rickysnit
39 posts
I checked Ghent out, they use AliExpress material!! Palic Chinese connectors, 'Canare' cable, that's funny...
Ghent's Canare cables are genuine Canare. At least those that I have personally bought and still own.
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.
920 responses
@jetter : I understand that completely. Belden, Gotham, Mogami too. My point is you cannot accuse Ghent for being dishonest or lying for using "canare" as someone put in parentheses above. |
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Did you look to see if the internal wire clamping plates of the connector plugs were also plated? Is the shielding grounded only to the male plug? |
@decooney it states on most listings... "Free Return - Return for any reason within 15 days" - I've also noticed they have an US based address to return items to. |
@bfb1963 yes the connector plates are plated and silver in color, the screws appear to be brass and are gold. No shielding connected on this 12 strand braided cord… |
Good to know. Thanks for the follow-up @kray. That sure makes it easier for those who are wondering and want to give something a try. There ya go!
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Update: After getting several more hours in with this braided silver plated power cord I have to say it was mesmerizing initially… the details and clarity really stood out but it is just too much for my system. I felt the mids suffered a bit and the highs, which are really good and jump out at you, are just fatiguing. Didn’t get the sense the cable was improving with more playing time. I have gone back to my DIY Chinese KimberKable 12TC ($7 per meter) with added ground helix. Warmer, fuller midrange sound, nice smooth bass, more real sounding, nice clear highs non fatiguing and the cable continues to improve with use. Amazing value but for $’s you can do better. |
I bought a pair cardas clear knockoffs just because I had an original pair and was real curious,both xlr...took about a month free shipping.when I got them I literally wrapped them with some blue tape so as not too confuse...visually they are identical, it's scarey...too me in my system I can't tell the difference ...if there is it's so minute it certainly not worth 100s more for original ones |
I received this Odin Gold power cord yesterday (EU version), installed it on my analogue active crossover (where I didn't think it would have much impact) and HOLY CRAP. from the very first second, the scene widened, deepened, mids are smooth and liquid, detail is there but zero agressivity, this is so far the best power cord I've tried in my system - and it's a cheapie! Small gauge, tho, so probably not suitable for power amps or subwoofers. Now my impressions are from a brand new PC, so we will see how it evolves after burn in, but in all logic it can only get better (after some rollercoaster with difficult moments of course). Fingers crossed!
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Well, my second chinese order was for some spades and AC plugs that I placed with the Furukawa Flagship Store went astray. I ordered 2 items. One item was received but contained only half of the item. The other item never arrived. (Been over a month now). Very poor communications. I guess I am SOL and I’ll just have to accept the fact that I got stiffed, glad it wasn’t too expensive. So, others be careful don’t buy anything from this supplier. ozzy |
Good to hear you hear an improvement. What are you comparing it to, and what is your system. Power cords can make a significant difference in sound quality. I certainly have heard it and choose mine with many comparisons. There is a place under your UserID to put photos and identify your system, this way you need only do it once. You can see my systems there. |
@rolox I think there is 3x 16ga solid core runs for each positive and negative leg. This adds up to a fairly decent gauge power cable. Enough for most power amps IMO. |
I've taken the plunge and ordered a few items from Quincrown Audio. They shipped in one day, have answered all questions within hours and UPS have notified me the package is in thier system. Scheduled to arrive in 10 days. Will give a full report after trying them out. Cheap entertainment if nothing else. https://www.aliexpress.com/store/911734184?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.2b9e1802y5jKHg |
I purchased several thousands of dollars in four separate purchases from RM Digital https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1101704701?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.1c0218025ae1Uo They were transacted on PayPal. They have a great Valhalla 2 speaker wire clone and the Odin Gold Power. They both were better than my Valhalla 1 speaker and power and Purist Dominus ferox power, old Elrod statement 2, and Kubala emotion power. I never had an Odin gold or Valhalla 2 to compare with. Shipments take a month to arrive (in early 2022). |
Well my XLR neardost odin 2’s showed up yesterday. The connectors were as @rolox described, with the rear plastic shell. I put one pair of the clones between my preamp and amp, and the other between dac and pre. I definitely noticed a difference, more detail, more air, and maybe more specificity in separation of instruments. But at the same time, a little lean, and dry in the mids. Wasn’t really sure how I felt about it. I’d intended to just listen with the new interconnects, but impatience got the better of me a I hooked up the pair of the flat Valhalla clone speaker cables. Holy smokes! That was a change for the better, and not a subtle one. I think the best way to describe it is to say that if my cables were photos, the old ones were slightly out of focus, and with too little contrast, and that has now been resolved. It really felt like something that I hadn’t realized was between me and the music had been removed. On one song, I actually heard distinct soft backup vocals that I’d never realized were there. It was eerie. Still kind of wondering about the interconnects tho, although I’ve only had a chance to listen to them for a couple hours.
