Are Nordost Cables Worth the Upgrade? HiFi Manufacturers Think So!

Some people make the argument that cables don’t matter. They ask the question, “If the component I buy comes with all the cables it needs to run included, why wouldn’t I just use the cables that come in the box for free?”

It’s true, many of the audio devices you purchase may come with cables included. Unfortunately, the cables that are typically provided are not the ideal options for the components they are paired with. Many hifi manufacturers are pressured to meet a certain price-point when releasing a product to market, which really limits the cables they are willing to supply in the box. They believe that they are best served putting all of their resources towards the electronics themselves, instead of the power cords or linking cables which make the components run. In most cases, cables are simply supplied with components so that the components can be used immediately. However, when used with these standard cables, performance suffers.

Manufacturers know that what they provide for free with your purchase isn’t the best choice. Need proof? The next time you attend a hifi show, take a moment to look behind the systems in your favorite manufacturers’ rooms. That’s what we do! You’ll notice that the cables they choose to use when they’re trying to make a good impression are not the standard black cords they give away…they use Nordost!

When showcasing their products, many of the manufacturers you love use Nordost products to show their components in the best light possible. You should do the same with the carefully chosen components in your home system! Just because, for the sake of convenience, manufacturers are forced to make compromises in what they supply, doesn’t mean that your system should be limited by the “standard” cabling that they can afford to provide in the box for free! Upgrade your system with Nordost to make sure your system is living up to its performance potential.


Curious about why audio cables are so important? Find out what audio cables do, which aspects of cable design impact performance, and which cables should be upgraded first HERE.


Industry Advocate: Raidho

For more than a quarter of a century, Nordost has been renowned for the quality of our products, and the effect that they have on music reproduction. Using Nordost allows listeners to experience music the way it was intended – unrestrained, unfiltered, true. So it should be no surprise that when high fidelity is the goal, Nordost is who you come to for your cabling needs. For professionals in the audio industry, this is no different. Over the years, Nordost has worked with innovative manufacturers, talented artists, and celebrated recording engineers, who all trust Nordost to bring their finished products to the next level.


Raidho Acoustics’ loudspeakers push the boundaries of what is expected from hifi sound. Both the aesthetics and the sound of these exceptional speakers are meant to “wow” their listeners. For years, Raidho and Nordost have worked alongside each other at hifi shows around the world in order to produce award-winning sound, and show music lovers what genuine music reproduction can be. Now, that synergy is being taken to a new level! All of Raidho’s X/XT, C, and TD-Series speakers are made with Nordost’s Micro Mono-Filament Internal Wiring. In addition, all TD-Series loudspeakers have the option of being upgraded by wiring these models with our Dual Mono-Filament wiring.

    We have collaborated with Nordost on numerous occasions, and when we were looking to optimize our new speakers even more, it was only natural for us to look further into strengthening that relationship.

We have auditioned numerous cables from a lot of other great manufacturers of cables in the process, and it all came out to Nordost being the optimal choice in our design. We wanted a presentation that was as open and transparent as possible without any compromise on dynamics or musicality, and we were impressed with the results we achieved.    

 

– Ronni Pederson, Sales & Product Manager at Raidho Acoustics

 

Raidho uses:
Micro Mono-Filament Internal Wiring in the X/XT-Series, C-Series, and TD-Series
Dual Mono-Filament Internal Wiring option in the TD-series

 

 

Industry Advocate: Elan Mehler

For more than a quarter of a century, Nordost has been renowned for the quality of our products, and the effect that they have on music reproduction. Using Nordost allows listeners to experience music the way it was intended – unrestrained, unfiltered, true. So it should be no surprise that when high fidelity is the goal, Nordost is who you come to for your cabling needs. For professionals in the audio industry, this is no different. Over the years, Nordost has worked with innovative manufacturers, talented artists, and celebrated recording engineers, who all trust Nordost to bring their finished products to the next level.


As an artist, Elan Mehler is amazed at what Nordost’s cables do for the reproduction of his music. Elan is a New York based jazz pianist and composer who has released five records internationally, and has toured throughout the world. In 2015 Elan and his partner, Jean-Christophe Morriseau, started Newvelle Records. Newvelle Records is a an innovative label that produces original, high quality, vinyl recordings, which are distributed as seasonal subscriptions in bi-monthly installments. These six pressings combine to form a box set, which uses curated artwork and writing to create an immersive and affecting experience when paired with music. The response to their work has been overwhelming, both from the artists that they work with and from jazz and hifi reviewers, who have issued an onslaught of positive reviews raving about every aspect of Newvelle, from the integrity of their records, to the quality of artists they feature, to the distribution model that they employ.

What does Elan have to say about Nordost?

“We started Newvelle Records in 2015 with the idea of building a series of records, of all new music, that cut no corners sonically or artistically. We strive to record and release the best sounding records anywhere. We built a model that treats musicians right and uses the full available canvas of vinyl to make something unique and beautiful. We record all of our records in Manhattan’s famed EastSide Sound Studio.

