Tune in to CBS to see Nordost on “Superstar Renovation” with LaMarcus Aldridge!

Posted on March 25, 2019 by Nordost

Juma Entertainment – CBS

Have you ever wanted to give the gift of great sound? That is exactly what San Antonio Spurs forward, LaMarcus Aldridge will be doing on April 7^th—and we can all tune in to see it!

Last year, CBS introduced a new, heartwarming show to their line-up: “Superstar Renovation”. In this series of one-hour specials, we join sports celebrities as they head back to their hometowns to recognize people who have played a special role in their lives, and honor them with customized home makeovers.

Thanks to our fantastic Dallas-based dealer, Anointed Soundz, Nordost was able to be a part of Aldridge’s tribute to his high school coach, mentor, and father figure, as he surprised him with an impressive indoor/outdoor audio/video system!

According to Anointed Soundz owner, David McBride, this project had two parts. First, in the game room, they installed a 60 inch, LG 4K UHD flat panel TV (connected with Nordost Blue Heaven HDMI cables), along with an LCR passive Definitive Technology sound bar, powered by a 5.2 AV receiver and a 10 inch Elura powered subwoofer, which were wired with our 2 Flat Speaker Cable and Blue Heaven Subwoofer Cable. Part two was the backyard, where they connected a pair of Nuvo rock speakers to a Parasound 2-channel amplifier (powered by the Blue Heaven Power Cord) with our 2 Flat Speaker Cables, using an Amazon Echo Dot as the streaming source. David added that, since the amplifier and Echo Dot are located inside, on an exterior wall, the speaker cables were run through the brick wall exterior, through a PVC junction box, and then trenched underground to the speaker locations, on opposite sides of a paved back patio!

We’re honored that Anointed Soundz decided to include Nordost in this rare opportunity to show the difference that quality sound can make in someone’s life. But beyond that, we are so happy to be part of the gift that LaMarcus has chosen to give such a formative person in his life.

Make sure to tune in to CBS on April 7^th at 5 PM, to see LaMarcus Aldridge and Anointed Soundz give a major A/V upgrade to this special coach on Superstar Renovation!

For more information on the Nordost dealer that made this all possible, visit the Anointed Soundz website: www.anointedsoundz.com

Pictures from Nordost Nation! March 2019

Posted on March 19, 2019 by Nordost

Nordost is lucky to have such incredibly loyal and enthusiastic customers! One great way that our fans let us know that they are happy with the work that we do is by sending us pictures of their Nordost products in action. Here are a few photos that have been shared with us recently. Feel free to send us pictures of Nordost in your system, via Facebook, info@nordost.com, or #nordostcables on Instagram, so that we can continue to share them with the whole Nordost family!

@hifi_im_hinterhof shared this cool shot of the Valhalla 2 Speaker Cable

Linh Nguyen tagged us in some great photos of the brand new System Solution set-up & tuning discs!

@wensonfung on Instagram says “I’ve been upgrading the cables in my stereo system one at a time, and I finally have a full set of cables from Nordost!! These include power cables, interconnects, speaker cables, and a USB cable. It’s a beautiful mess back there!”

@Seantmanley’s incredible system is wired with Heimdall 2 cables

Luiz Campos sent us this awesome shot of the Raidho Ayra C-3 with our Frey 2 Speaker Cables.

And so are his headphones! 🙂

@felipe.rolim92’s reference level system is equipped with our Valhalla cables 👌

@arthurmassif says these QX4s are an “amazing addition to [his] system.”

@howardkneller and Mat Weisfeld of VPI were excited to open up some brand new Odin 2 speaker cables and take some photos! “I have seen these cables a lot, but they have always been installed in a system and thus very tough to photograph as they were winded over a long distance and hidden by components and racks. I asked Mat if we could open the packaging and shoot the cables, to which he readily agreed. We then giggled like school girls as we both snapped some pics.”

@ruisilvamarques84 shared this great picture of his listening space. “Lazy Sunday with Mr. Fela Anikulapo Ransome Kuti playing on the Hi-Fi.”

“A friend had these sexy cables lying around and said I could give them a try. (Good friend to have!)” – @gowanusaudio on Instagram

Alberto Goldoni sent us this shot of his speaker’s hooked up with Nordost!

“These are a few of our favorite things at @eastsidesoundstudios!” – @mikeguerriero1

An incredible system, wired with Nordost, photographed by @willy_magato on instagram.

