@ghdprentice
+1 (emphasis added) …. On both counts. This is the best advice you will get in this thread.
from personal experience, avoiding disappointment vis-a-vis something lacking from LEIF model level NORDOST cables is real. I heartily concur that until you move up to their NORSE model levels at a minimum , or preferably better …. look elsewhere. There is a reason why many audio expo exhibitors use NORDOST VALHALLA cables . ( but these are $$$$$)
I’ve owned NORDOST PURPLE FLARE, NORDOST FREY, and NORDOST HEIMDALLs. I’ve auditioned them all in the LEIF and NORSE model range. The FREYS gave me a sweet spot between performance and budget. I also found CHORD RUMOUR and ODYSSEY cables at a lower price outperformed the PURPLE FLAREs and the rest of the LEIF models in my systems,
I also enthusiastically recommend CARDAS CLEAR as my go-to top performer.
I upgraded my entire cables loom to CARDAS CLEAR from NORDOST FREY. The FREYs were very good, but an irritating digital “edge” / and upper level brightness persisted . With the intro to the CC loom, it was thankfully tamed along with an upgrade in audio performance that was not subtle..
