AXPONA 2023 Recap

Nordost’s goal for Axpona 2023 was to put together a world-class, reference system with some of the best components known to hifi. We are happy to say that we achieved just that! And lest we be accused of being biased, we have the reviews to back it up! 

The Nordost room in Schaumburg F, supported by our partners, VTL and Stenheim, and joined by our friends, dCS and VPI, has secured three coveted distinctions of “Best in Show” from Stereophile’s Jason Victor SerinusThe Absolute Sound’s Andre Jennings (as well as an additional “contender” for Best in Show by TAS’ Jonathan Valin), and Jay’s Audio Lab. As Jason put it in his show report, we “scored a bullseye” with our room with a system that “sounded like heaven”. When describing the impact of our system he wrote, “First, my attention was drawn to the natural and real sound of bass. On…Patricia Barber’s “This Town” from Clique, I heard the largest, most timbrally correct, believable, and luscious presentation of a double bass I may have ever heard from a sound system.” 

While the most highly decorated, Schaumburg F wasn’t the only room where attendees could experience how Nordost cables impact a system. In the Nordost demo room with Holm Audio we wowed listeners with our live demonstrations and cable comparisons, and we were thrilled to be represented by several amazing companies who chose to showcase their products alongside our cables.


Here are some snapshots of Nordost at AXPONA!  


Nordost’s main room featured our Odin 2 cables and QBASE Mark III, alongside products from Stenheim, VTL, dCS, VPI, and Lyra:


In Nordost’s demo room with Holm Audio, Michael Taylor and Amy Hansen impressed listeners with our cable comparisons!


Sonner and Holm Audio’s room featured our Norse 2 cables:


The Dali and NAD Holm Audio room featured our Heimdall 2 cables among others in the Norse 2 family:


The Grandinote room was wired with our Reference series Valhalla 2 cables:


Woo Audio’s headphone rigs were wired with up with Nordost cables too!

Dealer Spotlight: Saying farewell to Harry’s Hi-Fi

Harry’s Hi-Fi, longstanding audiophile retailer, closed March 31.  Now, we say farewell to a true Canadian Hi-Fi Institution!


By Bruno de Lorimier

We were all saddened by the loss of Harry about a year ago, and no person more than wife and co-owner Pat Sotropa.  A little over a year after this tragic and totally unexpected incident, Pat came to the heart-wrenching decision to close the store at the end of the month. Pat isn’t exiting the business for financial reasons but after 40 years, she has earned a rest and is calling it a day. 

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Harry and Pat Sotropa are owners of Harry’s Hi-Fi. PHOTO BY TROY FLEECE /Regina Leader-Post

I have personally known Pat and Harry for over 25 years and consider them friends.  In Regina, Saskatchewan, Harry’s Hi-Fi was one of the first Canadian dealers to come on board with Nordost. Like everyone, I was extremely shocked and saddened by Harry’s passing which came so suddenly as he simply didn’t wake up on the morning of April 8th, 2022. One may find comfort in that he passed away peacefully in his sleep, but that doesn’t diminish how much we’ll miss him.  Everyone who knew Harry will tell you that he was a truly unique and remarkable individual with a vibrant passion for life and for music (and gardening). Even today, we continue to love Harry! 

Now, with the permanent closure of Harry’s Hi-Fi, the audio industry will also be losing a truly special and extremely supportive dealer that was devoted to providing the most comprehensive, attentive, and caring sales advice, quality products, and support to all its patrons. 

Harry’s hi-fi obsession was rooted in his love of music “What’s better in life than music?”

The first thing you should now about Harry is that, although everyone referred to him as Harry (including himself and his wife Pat), his real name was Vern Sotropa!  Here’s the story behind the name…

Custom Stereo is the name of the store where Harry got his start in hi-fi equipment sales in 1976.  He was 26 and working the summer as a staff clerk for the Department of Labor and spending a lot of his student loan money — meant for University of Regina sociology studies — at Custom Stereo.  He was in there often enough that the owners, Tom Clelland and Richard Grassie, offered him a job which he happily took.

Fast forward six months or so: the three are sitting in the bar of the Royal International Inn — formerly the King’s Hotel, demolished along with the store in 1978 to make way for the Cornwall Centre. As Harry told it, “Tom goes, ‘Custom Stereo is a lame f—–g name.’ He goes, ‘We should change the name of that place,’”.

Pat interjects: “You know this is all going to become public knowledge.”

