lower price...?

....Or did their production costs go down siginificantly due to new techniques for making the mono-fil cables (it IS a very complex process, NOBODY else can do it!), so they can down-price these cables?

I will be getting demo pairs of all three models this evening and will test the following days...

 

[garmtz]

Well, I have done some prelimenary listening with the Heimdall, Frey and Tyr and have come to the conclusion that the cables are MUCH better than Blue Heaven (they better SHOULD be... ). The Blue sounds rolled of in the highs compared to the mono-fils (still, it is a very open sounding cable by 'normal' standards) and less defined all across the sound spectrum.

I definitely like the Tyr (most expensive) best, because it has a lot more control than the other two cables. Will test some more the next couple of days,

 

[garmtz]

I have now listened some more and have decided that the Heimdall is LESS musically compelling than the Blue Heaven! The Frey is much better than the Heimdall and really is worth the extra money. The Tyr is still the most controlled, best 3D imaging and extreme subtlety, along with high 'let's keep listening for a bit longer'. My next interlink!

 

[MarkNewbie]

Based on this thread, I....

Dan,

Thanks for getting this thread started. I purchased a set of Nordost Blue Heaven speaker cables as a result of this thread and all of the reccomendations made. I bought them online and should get them early next week. I plan on auditioning them and if I like them, I will keep them, if not, they go on audiogon. Since these are brand spanking new, am I looking at a break in period here? If so, how long in hours? I want to make sure that I give them a proper audition.

Thanks folks,

Mark