AB testing Nordost’s cables at EastSide Sound was a revelation for me. At Newvelle Records we are committed to bringing the best sound possible to our members. Nordost cables made an immediate impact on the quality of sound we were getting. Additionally, while previewing and testing our vinyl pressings we’ve found that upgrading to Nordost is not a subtle difference. There is an immediacy when you drop the needle that is astounding.”


Elan is a proud user of Nordost’s Ax Angel, pro audio cables.

For more information about Elan, and Newvelle Records, visit www.newvelle-records.com.

Industry Advocate: Eleanor McEvoy

For more than a quarter of a century, Nordost has been renowned for the quality of our products, and the effect that they have on music reproduction. Using Nordost allows listeners to experience music the way it was intended – unrestrained, unfiltered, true.  So it should be no surprise that when high fidelity is the goal, Nordost is who you come to for your cabling needs. For professionals in the audio industry, this is no different. Over the years, Nordost has worked with innovative manufacturers, talented artists, and celebrated recording engineers, who all trust Nordost to bring their finished products to the next level.


A longtime Nordost advocate is Eleanor McEvoy. Eleanor is an award winning, Dublin-based singer/songwriter. She got her start at a young age, as both a pianist and violinist. Graduating from Trinity College with an Honors Degree in music, she was accepted into the RTÉ National Symphony where she concentrated on songwriting. Her break-out hit was the highly celebrated, lead single, and title-track off of “Only a Woman’s Heart”, the top-selling Irish album of all time. Eleanor McEvoy is very well regarded in the hifi community, and is recognized as releasing the world’s first ever SACD single, “Did I Hurt You” from the album “Yola”, which is regarded as the industry standard and is used to test high end products. Eleanor’s list of work includes: What’s Following Me?, Snapshots, Yola, Early Hours, Out There, Love Must Be Tough, Singled Out, I’d Rather Go Blonde, Alone, If You Leave, STUFF, and Naked Music. She is currently working on a new project, which will be an in-studio, live album, recorded using Nordost cables.

What does Eleanor have to say about Nordost?

“I love the clarity of sound I get with Nordost. As a singer songwriter, it’s so important to me that listeners can hear my song lyrics clearly. Capturing the best vocal possible is my highest priority in the studio. Hearing back vocals that I’ve recorded on Nordost cables I know I’m getting the highest possible sound quality.

My partner is a sound designer, so he’s particularly meticulous about sound quality. He’s constantly re-wiring the various systems in the house. It’s a good opportunity to try out different leads, amps, etc. Again and again we come back to Nordost on all the systems.”


Eleanor is a proud user of several Nordost products including Heimdall 2, Blue Heaven, Ax Angel, and QRT.

For more information about Eleanor, where to buy her albums, and to learn about her upcoming tour dates, visit www.eleanormcevoy.com

Industry Advocate: Mike Valentine

For more than a quarter of a century, Nordost has been renowned for the quality of our products, and the effect that they have on music reproduction. Using Nordost allows listeners to experience music the way it was intended – unrestrained, unfiltered, true.  So it should be no surprise that when high fidelity is the goal, Nordost is who you come to for your cabling needs. For professionals in the audio industry, this is no different. Over the years, Nordost has worked with innovative manufacturers, talented artists, and celebrated recording engineers, who all trust Nordost to bring their finished products to the next level.


 

Mike Valentine has been chasing sound for over 40 years. In the early 1970s Mike joined BBC Television as a sound engineer where he worked on a huge range of programs from “Monty Python” and “Fawlty Towers”, all the way through to “Live Aid”. At the time, the technical training within the BBC was second to none. In 1986 Mike left the BBC to pursue a career in the feature film industry, where he has worked on over 90 feature films including the last five Bond films as the underwater cameraman. However, he has always been passionate about sound. In 2011, Mike returned to his roots, launching “Chasing The Dragon”, recognized as one of the leading producers of audiophile recordings. Through his label, Mike has been able to produce several LPs, including the recently released Vivaldi in Venice, which was recorded using Nordost cables. This live chamber ensemble recording in the Interpreti Veneziani has received rave reviews from critics. These reviews include respected publications such as The Absolute Sound, which ran an article in this month’s (January 2019) issue, by Wayne Garcia, calling the recording “one of the most gorgeous sounding and exquisitely played LPs [he had] heard in quite some time”.

What does Mike have to say about Nordost?

“The most vital thing I have come to appreciate over the years is how precious the microphone signal is. I cannot tell you how everything that we now record has been lifted by leaps and bounds by using Nordost’s Ax Angel microphone cables. We have carried out many A/B tests and have always voted for the musicality and sheer foot tapping fun that our recordings now have, when made using these great cables. I now never leave home without them! In fact, our most recent Direct Cut album (which we also recorded in Double DSD and PMC for download release), featuring audiophile icon Eleanor McEvoy, was recorded using Nordost cables, and the sound is fantastic!”

