Review: Nordost Red Dawn Interconnect


Category: Cables

I have never been a big believer in high priced cables and had often thought it was just hype. After all, how could those pricey cables make enough difference to justify their cost?

Some of those expensive interconnects I have tried over the years made slight differences in the sound. Some improved the detail slightly, some made the sound bright, and others added more bass, but none of them were worth the $200. to $500. price for such tiny improvements. Was there really a interconnect made that could improve every aspect of the sound and still be affordable?

I was talking to Anthony Padilla of Aberdeen Components one day about different interconnects and he suggested I try a pair of Red Dawns from Nordost. Three days later the Red Dawns arrived and I was ready to give them a try. Now Anthony had already burned the interconnects in, so I could give them a listen without the need to wast weeks before making a decision.

After the first song finished on the Fourplay Heartfelt CD, I knew the Red Dawns were here to stay. The music seemed faster, more detailed, and full. I thought I was listening to a different version of this CD. Instruments I never before heard jumped out of my speakers. The separation of those instruments was astounding. I then played Spyro Gyra
and could not believe what I was hearing, congas off in the distance, trumpets crisp and clear, saxophones smooth and sexy, and keyboards that actually sounded lifelike. These cables revealed every nuance in the music that was simply not achieved by all of the other cables I have tried period.

If you want to hear a huge improvement in your system and have never tried Red Dawn interconnect cables by Nordost, your need to try these interconnects. They made this non believer change his mind and dish out the cash.

John Freeman

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McCormack MAP-1 Preamp
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Denon 3800 DVD Player
Monitor Audio Gold Series Speakers
Velodyne GHS-10 Sub
M&K SS-150 Tripole Surround Speakers
Monster Cable M1.4s Biwire Spaeker Cable
Harmonic Tech Fantasy AC 10 Power Cables
Exact Power EP-15

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sailor
I have used Red Dawns for a couple months now, 1 1meter and 1 .6meter all brought from fellow agoners. I tried them with tubes components and not as good as other i/c. In solid state it seems to be better. In tubes they appear with less body and feel slower. In SS they are faster and have more punch. I guess they like ss better than tubes.
I've had Red Dawn 1-meters for several years now. They are nothing special IMO and have been gradually demoted to my least important source, a rarely-used MSB Link DAC which is what I use to hook the TV into the stereo.
I can't recommend Red Dawns. In my experience, AudioQuest and Audio Magic make more useful cables. I can't speak for the more expensive Nordosts, which I've never heard.
Oops, I have to retract. The Nordosts I have are called "Blue Heaven" not "Red Dawn". Sorry for the confusion.
Would factory terminated Nordost Red Dawn Interconnects be good from a phono preamp to preamp? I was thinking about connecting a Hagerman Bugle phono preamp to my Accuphase C200 preamp with the Red Dawn ICs. Thanks
Just been using RD connecting my two Herb Reitchert 300 mono to my Altec 19 using JP80phono with Red Dawn to Berman 76 pre amp with XLO and to tell my impression my soundstage just became deep and wide with lot of detail just on the merge.I do believe if your system is very bright to begin with do not make it jump to the other side.My imppression of RD speaker cables is favorable, but individualize accordingly.