Monthly Archives: July 2020

Nordost Technologies Explained

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Nordost is a technology-based company. Over the nearly 30 years in which we have been contributing our world-renowned audio cables, power products, and audio enhancers to the hifi industry, we have differentiated ourselves from the noise through our technology.  We are confident that our groundbreaking proprietary technology and unique and precise manufacturing practices are directly responsible for the success of our products. To understand Nordost, and to understand Nordost’s products, you first have to have a clear understanding of the technology that we have developed over the years and use as the defining features of our cable ranges. To clarify those technological capstones, we have put together a brief explanation of some of Nordost’s technologies to help you better navigate our product offerings.

MICRO/DUAL MONO-FILAMENT WRAP

Mono-Filament technology refers to Nordost’s patented process of separating the conductor from its FEP insulation. During production, each conductor is intricately and uniformly wrapped in either a single strand (Micro), or a twisted pair (Dual) of FEP Mono-Filament, before being encased in an extruded layer of high quality FEP. This highly precise process allows every conductor to be surrounded by its own air dielectric. This revolutionary insulation process is directly responsible for the dramatic increase of signal speeds and excellent mechanical damping found in Nordost cables.

FLAT SPEAKER CABLE DESIGN

Due to the intricate extrusion process that Nordost employs, we are the only audio cable manufacturer able to achieve a flat cable geometry in our speaker cables. The flat nature of Nordost’s cables enables the following benefits: an increase in signal transfer speeds, the elimination of strand interaction, the optimization of the mechanical spacing and layout of conductors, a decrease in skin effect, and a reduction of physical surface contact.

MECHANICALLY TUNED LENGTHS

By analyzing the natural resonances of conductors, we have derived a proprietary formula to determine the optimal length of each cable, according to their unique geometry. By ensuring that the conductors are cut to these specific lengths, we maximize the sonic performance of our cables, eliminating timing errors.

HOLO:PLUG® CONNECTORS

These low mass, high end, connectors are designed to seamlessly fit the internal geometry of each individual cable that they house. HOLO:PLUG® connectors are the perfect marriage of electrical and mechanical tuning, allowing Nordost to have complete control of our highest quality interfaces—not only of the cable itself, but from end to end.

TOTAL SIGNAL CONTROL

In utilizing TSC shielding on our Supreme Reference cables, we are able to maintain the integrity of signal transfer while protecting our cables from the electrical pollution produced by RFI and EMI. When paired with our patented HOLO:PLUG® connectors, TSC provides 100% total shield coverage without the rigidity that is associated with other shielded cables.

4 Easy, Free Ways to Address Vibration in Your Sound System

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If you have been following this blog, then you already know the remarkably detrimental effects that unwanted vibration can have on your sound system. Smeared imaging, timing errors, and musical distortions are only some of the negative side-effects that hifi enthusiasts live with when they don’t defend their components, loudspeakers, and audio racks from an incessant assault of errant vibrations. Many times, vibration goes unchecked because system owners aren’t willing to invest in the sometimes costly audio accessories designed to address this problem. However, there are a few small, easy adjustments that you can make to your system that will help to greatly reduce the effects of harmful vibrations, without having to spend a cent! 

1. System Placement: 

For aesthetic reasons or special constraints, you may want to hide your audio equipment, or shove it into the corner of a room. However, system placement can play a critical role in the amount of vibration that you are introducing into your system. Avoid placing your audio equipment in corners, behind speakers, or within the same space as household appliances like air conditioners, washing machines, etc. By simply positioning your audio rack in a relatively isolated but open location, you will drastically improve the audible performance of your sound system.

2. Steady Surfaces: 

Obviously, the ideal place to rest your audio equipment would be on an audio rack, purpose-built to minimize vibrations. However, if that is not an option for your listening room or your budget, make sure that whatever surface you choose to hold your components is a sturdy surface that doesn’t shake, rattle, or move in any way. If it has the ability to be leveled, all the better! 

3. Avoid Confined Spaces: 

Resist the urge to neatly tuck your bookshelf speakers inside your actual bookshelves. Avoid placing your speakers or equipment in box-like, confined spaces that could cause resonance or vibrations, like shelving units or cabinets. These confined spaces act like echo-chambers, bouncing vibrations straight back into your speakers and impacting their performance.

4. Leave Space: 

When placing your loudspeakers, make sure that they are minimally two to three feet away from your equipment (preferably resting on their own stands or dedicated surfaces). The sound emanating from you speakers is vibration in itself. When those vibrations hit your components, there is an audible impact. The more space you allow between your speakers and audio components, the more space you are introducing to allow for those vibrations to dissipate into the air, without doing any harm to your equipment. 

While making these changes might not address ALL of the damaging vibration impacting your system’s performance, it is a great start! To learn more about different methods of vibration control, read our blog Three Ways to Address Vibration Control, or download our informative guide, The Importance of Vibration Control.

Positive Feedback Reviews Nordost’s QKOIL and QVIBE

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As usual, when people find something that works, they can’t help but come back for more! That is exactly what happened with Positive Feedback’s Marshall Nack. After being blown away by both our QKORE and QBASE, Marshall couldn’t wait to see what else our QRT technology had in store. In his most recent review, Marshall dives into the world of the QVIBE and QKOIL. He was initially skeptical when presented with these convenient system tweaks. Could they really provide assistance to both the bass and treble while enhancing overtones and helping the dimensionality and specificity of soundstaging? Marshall found that the QV2 and QK1 not only made good on their promises, but “produced the kind of sound that audiophiles dream about”! 

“There’s no doubt the QV2s give you a generous mid-and-upper-bass assist, and the QK1s round and flesh out the treble range. From the hefty, well-defined low-end into the clear mids and the soft-edged, non-abrasive highs, frequency response and tone are beautifully rendered. The palpable illusion of instruments present is happening in the way the best audio systems do it.” — Marshall Nack, Positive Feedback

You can now read Positive Feedback’s review here:  A Pair of Tweaks from Nordost QVIBE and QKOIL

You can find this review and more great Nordost reviews on our Reviews Page.

Nordost Playlist – July 2020

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Over the past few months, Nordost  has been happy that we can continue to make our time spent at home a little more bearable with the gift of great music. Our products aim to allow you to enjoy your favorite performances as they were intended to be heard. Like you, we here at Nordost are music lovers. 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 July.

You can now listen to our monthly playlist here:  TIDAL  |  SPOTIFY  |  QOBUZ

  1. Lazarus—Porcupine Tree—Deadwing
  2. I’m Still Here – From “Pose”—Pose Cast, Patti LuPone—I’m Still Here
  3. Darkest Hour of the Night—Ash—Teenage Wildlife: 25 Years of Ash
  4. No Glory in the West—Orville Peck—No Glory in the West
  5. Everybody’s Gotta Live—Love—Reel to Real
  6. Gymnopédie No. 1—Erik Satie, Philippe Entremont—Erik Satie & Friends
  7. The World of Tomorrow—Komputer—The World of Tomorrow
  8. Don’t Let the Old Man In—Willie Nelson—First Rose of Spring
  9. RADIO—Rammstein—Radio
  10. Djougou Toro—Volta Jazz—Bobo Yéyé: Belle Époque in Upper Volta