“I don’t care,” Harry answers. He goes on: “We should name it Tom, Dick and Harry’s.” So they had a Tom, they had a Dick, and from the time we crossed the street from the Royal International to the stereo shop, the name stuck like s–t to a Hudson Bay blanket. And that was it.”  Harry was born!

Through three Custom Stereo locations, to the founding of his own shop in 1983…Through sales of turntables, the players of those “unlistenable” early CDs, car stereos, home theatre, and the popular resurgence of record players — he’s been known as Harry. Not Harry Sotropa. “It’s like Prince or Madonna,” he says laughing. “It’s just Harry.” 

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Harry (wearing shorts) and Pat stand in one of their listening rooms. PHOTO BY TROY FLEECE /Regina Leader-Post

Harry and I also a had funny ritual.  Quite often, almost exclusively on Fridays, he would call me after 5:00 pm my time (3:00 pm for him) as sort of a joke. He would say “Am I too early to disturb you yet?  I can call you later if it further disrupts your weekend”. We would then proceed to tell each other jokes for the first few minutes (sometimes more) before moving on to more serious business.  I miss those calls.

It’s Pat who has the real Harry tales to tell. She told me: “I bought a stereo from Harry and I was married to someone else at the time. From that moment Harry and I were together for 44 years. We both listened to all different kinds of music, it was a passion for both of us that did not diminish.” Since childhood, Pat and Harry have been in love with music and it was no secret that both were huge fans of Nordost. They recommended Nordost cables to every customer who walked-in the door, and they practiced what they preached, since their entire home system was wired with Valhalla.   

As a 50th birthday present to his wife, Harry had earrings, a bracelet and pendant made from a piece of Valhalla speaker cable!

Harry was inspired by one of Pat’s stories about Valhalla Interconnect that she had been regaling a customer about the merits of Nordost cables in a system. At the end of the conversation Pat mentioned that it sounded incredible, but that it was also so beautiful and that one could wear it as a necklace.  That clearly didn’t fall on deaf ears. When Harry asked our North American V.P., Michael Taylor, for a foot of Valhalla and Michael passed it on to Nordost’s owner, Joe. At first, Joe was suspicious of Harry’s intentions. He had never heard someone make such an unusual request. However, Joe finally did agree, and Harry worked with a local custom jeweler to get it made. Pat wore the set regularly, especially when attending Hi-Fi shows. Harry always pointed out that Pat was wearing audio jewelry!

Harry’s Hi-Fi was known for creating a welcoming and inviting environment. Walking into Harry’s Hi-Fi on Rose Street, their location since they moved from 1239 Albert St. in 2000, was like walking into a music lover’s home: Brick walls, wooden floors, music-themed artwork on vibrantly coloured walls.  There’s a listening room to the right, a pseudo-living room. Comfortable leather armchairs face a window that’s flanked by awesome-sounding and expensive Bowers & Wilkins stereos wired with Nordost cables.

Adjacent to that space, there’s another similar setup.

Both rooms have stacks and stacks of vinyl records on shelves — you can’t very well test the analog players without records to play. (It’s not the 5,000-strong collection they have at home — which, according to Harry, is “not that crazy” a number.)

From Elvis Presley talking his way through a Sun Studio recording, to a British pressing (i.e. higher quality recording) of Patsy Cline, to Dave Brubeck’s smashing piano — there’s a decent array.  On rotation lately, they’ve had The Franklin Electric, The Avett Brothers, The Barr Brothers, Case Lang Veirs, The Lumineers, GoGo Penguin … The list goes on.

The point of their work was to give people a music experience as close to live as possible. According to Harry, you can’t actually have a live band in front of you…as he was known to say, “Nothing beats live music,”.

The music at Harry’s would switch from The Killers to The Band, Tracy Chapman, to Classical and Jazz as they demonstrated the equipment’s sonic diversity.

A song at a time: “It’s not the usual way someone would listen to a record. Usually you’d clean the record, clean the needle, sit down and listen until the arm lift signals Side A’s end, flip the record over, clean the record, clean the needle, sit down and listen …” Harry said.

Harry and Pat were big on vinyl.  They witnessed vinyl’s comeback in their store, and even in their own house, although they had never completely abandoned it.  They had a very strong opinion about the importance of a properly set-up, good-quality turntable, which didn’t have to cost a fortune.  At Harry’s Hi-Fi, prices ranged into the tens of thousands, but a decent turntable could be bought for only $400.

