Revisiting Chinese Knockoff Cables


Why I don/t know, but the first thread has been removed recently. So, having benefited from it greatly, I felt compelled to recap my journey, so that others of limited budgets might make a huge leap that they otherwise could not afford:

When I first got my EVS 1200 I was using Series 8 WireWorld interconnects, speaker cables and Pangea Premier XL 1.5m coax cable. As you mentioned, I was extremely happy with the amp (compared to PS Audio M700s). Eventually I came across the Chinese Cable knockoff thread and first tried the fau-Nordost Odin 1.5m coax which was/is amazing: as they were so cheap compared to the $169 1.5m Pangea, I also bought a 1.0M Odin, but didn’t try it until after I replaced both the WW cables with Odin 2 XLRs and cables. Then I replaced the 1.5m with the 1.0 and was kinda blown away that 0.5m of the same coax could be THAT much better.

While my all SS system sounded very good, it was a bit too sharp, so I ordered Odin Gold speaker cables (at ~ $170/2.5m). Unfortunately one leg must of had a bad solder joint as it barely sent the music . It took a couple months before they replaced it, which I finally installed 2 days ago: BAM. Even immediately, but of course it needs break in time. The weather here (Ft Lauderdale) has been really bad, I have only left for short quick trips. Today we are under a tornado watch, so won't leave, but as soon as I can get out for a few hours I will put on my XLO burn-in disc, which I use on everything I insert, including the M 700s, EVS, and Voyager which expedites break in, which still takes a good 50-100-200 hours!

Summing this up: cables can/do make or break a system. If I had these cables when I first got the EVS, I probably would never have gotten the Voyager, which of course I am itching to compare again, but could still be awhile

tweak1

Ive tried to sell legitimate non-Chinese made cables but since so many Chinese clones the market for them is used Chinese clone prices. Every question was are these authentic wish I kept the receipt. I even told buyers where I bought them from and that they could contact them. But all I got was your selling fakes so I gave them to a friend. If you have costly originals the values just hit the floor. And I no longer will buy costly cables and honestly, I'm fine with it as I don't think I ever got real value from costly cables. Think that segment of the audio market was profiteering anyway. And the Chinese clones for pennies on the $ pretty much show that to be true.

tweak 1:

The Valhalla 2 I purchased from RM Digital does not roll up at all. Lays flat and solid, no issues. Hope that helps. If anything, the cable is quite stiff, completely different than what you described with Blue Heaven.

 

 

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804182786789.html?algo_pvid=08a757cb-4ac7-4b8f-acad-b69aba31920c&algo_exp_id=08a757cb-4ac7-4b8f-acad-b69a

Hi Tweak1, I think you can find several vendors of that with a topline search on AliExpress. I own this pair in 1.5 and 2 meter. 

https://shorturl.at/qQRW5

[url=https://shorturl.at/qQRW5] RCA to RCA gold[/url]

 

@yada  the link you provided is for interconnects. Im looking for Odin Gold COAX

@middlemass  Thanks for the link. The jacketing appears much thicker. To be clear, I mean that they spool. The big question for me (as you said they lay flat) are they much better than Odin 2 Gold, which sound amazing in my system

These knock-offs are cheap enough to take apart and carefully examine, preferably under microscope or magnifier. They are not high quality smooth copper with premium insulation. Just try and see! The uneven texture of the conductors can be seen in a photo from your phone.