I found them to be stunning. Incredible speed, resolution, etc. That being said, I also have to admit that I found myself listening to music less and less with them in the system. Looking back, I think they revealed so much information that the mind was constantly looking at all this new information, which led to listener fatigue, at least to me. I found that I got 90% of the resolution with Stealth Dream power cords, but could listen for longer periods of time, the Dreams were a bit more musical.
I'll still say that if I was demo'ing hifi equipment, I'd use the Valhalla cords, as they will really impress folks. I just found that I couldn't live with them long term. YMMV. |
Hello Tom, thanks, how have you been? I stopped over at Earl's place just before Christmas. His system is sounding terrific. He has all the BAT/Nordost stuff, like you I believe. He has his Avalon speakers, what are you driving again? |
LOL! So your system is VERY similar to Earl's!! Do you also have a VPI/Dynavector analog front end? |
Nordost Valhalla Power Cords
.....a question directed to the owners as well as the past owners of these power cords. Just your thoughts on these power cords...as I have mine and just want to see / hear what you think.
Garebear Alright Gary, I'm still waiting for your thoughts. As for mine, as someone who is just leaving the Nordost cable camp for the second time, I'd like to say that I've learned my lesson and I won't be back, but that would probably be a lie. Actually, I can't say that I'm totally sans Nordost, because I'm still using a pair of Heimdall interconnects between preamp and amp. They do have their place, Nordost cables add speed and resolution to any system. However, I have found, that when I went all Nordost, power cords, interconnects and speaker cables, that my system started to sound too clinical, not organic enough for my tastes. It doesn't seem to matter whether I was using the Valhalla line like in the good old days when money was more easy to come by, or my current attempt with Heimdall and Brahma, I've come to the same conclusion. Now I'm sure that I could probably find some equipment and speakers that are warm enough where this would not be the case. I've played with enough gear to know that pretty much anything can be made to sound good with the right cables, and any cables can sound good if mated with the right gear. Currently my system is sounding pretty good, though I am still looking for the right speaker cables. I've tried several different brands, but have not found a winner yet. I did put the Nordost Heimdall speaker cables back in again yesterday, and I know that they are NOT the answer, just as the Analysis Plus Solo Crystal 8 I'm listening to now is not the answer. However, by replacing the Brahma with Elrod and Purist Audio power cords, I am much closer to what I want my rig to sound like than before. Granted, I still have the Heimdall interconnect from pre to amp, my source ic's are Jade Vermeil and PAD Venustas. Overall my experiences in a nutshell: Some Nordost in my system = very good All Nordost in my system = not so good |
It sounds like your experiences are similar to mine Gary, except that I've had the same problems when going all Purist too. That too much of a good thing is not good. At this point, I have a mix of Nordost and Purist in my system. Whenever I've tried to go fully in one direction or the other I have found that the further I go down one road with a single manufacturer, the more their flaws become apparent.
I haven't lived happily (at least two years) with one manufacturer's cables since my days with the Tara Labs Decade in the early-mid 90's. I've tried many times without success. Jade Aduio and Stealth Audio came the closest to fulfilling that goal, but even then I discovered that my system sounded better when I mixed Jade with Stealth. |
Been there, done that Sidekick_i, but by all means, knock yourself out, it just might work.....for you.
That's the thing about this cable business, what works for me or you, usually doesn't work for someone else. It is a very subjective topic. |
@Sidekick_i, yes, I have had Nordost throughout my system....twice. That's what I meant by "been there, done that". It didn't work for me, but that doesn't mean that it can't work for you.
Nordost is intoxicatingly transparent, but both times I found out that the further I went down that road, the more clinical or anemic the music began to sound. I know others that love it, so it's just a matter of tastes and system matching. I've found that Nordost sounds best with warmer sounding gear, equipment that needs a little extra life or resolution. Just be careful, too much of a good thing can become bad.
As always, YMMV. |
02-15-13: Sidekick_i
I believe the Nordost products (and Valhalla in particular) to be extremely open, transparent and revealing cables. What you hear is not the cables, but the quality(or faults...) of your system (in your room). Good or bad. I sort of agree with you. While I do agree that Nordost products are extremely open, transparent and revealing, I find that most who really appreciate Nordost use warm sounding components or damp their rooms to balance that Nordost effect. Or maybe their systems/rooms were too dark to begin with and the Nordost brought in the light. Then again, I also know some who are what I consider 'detail freaks'. They don't listen to the music per se, they are listening to what is happening behind the music. You know the type: "Did you just hear that fly fart behind the piano??". From my experiences there is no doubt that the Nordost cable line is a great way to impress your friends. I just found that, in the long run, listening fatigue set in earlier and earlier, and I was no longer enjoying the music. If this does not happen with you, maybe your room is darker, or maybe your gear is darker or maybe your tastes are brighter, who knows? There are many ways to liven up the sound of a system, using Nordost cables is certainly one of them. Whatever floats your boat. |
@Audiolabyrinth, have you heard Stealth Audio cables? Sakra, Indra, Dream? I ask because they share some similar sonic attributes with Tara Labs cables, IMHO. |
@Audiolabyrinth, Stealth Audio is a US cable company, they operate out of Maryland. They are not that new either, they have been around for 10 years or so. I haven't been as far up the Tara Labs line as you have, the furthest I've been is The One series. As for Stealth, I have owned their Dream power cords and Indra and Metacarbon interconnects, as well as their Hybrid MLT speaker cables.
Stealth is very 3 dimensional and airy up top like the Tara Labs The One series that I've heard, both cables are fairly neutral midbands with just a slight trace of warmth when compared to the Nordost line.
I would say that the Stealth line had a definitive edge in bass, both in definition and power. Again, the Stealth I was listening to was their top of the line at the time, while I haven't heard Tara's top of the line. However, I think that sonically, these two manufacturers have a lot in common.
I've long been a fan of Tara Labs cables, I had the Temporal Continuum line, before the RSC technology over 20 years ago. I had a full system of the TL Decade in the mid 90's. I 'discovered' Stealth about 5 years ago, and enjoyed many of their offerings. I still feel that the Stealth Dream power cord is the best that I've ever heard. I haven't heard the V10 or more recent efforts off Serguei though. |
@Audiolabyrinth, I am sure that Tara's top models are stunning, I wish I could afford to listen to them myself. Alas, only so much time, money and too many toys to try. One can never find the time/money to try them all.
Enjoy the Tara cables, I'm sure they are marvelous! |
LOL!! Thanks Audiolabyrinth, hopefully one day I will be wealthy enough to buy that. I never paid more than about $2500 for a used interconnect (Stealth Indra), and those days appear to be over due to economic circumstances (job loss).
Hey, maybe I could sell a kidney.....hahaha |
