Nordost products are designed to allow you to enjoy your favorite performances as they were intended to be heard. All of us here are passionate about great music, and want to share our passion with you. Each one of us has our own style… We listen to a wide variety of artists and genres but, in a way, we appreciate them all. We thought that we would share a few of the songs on our own personal playlists with you each month. Some may be classics, some may be brand new, some may not even be to your tastes, but we hope that there is something here for everyone.
Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this April.
You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ
Wild Is the Wind – David Bowie – Station to Station
Soft Spoken – Naia Izumi – Soft Spoken
You’re the One That I Want – Angus & Julia Stone – Big Jet Plane
Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile) – Dexys Midnight Runners, Kevin Rowland – Too Rye Ay
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da – The Police – Zenyatta Mondatta (Remastered 2003)
Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas) – Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
My Friends –Red Hot Chili Peppers – One Hot Minute
Nordost, in collaboration with Stenheim and VTL, have put together a must-hear listening experience in the Schaumburg F Ballroom at AXPONA 2026. For three years running, this partnership has yielded world-class, reference-level systems, earning “Best Sound” of the show, and this year promises to be no different.
This powerhouse system features flagships products from each brand, expertly set up by Audio Systems Optimized, to create one cohesive musical event. The centerpiece of Nordost’s room will be their Odin Gold and Odin 2 Supreme Reference cables. This is a rare opportunity to hear Odin Gold in a public setting. Stenheim’s Reference Ultime Two SX loudspeakers will bring speed, scale, and musical realism to the system. While VTL’s new Lohengrin 400Watt Reference Monoblock, supported by their TL-7.5 Series III Reference Linestage and TP-6.5 Series II Signature Phono Stage are the featured components. Rounding out the system, dCS and VPI will provide enviable digital and analog source options, and Audys by VDM will supply acoustic panels for room treatment.
Axpona is the perfect setting to see aspirational systems performing at their best. In Schaumburg F, attendees will be treated to the impactful experience of live music thanks to the combination of cutting-edge technology, passion for audio, and elegant design.
In addition to enjoying the sonic spoils of this unmatched system, Nordost is hosting a series of presentations throughout show!
Friday 12:00 PM – Lunchtime Listening Hour featuring unreleased Newvelle Records LPs 2:00 PM – Behind the Recording with Igor Fiorini of VDM High End Records 4:00 PM – Qobuz Flash DJ Session with David Solomon
Saturday 12:00 PM – Lunchtime Listening Hour featuring unreleased Newvelle Records LPs 2:00 PM – Behind the recording with Igor Fiorini of VDM High End Records 4:00 PM – Exclusive Listening and Storytelling Experience with Abey Fonn of Impex Records 5:30 PM – 50th Anniversary Listening Session: David Bowie’s Station to Station
Lunchtime Listening Hour [12:00 PM Friday, Saturday, and Sunday]
Every day at noon, hear unreleased recordings from Newvelle Records’ anniversary LPs, the Newvelle Ten Collection, pressed on 180-gram vinyl, featuring Martin Wind, Ingrid Jensen, Elan Mehler, Loren Stillman, and Skúli Sverrisson. We will also be spinning a selection of classical pieces, expertly curated by VTL’s Bea Lamm.
Behind the Recording [2:00 PM Friday and Saturday]
VDM High End Records’ Igor Fiorini reveals how a recording is created. A master recording is a cultural and symbolic message, shaped by the artist and the sound director, and carried through the recording to reach the listener. During this presentation we will hear individual microphones, each with its own character, and discover how they form the final sonic balance. Featured releases include:
Chopin at Home Vol. 2 – Marco Arcieri: From microphone signals to vinyl test pressings, experience the recording’s construction.
Dohnányi – Dvořák: String Sextets, Sestetto Stradivari: Original DXD 32-bit masters highlight the texture and complexity of string instruments.
Qobuz Flash DJ Session [4:00 PM Friday]
David Solomon from Qobuz hosts a Flash DJ Session, playing an exciting mix of tracks. This is the perfect way to experience this system’s digital capabilities.
