@roxy54

Absolutely, yes, I did buy some. That was not a good thing. I thought about it. Realizing that if I never resell them that harm is somewhat mitigated. I will not be recommending them to anyone or buy any more. Experiment complete.

I have spent over thirty years working all over the world in global manufacturing and logistics. The purchase also provides food for a few poor Chinese, so, there is that. I have been in factories all over China. Most produce good and not stolen products. Most have benefited them and us. Like all things there are exceptions. Because China does not have patent laws more goes on there than in most other countries. Much happens in off beat factories as are producing these clones. 

@ghdprentice 

I do understand your thinking on this. I was too harsh.

Regarding the ethical question, if I buy something which is a copy and know it is a copy is that a problem? If a local artist paints a copy of Vincent van Goghs starry night and I like it and pay him $500 for it has anything unethical occurred? I don’t think there is an ethical question here since everyone in this discussion knows these cables are copies. The only problem occurs is it people buy them and attempt to resell them as the genuine article, which I agree is disturbing. 

+1 hdm Thanks for the thorough report comparing the Odin Gold to the real Valhallas. FWIW, I read the review of the real Odin to the Valhallas, to the Odin 2s. The reviewer preferred the Odin 2s

Initially, I stuck my toe in the unknown waters of NEARdost Odin 2s, eventually completely redoing all my cables, except from the 20amp dedicated outlet to my CorePower 1800, for which I bought a <$50 PC from Amazon on a recommendation from a local 'phile. It was so good I bought a second one for my Audio Alchemy DDP-1s PS 5 outboard LPS. I then tried a Gold PC for my Voyager 350 GaN amp, then a second one for my DDP-1 Dac/Pre. Liking what they did (warmer and yet more open) I bought a Odin Gold XLR, which I just got yesterday. Warming the system up now to compare/replace the Odin 2s 

@roxy54 wrong again:

Yep the H word in Mandarin.

Description: When a person attempts to justify an action against another person because the other person did take or would take the same action against him or her.

Logical Forms:

Person 1 did X to person 2.

Therefore, person 2 is justified to do X to person 1.

Person 1 believes that person 2 would do X to person 1.

Therefore, person 1 is justified to do X to person 2.

Example #1:

Jimmy stole Tommy’s lunch in the past.

Therefore, it is acceptable for Tommy to steal Jimmy’s lunch today.

Explanation: It was wrong for Jimmy to steal Tommy’s lunch, but it is not good reasoning to claim that Tommy stealing Jimmy’s lunch would make the situation right.  What we are left with, are two kids who steal, with no better understanding of why they shouldn’t steal.

Example #2:

It looks like the waiter forgot to charge us for the expensive bottle of champagne.  Let’s just leave -- after all, if he overcharged us, I doubt he would chase us down to give us our money back that we overpaid.

Explanation: Here the reasoning is a bit more fallacious because we are making an assumption of what the waiter might do.  Even if that were true, two ripoffs don’t make the situation right.

Exception: There can be much debate on what exactly is “justified retribution” or “justified preventative measures”.

Fun Fact: Three lefts make a right.