“Hard to beat this sonically for me.” – @stevechavez on Instagram

@cultoffonza is always spinning vinyl with his Heimdall 2 cables and QX Power Purifier!

@pantheorganizer’s showing off his “insane” new Hi-Fi set-up!

@rferguson55 sent us this shot of Frey 2 Speaker Cables at work with Reference Bi-Wire Jumpers 😀

Nordost is headed to AXPONA in Chicago!

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Nordost

Come and see Nordost at Axpona, April 12-14th, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Chicago. For the first time, Nordost and VTL have come together to assemble the ultimate sound system for Axpona attendees. Experience the synergy, dynamic power, and musical nuance that has awarded these cutting-edge companies “Best of Sound” in numerous audio shows. Join the founders of Nordost and VTL as they enjoy their reference-level products performing at their best, arranged and fine-tuned by world-class set-up artist, Stirling Trayle. Join us in room 734 and lose yourself in a transformative, high-performance audio system, the likes of which is rarely available to the public. In addition to showcasing our reference system, featuring a full loom of Odin 2 cables and outstanding gear from VTL, dCS, VPI, and Stenheim, Nordost will also be performing our renowned live demonstrations and product comparisons in room 730. While at the show, be sure to visit us in The Marketplace where we will be offering show specials on select products!

AXPONA

April 12-14th

Reference System: Room 734
Product Demonstrations: Room 730
Show Specials: The Marketplace

Speaker Set-Up: Time for an Adjustment

Posted on March 12, 2019 by Nordost

It is no industry secret that, when it comes to hi-fi, proper system set-up is nearly as important as the components in the system itself. One of the most integral elements of system set-up is speaker placement. However, once your loudspeakers are perfectly placed, that rarely means your set-up days are gone for good. A hi-fi system is an interconnected entity. Every change that you make to it, whether you upgrade amps, your rack, cables, or any other component, affects the sound, and as a result, adjustments to speaker placement must be made.

At Nordost we are in the business of making your sound system perform its absolute best. As a way of accomplishing that, for years we offered a system tuning and set-up disc. Recently, we launched the System Solution. This revamped, two-disc set-up tool both improves and expands upon our initial product, offering more content and features, including a unique mix of diagnostic tracks, calibration tools, and system conditioning aids to help with every aspect of system set-up. As a supplement to our original set-up disc, we provided a wildly popular, and helpful “Speaker Placement Guide”. However, when we introduced the System Solution: Set-Up & Tuning Discs, we thought that an update to the guide was also in order!

If you are familiar with Nordost’s original “Speaker Placement Guide”, you already know that it provides readers with instructions to execute several speaker placement methods widely-used by hi-fi dealers, professional audio installers, and manufacturers. Now, in the newly expanded “Speaker Set-Up Guide”, we have taken loudspeaker set-up even further — sharing our 6-Axis Approach to optimizing speaker positioning. This approach addresses the minor tweaks in fore and aft, sideways, and vertical positioning as well as toe-in, rake, and azimuth angles, which are crucial to accomplishing the ever-important finishing touches in speaker placement.

Whether you are setting up your system for the first time, need to re-tweak your speaker placement after making upgrades over the years, or simply want to fine-tune what you have, our new “Speaker Set-Up Guide” serves as the perfect manual to optimize your sound system.

Download the NEW Nordost Speaker Set-Up Guide today!

Nordost Playlist – March 2019

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Nordost

Nordost is lucky to have a wonderful team of representatives and product trainers who travel around the world educating and demonstrating the effects of Nordost’s products. As part of these demonstrations, it is our job to find an interesting and diverse selection of music to showcase our cables, power devices, sort system and accessories. Whether at shows, visiting our dealers and distributors or even in our own listening room in our headquarters in Holliston, we are constantly getting asked what music we are playing (or if our audience is not so bold to ask, we can see their Shazams working overtime). So we thought this would be a perfect opportunity to share our favorite songs of the moment. Some may be classics, some may be brand new, some may not even be to your taste, but one thing is for sure …it’s all great music.

