Hi @teajay
Thanks for following up with the question. Regarding the differences between the Valkyrie and the Njoyrd, I'd have to say the Njord is better. As it should be, for the very high price. The Valkyrie unseated my previous SPDIF cable, the wonderful sounding Cardas Clear. The Cardas is a superb cable and if I'd never heard anything from Jena Labs I'd be a happy camper. The Njord was better and the Valkyrie shares many of the qualities of the Njord.
Personally, I hate it that wires make a difference. I wish they didn't. I wish that every time I compared cables I couldn't hear a difference. But they do. More pedestrian wires will carry the signal. I don't know why they result in a sound that is smaller, less rich, nuanced and performance-transparent.
That's my experience.