“When people say, ‘You know records are back, right?’ I’m like, ‘Man, records didn’t go anywhere.’” But for a lot of people, they did. The rebound has been strong, maybe detrimentally so.  “It’s just silly right now. Everybody has to have a turntable just cause…,” says Harry. “It’s trendy.”

Having a record player has “become a cool thing, and that doesn’t mean that it’s good,” says Pat.  One of the problems with this trend is cheap turntables.  “That’s one of the reasons why we try and tell people, ‘Don’t play your records on your great-aunt Dorothy’s console,’ ” says Pat. “You might think it’s a cool piece of furniture, but it’s not good for your records.”  Quality counts, and here’s why: Turntables need to be aligned to properly play a record.  Even an expensive turntable can ruin a record if it’s not set up right.  “We’re talking about a diamond here, and a piece of vinyl,” says Harry.  The groove of the record is engraved soundwaves, tinier than you can see. That diamond is the needle (a.k.a. stylus), which traces the groove and vibrates, making the sound when amplified.  “The information that’s in the groove of a record is smaller than the pit of a CD. It’s microscopic inside,” says Pat. “We’re still amazed that a technology that’s 130 years-plus is still the best sound quality we have.”  At least, when they’re set up for quality, which Harry estimates 99 percent aren’t.

A market full of “groove grinders,” as Harry calls them — a bad needle, improper geometry and weight — are literally chipping away at records as they play. That’s how records get a hissing and scratching sound. Like tires on a car, they’ll eventually wear out — but they wear out faster if you don’t take care of them.  When they are taken care of, they sound fantastic.  Before any turntable leaves the store, Harry makes sure it’s set up correctly: The stylus is correctly angled, right down to the micron. He uses a microscope in the process.

“Part of it has to do with a point of pride, that when every table, every cartridge walks out of here, it’s the best it could possibly be,” says Pat.

“We try really f—–g hard,” Harry says “and we will for as long as the store is open”  … and they did

Harry works on properly aligning a record player before selling it. PHOTO BY TROY FLEECE /Regina Leader-Post

In his teenage years, Harry’s parents never had a turntable; they’d borrow a neighbour’s for a few weeks at a time.

Pat and Harry bonded over their love of music more than 40 years ago. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, it’s how they met.

“It was a pair of Klipsch Heresy’s with Luxman L30 amplifier,” Pat says, remembering her first Custom Stereo purchase from Harry. She was working downtown too, a block away, managing T-Shirt City.  After seven years working for someone else, in 1983 Harry became an entrepreneur.  They remortgaged their house at an obscene 19-per-cent interest rate to make it happen.  “The economy was in the toilet and we’re opening up a new store,” says Harry.  “Not sure if we were stupid, (or) young,” says Pat. “I know it’s just what I wanted to do,” says Harry.

“I was kind of along for the ride at the beginning,” says Pat. “I didn’t sell anything, I just sat back and listened to him, and that’s the best way to learn how to sell is being mentored by somebody who’s really good at their job.”

When their son Dylan was old enough for daycare, and daughter Alicia was in Grade 3, Pat quit her jobs at Bi-Rite Drugs and the Pasqua Hospital to work alongside Harry.  “We work together extremely well,” says Pat.  Their love of music united them for 44 years.

Pat is thankful for the customers who helped put mac and cheese on the table of her Normanview bungalow for the last 40 years. She could have tried to sell the business, but as Harry once said “anybody who has the knowledge to do it has got a better paying job right now, though some of the gear is pricey, there’s little profit in hi-fi sales.”

“Selling the business to someone else isn’t an easy alternative”, Pat said. “High fidelity equipment requires a level of expertise, knowing how to put systems together, figuring out what works with what; the devil is in the details.”

That part of the job is where Pat and Harry found joy: educating customers about the products and talking about music. Through those conversations, a connection with the customers was formed.  “You have to give people a reason to buy better quality goods. Just because it’s expensive, doesn’t necessarily make it better,” said Pat.

Harry always described the business as a three-person operation run by two people. With Harry’s death, it became a one-person show and Pat is just tired.

“In addition to helping customers who walk through the doors of the Rose Street location, I was handling the books, ordering, shipping, receiving, providing technical support for customers, setting up turntables — everything.”

Throughout decades of selling sound, Pat has witnessed technological advancements in audio and entertainment, as well as changes in perception of women working in the field.  “It’s been an interesting ride. For me, as a woman, there’s very few women in our industry that are in my kind of position — way more now than when I first started,” she recalled.  “I remember when I first started on the floor selling, guys would always refer to Harry and Harry would say, ‘I don’t know. Ask her,’” Pat said with a laugh.

