@tweak1
Nordost seems to swear by the Gold series and the reviews say as much. Although the Odin 2 has a loyal following and certainly can hold its own. Have you compared the 2 to the Gold since you have both (Neardost)? If so, which one you prefer? Keeping in mind that everything is system dependent.
Counterfeit Chinese Cables
I thought that I would write this for those who are curious about one of the many counterfeit Chinese interconnect cables that are available these days. I know that there have been threads about the subject before, and I was always curious because they seem to be such a bargain. I don't really recall much about what any members actually said about the performance of these counterfeit cables, and I didn't look back and do any research, but a couple of months ago there was a thread that came around to discussing the quality of Chinese made components, and oldhvymec said something that made sense to me.
He said that people that say that what they are making is junk should consider that much of what is in our gear, and a lot of our American brands are actually manufactured there. I decided shortly after that that I would take the chance on a set of interconnects, because I suspected that the interconnects going from my pre to my amp were the weak link and needed upgrading. The interconnects going from my DAC to my pre were Kimber Select which are very good, but the other set were LAT International (now defunct) which had cost $500.00 when new, but I had reason to believe they were lacking because I have one of their digital cables that turned out to be very poor sounding in comparison to others I own.
I decided on a one meter pair of counterfeit Nordost Odin interconnects for a total of $104.00 from Aliexpress. I received them a couple of weeks later. They appeared to be well made, and the locking fake WBT rca's were very impressive and are very tight.
First impressions after installing them were light, thin sound, lacking bass. Each couple of days brought improvements, but from the beginning I noticed that they were quieter. Now, weeks later, I can say that they are drastically better that the LAT's in every way. Detail and ambience are much better, but it's the focus and separation of instruments that is most noticeable.
I have no way of knowing if they are really a copy of the Nordost design, but I am impressed enough that I am going to try a counterfeit Nordost digital cable.
Obviously, this isn't a comparison that is useful to most, because there probably isn't anyone here using the LAT's, and everything is system dependent. I just wanted to relay my positive experience.
Showing 20 responses by spenav
Do you know that Cardas also doesn’t return the fake cable to you? So you cannot even return the fake cable to the seller. What a deal!! I pay a fee and lose my money. I will take two. |
Take a look at this website. There are a lot of info there: https://www.nordost.com/downloads/multiLanguage/Odin%20Gold%20Instruction%20manual_ENG.pdf Good luck. |
Like it has been said times and again, the fake Nordost is not in competition with the real one for various reasons that have been pointed out in this thread. Unintendedly, it is doing a number on cables between $50 to $3k+, especially the Gold. Wish they had called it Neardost. That would have solved a lot of ethical and moral conflicts. I always thought that when it comes to cables, there is a certain level where real improvements are really a matter of opinion, personal taste and visual preferences. After trying a set of Neardost PCs in my AGD monos, I realize that I was wrong in at least one count: my current power cables had not reached that level yet. There were rooms for improvement. I will not name the cable that was replaced out of fairness for the manufacturer. |
The products can be different at least in appearance depending on the store. For example, the Odin gold XLR from Nordost has the markings in black on one cable and white on the other. Only one store, RM Digital has it that way. All the other stores have the lettering the same color on both cables. The Gold PC screws are silver everywhere except RM Digital that has them in gold like Nordost. Are the differences only external and cosmetic? I don’t know. The price is also vastly different across the board. RM Digital being the most expensive. To see these details by the way, one needs to magnify the pictures a little. |
You are absolutely right. They are not replicas. I opened a Neardost gold power cable and confirmed that. On the other hand, these power cables have no right to sound the way they do. That part I cannot explain. I know it’s not confirmation or expectation bias, I am always honest with myself. Just cannot unhear what I am hearing. What’s the secret sauce? |
If you look closely, you will be able to tell some difference between the products. For instance, look at the same cable you bought but on RM Digital. Though I don’t know where you purchased yours, I can bet the markings on the cables are the same color: either both silvery white or both black. The real Nordost has the makings on one cable white and on the other black. RM Digital has the markings the same way. The price is probably double what you paid for yours also. It’s my experience that this particular store is more peculiar and their offerings are closer to the original. I can’t vouch for how they sound compared to the other stores but if attention to details any indication… |
Simple, the same reason a Rolex is orders of magnitude more than a plastic digital watch. They both tell time. Someone is willing to pay for it. That’s how the market works. It’s not magic, it’s capitalism. Why a Picasso cost millions and a painting from the flee market cost ten bucks, why a Ferrari cost more than most houses? Hope that helps. |