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

Stay Flo—Solange—When I Get Home
Lost in the Sauce—King Garbage—Make It Sweat
Glass, Concrete & Stone—David Byrne—Grown Back words
Still on My Mind—Dido—Still on My Mind
Unforgettable—Johnny Hartman—Hartman For Lovers
Ma Mama—Toto Bona Lokua—Bondeko
Come On and Move Me—Monarchs—Those Words, Those Frames
I Found A Reason – 2015 Remastered—The Velvet Underground—Loaded (Remastered)
Pink Moon—Nick Drake—Pink Moon
Like A Fool — Superchunk — Foolish

Questions and Answers (February 2019)

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Nordost

Our product specialists receive questions on a daily basis about Nordost products, their application, and hifi in general. We thought that we would take a minute to share some of our most recent and frequently asked questions here so that everyone can get the answers they are looking for!

Q: Do the new Set-Up discs include tracks for some sort of test tone or songs that help with subwoofer set up?

A: Yes, our newly upgraded, set-up and tuning discs offer a unique mix of diagnostic tracks, calibration tools, and system conditioning aids to help with every aspect of system set-up. In fact, there are a whole suite of sweeps and discrete tones to specifically address subwoofer set-up. You can find out more about the System Solution Set-Up & Tuning Discs on the Nordost website.

Q: I know that Nordost always stresses the importance of cable burn-in, but how many hours of break-in does the QK1 need to achieve its best performance?

A: Unlike cables, our QK1 and QV2’s don’t need a lot of break-in time. Although, since the QK1 is a mechanical device, it does need a little more time than the QV2, which is an electronic device. While you can hear immediate audible changes as soon as they are plugged in, in general, these products need to be plugged in for about a week to achieve their intended performance levels.

Q: Which Nordost speaker cables are available in bi-wire?

A: Typically, Nordost speaker cables are not available in bi-wire. We recommend that you use our Norse Bi-Wire Jumpers for the speaker cables in our Norse and Leif ranges and our Reference Bi-Wire Jumpers for cables in our Reference and Supreme Reference Ranges. We also have customized Bi-Wire Jumpers in both our Valhalla 2 and Odin 2 ranges which are essentially extensions of the speaker cables, in order to ensure that there is an identical sonic signature running throughout your entire system. However, we do offer a bi-wire option in our 4-Flat and SuperFlatline Leifstyle cables.

Q: In the FAQ section it states that the QX2 and QX4 each have a “different focus”. So, is it possible to combine both products in one system?

A: Yes, in most systems you would start with a QX4 between the wall and the power distribution/QBASE (it’s ideal to use a QX4 unit in that position because it is stronger). Then you would add other units, either QX2s or QX4s, between the distribution block and the actual components.

Introducing the System Solution: Set-Up & Tuning Discs

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Nordost

After years of great success with our original System Set-Up & Tuning Disc, Nordost is excited to introduce a newly upgraded disc-set that both improves and expands upon our initial product, offering more content and features, to get your system sounding its best and to keep it that way. The Nordost System Solution is an invaluable tool for the installation, maintenance, and fine-tuning of any hifi audio system. Arranging a new system is a painstaking and exacting task for even the most seasoned audiophiles. This two-disc set, provides you with a unique mix of diagnostic tracks, calibration tools, and system conditioning aids that will help unlock the full potential of your sound system.

The System Solution Set-Up & Tuning Discs include tracks that range from the simple, such as channel checks and pink and white noise, to the more complex and unusual LEDR tracks, timed frequency sweeps, and repeat drum beats. Our sound engineers have incorporated specially designed tracks to facilitate full-range loudspeaker positioning and the integration of subwoofers, and have even included a number of useful “system service” functions.

These functions include degauss and burn-in signal tracks, both of which are essential precursors to fine-tuning your existing set-up or new components. Each of these helpful tracks is fully explained and expounded upon in a detailed instruction booklet, included with every disc set.

Nordost is proud to say that over the years our products have become integral components in preeminent recording studios around the world. This has given us the opportunity to incorporate musical selections recorded using Nordost cables as an exciting new feature on our set-up discs. These carefully curated tracks highlight specific aspects of system performance and will help you to further explore the subtleties of your newly-tuned system. This also means that Nordost users will have the ability to experience performances wired with Nordost from beginning to end!