Looking back, she remembers feeling frustrated at points and wondering why no one would talk to her. Nowadays, she says the men who walk in do not question her knowledge or ability.  The people she did speak with over the years have made lasting memories, as customers of all ages have purchased audio equipment from Harry’s, including the children and grandchildren of customers of years past.

Although Pat recognizes that Harry’s Hi-Fi still has a lot of loyal customers — including ones from out of province, who make a shopping trip every few years, Pat says. “It’s too much. I’m going to be 68-years-old. It’s time to wind it down,” “I’m really emotional. It’s hard because I will miss the people. I won’t miss the business end of it, you know the paying of bills…”

Pat Sotropa, owner of Harry’s Hi-Fi, inside the store on Thursday, January 19, 2023 in Regina. She is retiring after the March 31 closure and has been running the business herself since her husband, Harry, passed on in 2022. PHOTO BY TROY FLEECE /Regina Leader-Post

Pat has no plans to jump into another venture any time soon. After four decades of working, she is going to do some thinking instead.

“I need to sort of figure out who I am as a human being, without my life partner, without my business partner and without my business”.  “It’s going to be an adjustment for me, but we made such good friends. Our best friends have been customers and they still continue to be.” “It’s still for me a great joy, it gives me a real giggle, when I can do a good demo for somebody and they go, ‘wow, I’ve never heard that before”.

It’s time to enter a new era for Pat and for each one of us.  It will be quite different without Pat and Harry, of that I’m certain. Thank you for your generous contribution to  the Hi-Fi world, your friendship, and for all the fond memories!


(Thank you to the Regina Leader-Post for some of the material included in this homage)


Nordost Playlist – April 2023

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


  1. Lebanese Blonde—Thievery Corporation—The Mirror Conspiracy 
  2. This or That—DECAP—This or That
  3. hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have – but I have it—Lana Del Rey—Norman Fucking Rockwell!!!
  4. Come on, Aphrodite—Natalie Merchant (feat. Abena Koomson-Davis)—Come on, Aphrodite 
  5. shoulder to cry on—Alana Springsteen—shoulder to cry on
  6. Didn’t It Rain—Jake Blount—The New Faith 
  7. Egoland—Rodrigo y Gabriela—The Eye That Catches The Dream
  8. Fantasy Girl—Alexa Dark—Dark, Vol. I
  9. Like A Lady—Pom Poko—Cheater 
  10. Emily I’m Sorry—boygenius—the record

Introducing the QBASE Mark III – AC Distribution Unit

We are excited to introduce the new QBASE Mark III. Since first being introduced to the market in 2009, the QBASE has been a sophisticated, yet straightforward AC Distribution Unit which provides the solid foundation audio components require, in order to improve upon any high-performing, two-channel system. Now, we are further amplifying the benefits that the QBASE brings to a system’s performance with the launch of the QBASE Mark III. 

At its core, the QBASE will remain true to its historically praised design and concept with its mechanically tuned, extruded aluminum body, durable contact points, and internal MonoFilament wiring. Much like its predecessors, the QBASE Mark III addresses the noise-inducing, conflicting flows of signal and ground paths within a hifi system by using a unique method called “star-earth topology”. Star-earth topology connects all outlets from one central point (or outlet) to the input. In the QBASE, we do this while additionally lifting the impedance level on every outlet, except for the one deemed “Primary Earth”. Elevating the ground in this passive manner achieves three indispensable effects: it creates an uninterrupted, straightline AC distribution path from the wall to each individual component, isolates each component by deterring the ground flow between them, and eliminates conflicting flow between signal and ground paths all without any form of inline filtering or active circuitry.

Nordost’s QBASE Mark III is a significant upgrade compared to its previous iteration. Improvements include: 

  • Newly designed, dual PC-board configuration 
  • Increased separation of all ground connections from the line and neutral traces 
  • Further minimized interference/ crosstalk between live/neutral and ground currents 
  • Enhanced trace sizes to maximize current flow 
  • Revised resistance “sink” to add protection and effectively damp eddy currents

Nordost’s QBASE Distribution Unit has been an essential component in hifi systems ranging from modest to reference-level for well over a decade. Now, with the crucial developments implemented in the design of the new QBASE Mark III, the benefit it brings to system performance has only been amplified. The QBASE Mark III impacts every component connected to it, improving each component in unique ways. The cumulative effect it has on a system is all encompassing— enhancing the 3D imaging on the soundstage, pulling out tonal richness and sustained decay time in the music, and imparting a clear increase of power while maintaining a neutral and effortless delivery of the performance.

