New Nordost Cable Valkyrja

I tried the Valkyrja cables a month ago. I thought they were quite good. I have Quattro Fils in the system now, and I also have the Shunyata Aries interconnects. The Valkyrja is clearly more transparent, especially from the upper midrange up.
Interestingly enough, Jonathan Valim made a comment in the most recent TAS, while comparing another interconnect to the Valhallas, that the Valhallas were gently tipped up at the top and light in the bass regions...
I hear it as more "light" on the soundstage as in, say, a 50 watt bulb in contrast to a 100 watt bulb. That was the most noticeable difference between it and the Quattro Fils. But that open upper midrange is gorgeous! Wow. I see how important it is to have that if one is to experience a true sense of "openness" in the musical presentation.
As for TAS not writing negative reviews, I have to disagree quite strongly. Reading this thread, I'd think you all are recent readers of the magazine, 'cause us 'old timers' (20 years or more of reading) saw PLENTY of not so good reviews. I think what you might be seeing is newer reviewers who have a bit less experience with live music or are less observant than the "star" [read: older} reviewers, hence the reviews seem less critical of the component under review - and that's quite a bit different than suggesting that the mags all give good reviews. They don't. That's why HP hasn't written about SACD much: he didn't like it and didn't want to give thumbs down to component after component.
Back to the Valkyrja: it's a great interconnect, regardless of what else out there might be "better."

I just received a pair of Valkyrja interconnects that I'll be comparing to my Valhalla's. There currently on my CDP (EMC-1UP) and burning in around the clock.

I'll then do A/B testing with direct comparison to the Valhalla. System being evaluated consists of the aforementioned CDP, Pass X-1/X-250, Maggie 3.6, Elrod Sigs. 2 and 3, Anaconda VX, Audio Magic.

There is a review this month in the UK magazine HiFi+. The basic message is these are as close to Valhalla as one can get without buying a Valhalla, but not quite Valhalla level.

Neal

Saxman2,
How much do you think the new Valkyrja compared to the valhalla percentage wise? Let us know how it turn out?

I'm trying them in my system at this time. If
you like other Nordost cables you will like the Valkyrja.
They remind of the Vahalla's. With the Tenor amps I still
prefer the Jena Labs. I'm sure they'll work well in many
systems.

I know we're going off the subject of Nordost here but I totally concur with Sdcampbell on HiFi+.

Comment to Kn1:

I think most of the high-end audio mags suffer from the "Will Rogers" syndrome: they never met a component they didn't like. Hence, the issue ot trusting what a review says holds equally true for Stereophile, TAS, etc. (although I will say that TAS seems more inclined in the last year to offer critical or negative observations).

On balance, however, I find more reviews in HiFi+ with either negative or ambivalent comments than is generally true for the American high-end publications. If I have a criticism of HiFi+, it's their slant toward tube components made by very small manufacturers that have no real presence outside the British market. On the plus side, this approach gives U.S. audiophiles an exposure to gear we rarely see on this side of the pond. Also, I like the recording reviews in HiFi+ -- I have learned about some excellent recordings that I would not have acquired otherwise. HiFi+ also has the classiest graphics layout of any high-end mag on the market.

A l meter cable runs 2000.00 RCA, add 50.00 for XLR and a 2 meter speaker cable runs 4000.00. Fraction of the Valhalla indeed, Gthirteen was close.

SO, how much for 1 Meter pair RCA??

Sdcampbell, I do not know what's going on with the HiFi+ magazine in the UK, but ALL their reviews are always positive. Do you really trust them?

Musiclover58,
I already had a reference system my friend, used to own all valhalla cable throughout just want to try new toy that all, isn't this hobbies igs all about? My friend

Tom, you should consider to save your money to get the Reference system rather than always chasing cables after cables...!!! Am I right? Good luck my friend.

HiFi+, the British high-end audio publication, has a review of the Valkyrja cables in their current issue (#23). The review is very positive, so you may want to find a copy of the mag and read the entire article. The final paragraph of the review concludes with the following statement:

" A product that follows in the footsteps of a flagship that changed perceptions and raised the performance bar can never seem as exciting. However, Valkyrja brings the reality (a word I chose carefully) of mono-filament performance significantly closer to a great many more people, as well as offering a stepping stone to the stars. Perfect it isn't, but it's nearer perfect than anything I've heard save Valhalla, and as such, it might just be the more important product."

Nordost makes good cables, no doubt about it. However, judging from the standard they set RE: pricing (that, sadly, Audioquest et.al. are now chasing) I'd imagine that the fraction will be somewhere near 8/9 the price of the 'halla.