I have symphony's with Talon X's and Tenor 75's and they're great!. I heard a pair of valkyre's last week in my system and they weren't settled in from travel, but they are marginally diffrent and in this case lower volume and less detailed. While I couldn't anticipate this or explain it, it did occur. I haven't heard the Nordost Reference. My speaker cables are Jena 15's. It's wide open and detailed with extended bass and highs.
Bill E.