Available QBASE Mark III Models:

QB8 – Eight Outlet

US (NEMA), EU (Schuko), or AUS
IEC C-14 (15/10Amp) or IEC C-20 (20/16Amp)

QB4 – Four Outlet

US (NEMA), EU (Schuko), or AUS
IEC C-14 (15/10Amp)

QB6 – Six Outlet

UK
IEC C-14 (13Amp) or IEC C-20 (16Amp)

Nordost at AXPONA 2023

We are headed back to AXPONA! Come see (and hear) Nordost, April 14-16, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center, Chicago in the Schaumburg F room. We are bringing together some of the leading brands in the industry to give Axpona attendees a truly world-class listening experience. With top-of-the-line equipment from Stenheim, VTL, dCS, VPI, and of course, Nordost, you don’t want to miss this impressive reference system!

In addition to our show-stopping system in Schaumburg F, featuring a full loom of our Odin 2 cables, Nordost will also be performing our renowned live demonstrations and product comparisons in the Nordost Demo Room: 716

Want more Nordost? Make sure to stop by these amazing rooms which will be featuring looms of Nordost cables, ranging from Leif to Reference! 

  • Holm Audio: 715
  • Holm Audio: 719
  • Grandinote: 428
  • Scaena Loudspeakers: Epiphany 
  • Woo Audio: 456

Dealer Spotlight: The Audio Store

By Amy Hansen

All of us at Nordost would like to extend our congratulations to Bernard Manocchio and his friendly, knowledgeable staff at The Audio Store of Newington, CT, for their well-deserved success, providing audiophiles and home theater lovers with world-class service and well-respected, high-quality audio equipment for 35 years!  

Bernard met what turned out to be his great friend and eventually business partner, the late Harry Misteri, in the 1970’s, while working in Newington’s Hi-Fi Stereo House. The Audio Store was soon born in Rocky Hill, CT under their mutual supervision and expertise. After promising beginnings, they moved to what is their current location in Newington, CT.  

As a passionate and affable audiophile, Bernard believes that everyone should be able to enjoy music and sound as much as he does. This passion is what drives him and his team to make sure that every product in the store provides superior performance. He and his staff, comprised of Jon, Greg, and Patrick, have helped countless people find the right equipment to bring their sound to life, earning him a much-deserved, dedicated customer base.

For audiophiles, The Audio Store offers a wide selection of some of the best audio equipment including, but not limited to, Focal, Naim, Bel Canto, Krell, Roon, Clearaudio, Paradigm, Anthem, Musical Fidelity, and, of course, Nordost!

The Audio Store is one of the best locations for music lovers. You don’t have to take my word for it, though!  Just look at the glowing Google reviews from customers who were fortunate enough to stop in.   

For those of you looking for more than a standard speaker setup, two-channel is not The Audio Store’s only specialty. Bernard and his team are equally savvy at Home theater design, custom installation, and smart home automation!

If you want a sound system that sings, head on over to The Audio Store and let Bernie and the staff show you the way. 


The Audio Store

Address:2457 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06111
Phone:(860) 666-5006
Email:bernie@theaudiostore.com
Web:www.theaudiostore.com

Nordost is headed to the Montréal Audiofest!

Come hear Nordost at the Salon Audio Montréal Audio Fest. Please join us March 24th – 26th in Montréal at the Hôtel Bonaventure. Throughout the show, our product specialist, Bruno de Lorimier, will be performing live demonstrations and product comparisons, available in both French and English, in Westmount 4, with our dealer, Audio by Mark Jones.

The Montréal Audio Fest is a perfect opportunity to hear the effect that quality cables have on a hifi system, and to witness how enhancements to cable design improve the caliber of a system’s performance.

Looking for more opportunities to hear Nordost at the show? Check us out in the Kevro room, where they will be showing the brand new third-generation 300s from Monitor Audio in Westmount 3. 

Admission is free to the public, so we hope to see you there!


