The debate around the effects and benefits of different audio cables and the use of high quality cable brands such as Nordost has been a heated one in audiophile circles, with opinions varying from the notion that a cable is a cable and can make no difference to your sound, to a cable is the most important part of your system and can have a profound effect on your music. My own opinion is that the reality is somewhere in between, and have definitely noticed the benefits of various cables and been impressed by some of the reference cables we have had on demonstration. The classic advice is to spend around 10% of your hi-fi budget, and on the whole that is good general advice. Those with particularly high end and reference systems may need to spend a higher percentage to achieve significant improvements.
Nordost Cable Demo Video
The Theory Behind High Quality Hi-Fi Cables
The scientific principles and arguments surrounding cable debate are, to say the least, complex. As a lowly audiophile, I won’t pretend to understand some of the more complicated terms and technologies involved with cable design, and will leave discussion of the more technical elements to the experts! However, plenty can be achieved without needing any technical understanding whatsoever. Here at Audio Affair we are strong believers in letting your ears be the judge of the relative quality of any hi-fi equipment or cables, and this principle should be used for any potential cable purchases or to enlighten anyone who doubts the sonic differences between cables.
Some of us were lucky enough to take time out of our day to enjoy a session with Nordost’s Rune Skov, who brought a range of their high end cables and products to demonstrate us on the benefits of quality cables and isolation through direct comparison and blind testing.
Nordost Cable Expert Rune Skov
The Cable Demonstration
We were truly impressed by the differences that different cables can have on the sound of a system. This notion doesn’t only apply to lower end and budget products and system.
As a purely academic exercise, we demonstrated the Nordost Valhalla (£3699/m), a reference quality cable against the Nordost Odin (£13,000/m). The Valhalla is no slouch, and until recently was the finest interconnect we had heard at Audio Affair. However, the Odin was a glorious upgrade, shimmering in the high ends, crystal clear and rich and dynamic at the bottom end. The difference may not be the equivalent of a £9301 jump in price, but in high end, reference level systems, squeezing more performance and detail out of your system is always a costly pursuit and (usually) worth the price tag for the true enthusiast.
The Odin in all its glory
Digital and USB Cable Quality
As if there wasn’t enough debate surrounding analogue interconnects and cables already, throwing in digital cables to the mixing pot makes for even more fiery forum debate among audiophile fanatics. Detractors state that digital information is just 1s and 0s, and so how can one USB or digital cable possibly sound different from another?
One of our staff was initially a little sceptical over the extent that one USB cable might sound different to another. Enter the Nordost Blue Heaven USB cable in a direct comparison with that bundled with the Audiolab M-DAC. The difference was certainly substantial, and not just something of a placebo effect. He said:
‘the low end was deeper and richer and the high end was crisper. There was more life in the music, it felt more natural and gave it more of a natural sound’.
On switching the Blue Heaven for the new Heimdall 2 USB 2.0 cable, the improvements were further pronounced and emphasised, with even greater noise floor and clarity in the higher frequencies.
The new Nordost Heimdall 2 USB Cable.
One of Nordost’s key principles is delivering a quality mains supply to all of your kit. If your hi-fi rack or support solution is the skeleton of your hi-fi, then a mains purifier and good quality mains cables are the heart, delivering lifeblood to your gear and letting it perform to its best. We understand that improving your mains cable doesn’t seem like the best way to be upgrading your system or spending your hard earned cash, but you would be amazed at the difference one can make. We witnessed Nordost’s high quality mains cables and QV mains purifiers in action, and the evidence was clear (at least to us). Mid range and bass was strengthened, and dynamics were impressive.
This is something that you need to hear to truly believe, and we are always happy to offer demonstrations on any product to enable you to experience the benefits for yourself.
Build Quality
An often overlooked concept when considering upgraded cables is build quality. I won’t mention the number of free and bundled cables and even earphones that I have had over the years that have simply given up, frayed or broken due to stress on the cable and connectors. Poorly designed and manufactured cables pay little attention to build quality, which results in a cable that is not going to stand the test of time.
It might seem like a great idea to save a bit of extra money when it comes to buying your cables. But if a few months down the line your cable has broken or become faulty, and it needs to be replaced, it may have been more worthwhile to just spend a little more initially. Many reputable cable brands offer significant warranties, if not lifetime warranties on their cables, meaning you gain peace of mind and don’t need to consider replacing it due to it becoming faulty.
Our Conclusion
Many of the debates which rage surrounding cables are based on the relative differences of various scientific principles, rather than how the cables themselves actually sound. The reason we upgrade and tweak our hi-fi is to achieve better sound, to enjoy our music. This should always be remembered, and ultimately the only real test of a cable’s quality should be how it sounds and not the science surrounding cable techniques. Some top tips:
1) Always try and have a listen to the cable, and how it sounds in your system. We offer a 30 day money back guarantee on most of our products, enabling you to truly see the effects of a particular product in your own listening environment.
2) Don’t rely too much on statistics, technical information and forum posts. It is well known in hi-fi that one man’s trash can be the next man’s treasure, and people’s tastes vary wildly. Those who state one way or the other tend to only be voicing their own opinion, which links us back to point 1 – trust your own judgement and preferences.
Don’t just take our word for it. Pop in for a demo, or take advantage of our 30 day money back guarantee. Happy listening!