Exclusive Listening and Storytelling Experience [4:00 PM Saturday]
Abey Fonn, founder of Impex Records, presents an exclusive listening and storytelling experience. Abey will present highlights from John McLaughlin’s hot new album Music From Abandoned Heights and Bud Shank’s just-released AAA LP Holiday in Brazil, alongside a curated selection of personal favorites. Through rare insights and behind-the-scenes anecdotes, Abey will illuminate what it’s like to work with legendary artists and our production partners to meticulously craft the finest audiophile records. This is a unique opportunity to hear not just the music, but the stories etched into every groove.
Celebrate 50 years of Bowie’s groundbreaking 1976 album, Station to Station. Experience every detail of this iconic recording, played on a world-class audio system. This session offers a rare opportunity to hear the nuances and dynamics in this classic LP that highlights Bowie’s unique musical artistry.
In addition to the happenings in Schaumburg F Ballroom, Nordost will also be conducting live cable demonstrations in Room 716, in partnership with local retailer Holm Audio. This will allow attendees to listen firsthand and experience the difference Nordost cables and audio enhancers make, with expert staff available to answer questions and provide insights into the technology behind the products.
This month’s Dealer Spotlight takes us to Amarock Studio in Czechia, in a town 220 miles to the east of Prague named Kopřivnice. Petr Svoboda founded Amarock Studio in February of 2015. Prior to this, Petr had a studio specializing in Naim electronics.
In his shop, Petr has carefully curated a portfolio of high-performance audio brands. He has long been an advocate of having a deep commitment to several brands that offer “Best in Class” performance in their respective genres of product. Alongside Nordost, key brands include Kalista SACD / CD / Streamers / DACs, Vitus Audio amplification, Rockport Technology speakers, Metronome, SOtM, and Audio Solutions.
Like Nordost, Amarock Studio acknowledges that the most important cable in a system is the one feeding the system from the wall socket to the distribution unit. This is reflected in the fact that their flagship system features an Odin 2 power cord from the wall to a QBASE Reference. There, they are fully (and enviably) equipped to demonstrate the jump in performance gained when using a 5-meter length of O2 power cord from the wall over the more standard 2.5-meter cable.
Their highly optimized Reference System is in permanent residence in their main listening room. The Kalista Dreamplay XC is a beautiful-sounding ‘all-in-one’ SACD player, streamer, and DAC. Given its multiple applications, this product particularly responds to being used with power delivered by an O2 power cord. Additionally, Odin 2 XLR cables are featured between this source and the Vitus Audio SL103 pre-amplifier, and also between the pre-amp and the Vitus Audio SM103 mono-block power amps. The system is rounded out with Valhalla 2 power cords and V2 speaker cables connecting the mono-blocks to the fabulous Rockport LYNX speakers.
Whilst this is a wonderful Nordost cable loom, the devil is also in the detail elsewhere in the system. This is illustrated by two QSOURCE Linear Power Supplies being employed to power eight QPOINTs in the system. The QPOINTs are used to enhance the Kalista power supply, Kalista ‘all-in-one’, Vitus pre-amp, Vitus mono-block power amps, QNET, and external clock. To ensure that each QSOURCE is performing optimally, they are fed by Valhalla 2 power cords. And, to make sure that grounding is addressed to the fullest, a QKORE 1, QKORE 3, and QKORE 6 are all featured in this undeniably impressive system.
Of course, no system would be completely optimized without tending to its harmful vibrations. Amarock accomplishes this with a prescriptive use of Nordost’s Sort Systems family of resonance control devices. Ten pairs of Sort Lifts are used throughout the system, including on every power cord, the speaker cables, the XLR cables, and Ethernet cable. Petr observes that they are particularly effective on the power and speaker cables. And, as you would imagine, Sort Kones are used under the electronics wherever height on the rack allows.
Their second listening room often features a high-performance two-box system of Metronome AQWO 2 SACD/Streamer/DAC, Vitus Audio Si-025 integrated amp, and Rockport ATRIA 2 speakers, underpinned by a loom of Valhalla 2 cabling. This combination has proved to be very popular with clients.
Such meticulous care and attention to system optimization sets Amarock Studio apart from most other hi-fi retailers. As a result, it is no surprise that they have clients based all over Czechia and Slovakia who have been dealing with them for years. They also strongly believe in demonstrating the benefits of each product to their clients in their own homes, so that the client can be fully confident in their investment. Nordost is proud to have Amarock Studio as a long-term partner that sets such high standards of demonstration.