Includes:

Essential channel and phase checks
Multiple pink and white noise signals for speaker/room diagnostics
Sophisticated LEDR tests to optimize speaker placement
System maintenance tracks (Degauss and Burn-In)
Low-frequency tones specially designed and configured to map room modes and aid speaker placement or subwoofer positioning and integration.
Specially selected music tracks with detailed listening notes to further refine system performance

Dealer Spotlight: Natural Sound

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Nordost

By Steve Greene

Looking for the recipe for a world class hifi store? Set up shop in a highly visible, heavily traveled location. Fill that store with numerous sound rooms, each furnished with the best sounding and performing audio/video brands available. Staff it with a knowledgeable and personable sales team. Natural Sound in Framingham, Massachusetts, has been diligently following that recipe for over 40 years, and can attest to its success! So, audiophile friends, next time you find yourself on the busy Route 9 between Boston and Worcester, pull over and avail yourself of the warm, friendly environment to see, hear, touch, and learn about today’s best 2-channel audio and home theater gear from the most experienced salespeople in New England.

Natural Sound was a company founded by audiophiles, for audiophiles in 1975. Since its establishment, one of the original founders has left the company to pursue new endeavors within the audio industry, as did his replacement, and both have gone on to become well-known engineers and product designers in the field. Meanwhile, original co-founder and current owner, Jim Lackey, is consistently sought after by various manufacturers to lend his extensive expertise to both develop new products and revive older ones. Nearly all of Natural Sound’s employees have worked for Jim and General Manager, Larry Goldberg, for many, many years— some for decades! That longevity in the industry means that each of Natural Sound’s sales associates (Peter, Mark, Lewis, and Dave) has years of extensive experience and product knowledge to ensure that they will be able help improve your current home audio system or build a new system from entry level, all the way up to super high-end. Natural Sound even has an amazing integration team, headed by Paul, who intimately knows just about every quality piece of audio/video gear on the market, including all Nordost products.

Speaking of products, this veritable old soundhaus is teeming with tempting hifi kits. We’re talking esteemed brands like McIntosh, Wilson Audio, Magnepan, Ayre Acoustics, Revel, Naim Audio, Focal, Bryston, Bowers and Wilkins, Rogers High Fidelity, and more! There are a lot of nice turntables to choose from too, such as Rega Research, Pro-Ject, Oracle, Clearaudio and TechDas Air Force. Are headphones more your style? Natural Sound carries superb models from Audeze, Focal, Beyer, and Sennheiser, amongst others! Whichever component you are in the market for, Natural Sound can make them all sound even more rich and resolving with Nordost cables. The shop is always well-stocked with Nordost demo cables and gear, so that you can compare various models in your own home system, from our entry level White Lightning cables, all the way up to Valhalla 2. You can even get a demo of our powerful, new QKORE grounding system, Sort Kones, and other resonant control and power products.

So next time you are in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, take some quality time to visit our friends at Natural Sound. And, if you are a Red Sox fan, you might be lucky enough to say hello to GM Larry, who is personally my favorite Red Sox mentor and fan!

Natural Sound

401 Worcester Rd.

Framingham MA

01701

(508) 879-3556

Nordost Playlist – February 2019

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Nordost

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

bury a friend—Billie Eilish—bury a friend
Moretown Hop—Noam Pikelny—Universal Favorite
BAGDAD – Cap.7:Liturgia—ROSALÍA—El Mal Querer
Honey—Robyn—Honey
Where’s The Catch? (feat. André 3000)—James Blake, André 3000—Assume Form
Make You Feel My Love—Bob Dylan—Time Out Of Mind
Woman—Cat Power, Lana Del Ray—Wanderer
Beautiful Strangers—Kevin Morby—Beautiful Stranger b/w No Place to Fall
Suzanne—Bermuda Triangle—Suzanne
Pristine—Snail Mail—Lush

Nordost is headed to the Montréal Audio Fest!

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Nordost

Come and see Nordost at the Salon Audio Montréal Audio Fest. Please join us, March 22nd – 24th, in Montréal at the Hôtel Bonaventure. Throughout the show, our sales representatives and product specialists, Bruno de Lorimier and Michael Taylor, will be performing live demonstrations and product comparisons, available in both French and English, in Salon St-Michel. This year we will be partnering with our new Montréal-based dealer, Villeneuve Audio Video, to put together a system featuring Simaudio components, Bowers & Wilkens speakers and, of course, Nordost cables. The Montréal Audio Fest is a perfect opportunity to hear the effect that quality cables can have on a hifi system, and to determine how the caliber of performance is improved as enhancements are made to cable design. Admission is free to the public, so we hope to see you there!