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: How can I know that a Nordost cable I see for sale online is a real Nordost product? If I buy second hand, will my purchase be covered by warranty?
A: Unfortunately, there have been several attempts to counterfeit our products that have appeared online. Counterfeit cables are often easy to spot as Nordost cables use distinctive technology, precise lengths, serial numbers, and connectors. Be aware of any falsely branded Nordost cables being offered for very low prices, especially on auction sites, as they are normally counterfeits. Counterfeit cables are never covered by warranty.
Be assured that Nordost has never sold its cables through websites like Amazon, Alibaba, or AliExpress. Cables from those sites are not manufactured by us; they do not contain any of our technology, and in some instances, they are unsafe to use (especially power cords).
To make sure that you are purchasing an authentic Nordost cable, make sure you are purchasing our products from one of our authorized Nordost dealers. Find a Nordost dealer near you on the Where To Buy page of our website!
Q: I recently bought and installed some Frey 2 Loudspeaker Cables. After installing them and playing the system for an hour, I realized that, based on the directional arrows on the cables, I connected them in the wrong direction. Did I damage the cables or the system, does everything correct itself after you fixed the direction? Do I need to re-buy/replace this cable?
A: Don’t worry. Unlike with analog interconnects, speaker cable directionality is simply a memory function. The cables break in over time with use in whatever direction you installed them. Speaker cables (based on use) usually take a month or two to properly break in. Since you only used the cables in that direction for an hour so, virtually no break-in occurred. Going forward, just keep them in the position they are now, and everything will self-correct.
Q:The QSOURCE power supply that feeds my QNET Network Switch is running hot. Is that normal?
A: Yes, this is normal. The QSOURCE does run at a pretty high temperature. To keep the unit as quiet as possible, the QSOURCE is air cooled, instead of fan cooled. This means that it will act more like a class A amplifier, releasing the heat on the heatsinks (in the case of the QSOURCE the heatsink is the chassis of the device itself).
Just make sure the unit is well-ventilated, and that it has plenty of clearance, both underneath and above the unit. There is an optional Stand Mount you can purchase to help with this clearance as well.
The device is designed to have two methods of protection for overheating. If they don’t kick in, the unit is working within its heat range.
Q: Last year I began to upgrade my power cords, 2 speaker cables (R/L front and center), and interconnects to the Red Dawn LS series, and am happy with the noted improvement. I still require 2 more power cords and a pair of XLR pending any further purchase of components to complete the project. Would you recommend I stay with a “loom” of the LS or go to the Red Dawn 3?
A: You can either stick with the existing series or upgrade to the new series and still maintain a cohesive loom of cables. Leif 3 cables will have the same sonic signature as the LS series, they just introduce some better attributes. You can almost look at it like the new Blue Heaven 3 sounds like the old LS Red Dawn. You can mix and match any LS series cable with any Leif 3 model and keep all the benefits.