3/24 – 3/26

Hôtel Bonaventure Montréal
900 de la Gauchetière Ouest
Montréal

Room: Westmount 4 with Audio by Mark Jones 

montrealaudiofest.org

Nordost Playlist – March 2023

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


  1. Taking Me Back (Gently) – Jack White – Entering Heaven Alive 
  2. Go Easy, Kid (with James Blake) – Monica Martin, James Blake – Go Easy, Kid 
  3. Follow – Richie Havens – Mixed Bag
  4. Raincatchers – Birdy–Raincatchers  
  5. Can’t Let Go – Robert Plant, Alison Krauss – Raise The Roof (Deluxe Edition) 
  6. Oil & Lavender – Nathaniel Rateliff – In Memory Of Loss 
  7. Abraham, Martin & John – Marvin Gaye – The Very Best Of Marvin Gaye 
  8. Jesus, Etc. – Norah Jones – The Bridge School Concerts 25th Anniversary Edition 
  9. Dummy – Portugal. The Man – Dummy 
  10. FAKE – Lola Young – FAKE

Audio Cable Looms Explained

A “loom” of audio cables is a group of cables, constructed using the same technology and produced by the same manufacturer using a cohesive design philosophy. As a result of this design philosophy, cables produced by distinct manufacturers (and sometimes even ranges within each company) have their own sonic qualities, or “sonic signatures”. The sonic signature of each brand’s cables may be classified as brassy, light, bass-heavy, neutral etc.  

Ultimately, it’s up to the listener to determine their own opinion on the merits of each cable’s sound. What is undeniable, however, is that the effect of mixing cable brands and their respective sonic signatures can have mixed results. 

If you are lucky, the divergent characteristics of your cable hodge-podge will balance themselves out and you will be left with a pleasant-sounding system. Unfortunately, more often than not, the sonic signatures from different cable brands clash, leaving you unable to hear the composition of your system as it was intended. When that happens, you get to deal with the fun task of finding where that clash is happening through trial and error.  

Besides not being able to find the cable that may be less desirable than others, mixing cable brands also makes it harder to identify the weak spots in your electronics themselves. Remember, some cable manufacturers use devices like filters to make up for deficits that may be caused by other components in your system. When listening to your system, you may find yourself wondering if the thin sound you’re hearing should be blamed on your speakers, or your speaker cables; is the slow timing the fault of your pre-amp or interconnects? Upgrading a hifi system can become unnecessarily frustrating and time-consuming when it is not clear which upgrades need to be made!  

By using a uniform loom of cables you are no longer faced with these problems. There’s no need to “balance out” a system; weaknesses are easier to assess and fix, and your components are all on a level and comparable playing field. By hearing your music’s signal flow through a loom of cables, throughout your entire system, from the source all the way to your ears, you ensure that there are no competing or conflicting sonic properties influencing or changing the signal, allowing you to achieve a more coherent and realistic reproduction of sound. 

Dealer Spotlight: Excel Audio

By Mike Marko

As one enters Excel Audio in beautiful Orange County, California, near Newport Beach, all you see are records – lots of records – all audiophile quality from the best labels. The selection is updated daily with an emphasis on Jazz, Blues, Rock, and Classical all curated by the owner, Mike Rose. It’s like the record stores of yore, but with much better quality! Mike’s regular customers are always leaving with some of the best new pressings in hand. L.P.s have always been very important sources of music for Mr. Rose and his customers (but don’t worry, his selection of digital gear is still second to none). 

Look a little further and notice Southern California’s best selection of turntables and electronics, all chosen for being some of the highest-value products our industry offers at every price level. For example, Excel Audio exclusively uses Nordost cables in sound systems ranging from the simple to the sublime. dCS digital, Clearaudio reference turntables, D’Agostino amplification, and the full line-up of Wilson loudspeakers (including the Chronosonic XVS system with subs) are often on display in their reference listening room. But that’s not all! The new Klipsch Heritage series (and, yes, the Klipschorn) are on display. Line Magnetic and Luxman electronics are fully stocked as well. Nagra, a relative newcomer to Excel, is there too and its performance is impressive. What do all of these reference systems have in common? They are all wired with Nordost’s Supreme Reference, Odin 2 cabling!  

At Excel, all of Nordost’s cables are “burned-in” with the new Vidar 2 cable conditioning system, which guarantees the best results, even when cables are brand new! This level of attention shows you that Excel Audio sweats the details. Mike Rose cares deeply for the final system the customer chooses. 

Stop by Monday through Saturday and say hello to Mike and ask, “What’s new!?” You’re bound to get an earful! 


Excel Audio 

4678 Campus Drive 

Newport Beach California 

92660 

(949) 933-1599 

www.excelaudio.us 

mrose@excelaudio.us