Nordost products are designed to allow you to enjoy your favorite performances as they were intended to be heard. All of us here are passionate about great music, and want to share our passion with you. Each one of us has our own style… We listen to a wide variety of artists and genres but, in a way, we appreciate them all. We thought that we would share a few of the songs on our own personal playlists with you each month. Some may be classics, some may be brand new, some may not even be to your tastes, but we hope that there is something here for everyone.
Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this March.
You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ
When the Morning Comes – Remastered – Kalapana – Kalapana I
I Go to Sleep – 2018 Remaster – Pretenders – Pretenders II (Deluxe Edition)
The Painter – Sara K. – Water Falls
Use Me – Bill Withers – Still Bill
Got A Girl – The Grogans – Day / To / Day
Deranged for Rock & Roll – Chelsea Wolfe – Birth of Violence
“Take Me” – MINT JAMS – CASIOPEA
Little Green Apples – Single Version – Roger Miller – A Tender Look At Love
We’re excited to share a brand-new review highlighting one of Nordost’s most unique products: the QPOINT Resonance Synchronizer.
In his latest article for GY8, “Nordost QPOINT Resonance Synchronizers – Welcome to Discworld,” reviewer Dennis Davis explores the remarkable impact that Nordost’s QRT technology can have on an audio system. Having previously experienced the benefits of other QRT products, Dennis was curious to see how the QPOINT would perform. Once placed beneath his components, he quickly realized these discs weren’t going anywhere!
With the QPOINT in action, Dennis describes greater focus, rhythmic drive, and musical coherence in his system: “With the QPoints turned on, the imaging snapped into place… the music as a whole taking on a sense of clarity, shape, and pattern that was missing before.”
You can now read Dennis’s new article on the Reviews Page of the Nordost website.
Audiofi is a distinguished hi-fi retailer located within a prominent Vancouver district. The shop is easily recognized by its impressive, foliage-covered exterior. This beautiful entry perfectly sets the scene for the type of treatment and auditory surprises that are waiting for you inside.
Led by owner Philip Meyburgh and supported by associates Scot and Perry, the Audiofi team delivers an informed and highly professional client experience. Their extensive music knowledge and client-focused approach foster an environment where questions, demonstrations, and in-depth evaluations are welcomed. Philip and his team ensure that each customer is guided toward solutions that align with their individual preferences and listening needs.
Audiofi offers a curated portfolio of audio products across a broad range of price points, enabling the company to serve both new consumers and experienced audio enthusiasts with equal effectiveness. Each component and system is selected with careful consideration to ensure long-term performance and customer satisfaction.
For music lovers visiting Vancouver, Audiofi is a noteworthy destination for your high-fidelity audio needs, providing an experience that consistently exceeds the expectations of discerning listeners.
We’ve received some fantastic reviews and awards over the years for our products. When we get new reviews, we do our best to make sure that everyone knows. We spread the word through social media, blogs, emails, and tell anyone willing to listen! However, once the press starts piling up, and new products start to get their time in the spotlight, these amazing reviews can tend to be forgotten.
While you always have access to these great reviews, thanks to the Reviews Page on the Nordost website, we want to make sure that if you are considering an upgrade or just want to learn more about a specific product, you can do so easily. This is especially true with Nordost’s Network Switches. Nordost’s QNET and QNET7 are layer-2, five-port network switches that have been designed and constructed from the ground up to elevate digital audio performance. All aspects of Nordost’s network switches, from clocks, to transports, to independent ports, were chosen in order to minimize noise, crosstalk, and interference.
There is A LOT to learn about the QNET and QNET7, and the in-depth reviews that these products have received are a great starting point in understanding how they work, their benefits, and their differences.
This blog puts together some of our favorite QNET and QNET7 reviews so that you can access all of these informative articles at once!