Mike chooses to use Nordost’s Ax Angel, Blue Heaven, Odin 2, and QRT products in his recordings.

For more information about Mike Valentine and his body of work, visit chasingthedragon.co.uk

 

Industry Advocate: Marc Urselli

For more than a quarter of a century, Nordost has been renowned for the quality of our products, and the effect that they have on music reproduction. Using Nordost allows listeners to experience music the way it was intended – unrestrained, unfiltered, true.  So it should be no surprise that when high fidelity is the goal, Nordost is who you come to for your cabling needs. For professionals in the audio industry, this is no different. Over the years, Nordost has worked with innovative manufacturers, talented artists, and celebrated recording engineers, who all trust Nordost to bring their finished products to the next level.


Marc Urselli was introduced to Nordost through his work with jazz record label, Newvelle Records, and has been using Nordost cables ever since.  Marc is a 5-time nominated, 3-time Grammy Award winning sound engineer/producer based in New York City. While Marc is a freelancer who works at many studios across the world, when he is in New York, he operates primarily out of EastSide Sound studios, one of the oldest recording studios in the city, established in 1972 by Lou Holtzman and run today by Fran Cathcart. Marc has recorded and/or mixed a wide array of prominent artists including U2, the Foo Fighters, Lou Reed, Mike Patton, Nick Cave, Laurie Anderson, Sting, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette, Esperanza Spalding, Keith Richards, Buddy Guy, John Zorn and many others.

What does Marc have to say about Nordost?

I was introduced to Nordost in 2017 through Newvelle Records, a high fidelity vinyl only record label for which I record and mix every album. I was initially skeptical about the fact that an audio cable might be able to make more than just a subtle difference in sound. When I got to test these cables I was blown away by how big the difference actually was. It wasn’t just a subtle thing that only an audio engineer or an audiophile would hear, but a clear improvement in the overall frequency response of the signal that EVERYONE can hear! Sound comes through without restriction, in its full, bold, rich and wide original state! More low end, more high end and more of EVERYTHING! I am not impressed easily but I was impressed that I could be that impressed! I now use Nordost cables at EastSide Sound for all of my projects.”

Mark chooses to use Nordost’s Pro Audio line, Ax Angel for all of his recordings.

For more information about Marc Urselli, visit www.marcurselli.com

 

Industry Advocate: Barry Diament

For more than a quarter of a century, Nordost has been renowned for the quality of our products, and the effect that they have on music reproduction. Using Nordost allows listeners to experience music the way it was intended – unrestrained, unfiltered, true.  So it should be no surprise that when high fidelity is the goal, Nordost is who you come to for your cabling needs. For professionals in the audio industry, this is no different. Over the years, Nordost has worked with innovative manufacturers, talented artists, and celebrated recording engineers who all trust Nordost to bring their finished products to the next level.

One of Nordost’s original Industry Advocates is Barry Diament. Barry has been a professional recording engineer since in 1975, and joined Atlantic Records in 1978. Throughout his time at Atlantic, Barry used every medium, having cut tracks, recorded overdubs, mixed tracks, edited tracks, and mastered for vinyl. In 1983 Barry even became one of the first engineers to master for CD. Today, in addition to his work as a consultant designing systems and studios for recording, mixing mastering, and playback, Barry spends the majority of his time producing, recording, and mastering all of the projects at Soundkeeper Recordings. His recordings are made with all the musicians playing live, in real time, in order to capture the feel, excitement, and emotion of every performance. Some of Barry’s mastering credits include: AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, the entire Bob Marley & the Wailers catalog, Otis Redding, Pete Townshend, and Warren Zevon.

What does Barry have to say about Nordost?

“When I first built my own studio/listening room, I auditioned a wide variety of candidates for cabling and kept returning to Nordost cables. They always allowed me to feel like I was hearing past them, into the recording itself—which is exactly what I sought from the monitoring system in the studio.

With the system now outfitted with Nordost for all power, analog, digital, and computer connections (and a QBASE for power distribution), the listening experience is sublime. And the balanced interconnects, used as my microphone cables at recording sessions, have shown me that my microphones are even better than I previously thought they were.  Thank you Nordost for bringing my work to a higher level!”

Barry is a proud user of several Nordost products including Tyr 2, Heimdall 2, Blue Heaven, Purple Flare, Ax Angel, and QRT.

Next week Barry is working on an exciting new Soundkeeper Recordings project with an amazing Haitian jazz quartet featuring Markus Schwartz and Lakou Brooklyn. And as he says himself, “I’m so glad that Nordost products will be key ingredients in the recording and in the subsequent mastering.”

For more information on this, and other projects at Soundkeeper Recordings visit www.soundkeeperrecordings.com