Seeking Opinions on Nordost Cables

Low end Nordost are just OK cables, they can be a little thin. I found other brands to be superior. However, upper end cables and interconnects are stunning. Detailed without a hint of harshness… natural and nuanced. I had the privilege of having a set of Odin 2 interconnects in my system for a couple weeks. They were simply astonishing.

As @Akg_ca points out they are system dependent. I tried a pretty high end Nordost (one level below Odin) AES interconnect between my streamer and DAC and it sound terrible… I mean actively bad. No idea why.

I have experience with most of their product lines, stick with Valhalla or Odin.

@ghdprentice

+1 on all points , with an emphasis on taking a hard pass on their low-end strata models and going to their better model lines

Another two personal experiences to relay:

(1) When I moved into the upper NORDOST model lines, a special and ethereal symbiosis was evident when I upgraded to a FULL like brand model (or better). That means all of ICs, speaker, and power cables as an “array” or “ loom”,

The audio performance improvement uptick now from a prior ad hoc mix of varying cable brands was clear and unambiguous,

(2) I found many other competing cable brands at the lower price-point budget strata, that easily bested their NORDOST LEIF strata competitors in audio performance, and available at a lower price. These included inter alia, CHORD, ATLAS, AUDIENCE, BIS, CRIMSON, AUDITORIUM, FURUTECH, OYAIDE, et al.

Personally, changing from an all-NORDOST FREY full array to full a CARDAS CLEAR array was a clear and unambiguous upgrade in audio performance in MY system, (emphasis added )

if someone asked me which is the ultimate GOAT cable brand and model I have ever auditioned ….. it would be a NORDOST ODIN full array at several audio expos.. Of course, they were part of a $500K+ and a $1 Million two-channel audio system respectively. It’s only the oxygen breather audiophiles (this ODIN $$$$$ strata excludes me) with like stratospheric $$$$$ audio systems that can dutifully warrant the full benefit provided by the ODINS, AND .,,,these fans can actually afford these thin-air strata cable indulgences as their available “best” choices.

FWIW.

@uavnola 

I purchased a pair of Valhalla 2 XLRs from my source (DAC) into my preamp. I have an all-McIntosh system, excluding my external DAC. McIntosh has beautiful bass/midrange but lacks a little sparkle on top. 

Upon inserting the Valhallas, the top end had far more "sparkle and realism" , however, I did lose some of the warmth in the midrange. I would say the midrange is more accurate now. It took me a little time to get used to this clarity, but now I am accustomed to it and really enjoy that accuracy. 

Better Nordost cable are overpriced. Better look for alternative.

It’s amazing to me that the OP seems to have gone on vacation after posting. Why are you wasting your time answering this?