“.. . there is an important musical consideration the QNET 7 brings to network audio; a sense of order and calm to the music. It’s as if the musicians practiced a little more before they went into the studio. Music hangs together better here. Once again, this is more peeling away layers between the listener and the music, rather than adding or changing the sound.” – Alan Sircom
“The impact of the Nordost QNET network switch and QSOURCE linear power supply is anything but subtle—it is intoxicatingly enticing. Their sheer ability to deliver startling immediacy, tactile presence, and meticulous attention to the playing is remarkable.” – Matej Isak
“With Nordost’s new QNET in place, everything sounds smoother and more fluid; it’s better balanced with less harshness. The leading edges of notes seem to be sharper and have more energy, giving the system greater dynamic expression.” – Mark Gusew
“Thanks to Nordost’s QNET, network audio just took a leap forward in listenability. It makes your streamed music sound more like music and it’s only when you realise just how far from that goal we usually are with networked audio that you begin to understand how important this humble- looking audiophile hockey puck is going to be.” – Alan Sircom
“With the QNET] It was clearly a move forward with small improvements across the board, and one major shift. The transformation of soundstage depth was extraordinary, as flat space became deep. The impression of 3D was so great it caused me to question, could this be an artifact?” – Marshall Nack
“I can honestly say that the QNet/QSource pairing transported me closer to my ultimate goal, which is to move closer to the source of artistic creation and the artists I love.” – Jason Victor Serinus
Nordost products are designed to allow you to enjoy your favorite performances as they were intended to be heard. All of us here are passionate about great music, and want to share our passion with you. Each one of us has our own style… We listen to a wide variety of artists and genres but, in a way, we appreciate them all. We thought that we would share a few of the songs on our own personal playlists with you each month. Some may be classics, some may be brand new, some may not even be to your tastes, but we hope that there is something here for everyone.
Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this February.
You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ
Golden Green – Agnes Obel – Citizens of Glass
That Summer Feeling – Jonathan Richman – I, Jonathan
Isn’t It a Pity – Nina Simone – Emergency Ward (Expanded Edition)
Ruminations – Charles Lloyd – Figure In Blue
The Keys – Matt Duncan – Soft Times
Crash – USHER – Hard II Love
Wings for Marie (Pt1) – TOOL – 10,000 Days
San Jacinto – Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel 4: Security (Remastered Version)
Hallelujah – Grayson Capps – Heartbreak, Misery & Death
Cannock Chase – Labi Siffre – Crying Laughing Loving Lying
Following up on our blog sharing Part I of Roy Gregory’s in-depth look at our Blue Heaven 3 cable range, we’re excited to share Part II of his review on GY8: Nordost Blue Heaven 3 – Pt II… Learning the Lessons and reaping the rewards of ‘One-ness’. In this installment, Roy takes an honest, step-by-step journey from a typical mix-and-match cable setup to a full system loom of Blue Heaven 3, something we’ve been advocating for years as one of the most effective paths to real performance gains.
What makes this article truly special is that Roy doesn’t just describe the benefits; he walks the reader through the practical process of upgrading an entire system’s cabling. Finding a reviewer willing to take the reader from a piecemeal cable arrangement to a full-system loom is rare. It’s a significant commitment of time and resources, so this first-hand account is a great guide to show what a consistent cable strategy can achieve.
Each Blue Heaven 3 cable performs exceptionally on its own. As Roy says, “If the Blue Heaven’s performance benefits don’t get your attention, that price differential certainly should.” However, after reading his account, you’ll understand how wiring your entire system with a unified line reveals the true potential of your components.
We’re pleased to share a new review of our Blue Heaven 3 cable range by reviewer Roy Gregory at GY8. Roy takes a thoughtful look at how cables not only influence a system individually, but as a part of a complete loom.
In his article, a system-wide approach to cabling is highlighted. As he explains, “the sonic and musical benefits of a ‘system-approach’ to cabling, one that treats the entire cable loom as a single component, is easy to hear… [and] fundamental to system performance.” But, as Roy notes, the practical and versatile nature of the Blue Heaven 3 range (with cables including loudspeaker, analog and digital interconnects, ethernet, USB, and power cables), is what makes it possible to wire an entire system with a single cable line.
Loom aside, this review underscores Blue Heaven 3’s role as a powerful foundation for those who want clarity, timing, and musical coherence from all of the components in their system, without immediately stepping into ultra-high-end cable territory.
“Musically and emotionally communicative, [Blue Heaven 3] both binds the components in a system together and releases their potential.” — GY8