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I was picking up on informal nomenclature I’d seen others use in this thread. Apologies, I didn’t mean to confuse you. Are you intending to carry on with burning the cables you received? If so, I look forward to reading your results. Your initial impressions were somewhat discouraging, and your experience with the real deal provides valuable context.
These are the cables I ordered:
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@rfnoise give them time. All the Chinese Odin have one thing in common: they change, sometimes dramatically, during burn in, and always for the better. they will mellow down, be more dynamic, and bass will be less restrained. What I do sometimes is go to YouTube, select some burn-in tracks (there are many) or pink noise track (most of those are around 10hours) and, if I have to burn in interconnects, I just turn off the power amp, and push the preamp almost to the max (let's say, volume at 2pm) then go away and just let it play for hours. It really helps. of course, it's less practical for speaker cables ^^ haha |
So, in the meantime, the Gold power cord I received last week is burning in nicely, and is getting better every day. I don't know where it will stop, but right now, the improvement in sound a single new PC made to my system brings me tears of joy every time I listen. This power cord is magical, guys, it has no right to be so good at that price. CRAZY GOOD.
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Thank you. I understand the slang now. You just never know… it sounds like something you could purchase if the manufacturer / vendor had a bit of integrity.
Yes, I have been breaking in the fake Odin 2. I get about 16 hours a day. They are around 70 hours or so. I thought I would give them a try in a few days.
I had been fiddling with my EtherRegen in my system. I took it out and it made no difference. Then I noticed although the Ethernet cable on the streamer side was high quality but the Ethernet cable on the wall wart extender side was a cheap one. Of course, I expected no different. But guess what, there was. So, I am evaluating / getting accustom to the change. Hopefully, I’ll be up to thy the Fake Odin 2 this weekend. |
I tested them between my DAC and Preamp on my main system. My systems are shown under my UserID. Aurender W20SE streamer, Audio Research Reference CD9se DAC, Audio Research Reference 6SE Preamp, Audio Research Reference 160m mono blocks.
If you want to play around with them I would put them as close to the source as possible. That should give you the most impact for your evaluation. |
Audit this. If you are paying any tax on Ali Express it is not being paid to the taxing authority in the state you reside in. only a fool would think that. Oh, I have a few thing but I do not blatantly support counterfeit products or buy direct from CCP controlled entity’s. Unlike you my preference is to support small businesses in North America and the EU. A few dollars multiplied by how many transactions? The Counterfeit Cable Cartel’s.
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Okay @melm you are right: I stand corrected on the Tax. This also should also allow prosecution for selling counterfeit goods in those states. LOL FAT CHANCE AliExpress and Alibaba, AliExpress’s parent company, certainly have an economic presence in the US. AliExpress has warehouses and drop shippers all over the US, while Alibaba has U.S sellers and small businesses.
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@melm Until recently, in order for a company to be required to collect sales taxes and remit them to a state the selling entity had to have nexus. Nexus back then basically required some type of physical presence. If the company did not have nexus so was not required to collect sales tax you, the purchaser, were expected to self-assess yourself sales tax and pay it to your state, usually via your individual state income tax return. Then, due to the proliferation of online sales, all but two states have adopted a rule that if a company has an excess of a certain amount of sales to a state, even online sales, they now have nexus. The minimum amount of these sales for most states is $100,000, and for some it is $250,000 and a few others $500,000. So, if a company does not have sales equal to or exceeding these amounts there is no requirement for them to collect sales tax and you are expected to self access and pay the sales tax to the state. |
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Going to eat a little crow here. I have stated I don't hear the differences between cables. Maybe that's because I have been comparing one high quality cable to another. When I first installed my new Chinese cables I thought they sounded good. But tonight I sat down for some critical listening and realized the sound was missing something. It was compressed and the soundstage was smaller. I switched back to my Morrow RCAs and Fidelium speaker cables and BAM the sound was back. So maybe you can't get $2000 sound from a $200 cable. Will the fake cables open up with use? For now I will admit the better quality cables bring better sound. Still doubt spending $5000 on speaker cables would sound much better than my much cheaper Fideliums. |
@derekw_hawaii @rfnoise I did in fact delete two previous posts. As my comments were not supported by my recent listening, I didn't want to be misleading anyone with prior praise of the cables. Like I said, eating crow. I had about 20 hours play on the cables which I know is not enough. I will continue to brake them in using a white noise disc. |
