@ghdprentice over the course of the last month I’ve ordered some Odin Gold RCA interconnects from 3 different vendors, at similar prices, all using pictures that don’t allow you to tell differences if there are any as you purchase them.
-The first order sounds very good, connectors are on the flimsy side but, the inside construction mimics the genuine HoloPlugs, with low mass design, and great sound.
-the second order, with STRICTLY IDENTICAL WIRE, had more solid feeling plugs that were unfortunately impossible to take apart, that only LOOKED remotely like Holoplugs from the outside but on closer look are just basic heavy brass (? or worse) connectors with thick metal construction. Those cables sounded truly awful, flat and dead and "dark", like a low-pass filter had been used. I returned them all (without any hassle).
-the third and last order came from a store that I’m accustomed to and never disappoints (AudioConnector store) and I thought would be identical to the first order, but it is NOT. This time the wire itself is slightly different (you can see it when you lay the cables side by side) and the plugs are yet another version of the Holoplugs, similar to the first order with low mass connectors, but a bit more solid feeling. This cable sounds great too, very slightly different from the first one, but very good.
All this to say, there are indeed many variants which use the same stock photos and are sold at similar prices, and it can be a real crapshoot. Get the best ones, and you will be rewarded with sound quality way above the asking price. Get the wrong ones, and you will wonder what the fuss is all about. My advice would be to stick with products that show the best buyer reviews, and sellers that consistently sell you good sounding cables. Having the possibility to return without hassle is also recommended, some sellers offer that option, some don’t.
Are they giant killers? I never owned any truly high end cables, but I’ve owned a few different VanDenhul including the full carbon offerings, a few entry-level Nordost, QED (well ok that’s definitely entry level), Mogami (just for a try), Fadel Arts, and I’ve tried a couple of Dutch pure silver cables whose brand name I forgot (very small company). All those cables (if you exclude the Mogami) were 2 to 4x more expensive than the average "Nordeast Odin" cables, probably more than that for the Dutch silver cables, and I vastly prefer the Chinese cables in my system. Doesn’t make them giant killers, but good value - which isn’t so bad already.
I also have a couple of internet buddies who have replaced their 3K to 5K cables with fake Odin, which is maybe more a matter of system synergy, or personal taste, but it’s worth mentioning - without making too much fuss about it. In the end, is it reasonable to compare a 60$ cable with a 6000$ cable? I’m not sure. The fact that, in some cases, it can come close enough, sure is impressive but might just be some very subjective opinion. After all, there are people who PREFER to use 30$ Mogami cables.
Then there are the power cables. Those are quite new to me, in general, as I kept the stock cables for very long. And I don’t have much to compare. But, there’s a HUUUUUGE gap between, say, a DIY effort based on Ollflex cable, or a similar "artisanal" entry level sold through eBay or Amazon, and a similarly priced fake Odin. The last Odin Gold power cord I purchased, which looks cheesy as hell and costs just 58$ for about 4 feet, may very well be the very best power cord I own, instantly bringing my system up a few notches, with better midrange detail, much deeper stage, blacker backgrounds, tighter bass, better transparency... not something that usually happens with a 58$ power cord. Hell, with most 58$ power cords, you barely hear any difference.
In the end, it’s all a lot of fun, with some (rare, in my case) disappointments along the way, and not much money spent.