No i didn’t and actually the Nordost representative is the same of Transparent and when I was to choose the SRX I ask him if Transparent would do a better job and he said it wouldn’t have so much detail like the Nordost, yes, more bass but less informative and he saw no point in do the comparison.
@Frankie67 i really advise you to try, I think one of the things it contribute a lot was the power filter because the loom of cables was already much better in every single way having the Atmosphere 3 power cable into the dac, when the correct cable arrive it took to another level but not night and day like I get when first install the Synergetic Research.
One note, the power cable from the wall to the filter is the new SRX XL.
Also, I’m client of this hifi representative for more than 2 decades and so buying something in other place I felt like cheating my wife I do give a lot of value to people I’m customer and treat me well and so it have to be really a big difference so I buy in other place, I would even consider the more expensive Odin Gold if they even play the same but they don’t and not and like i say not for a small margin
Given what you spend in hifi, I do understand and I do hope the reseller treats you well….I even think that well is not enough, you should be treated as a super VIP…Does he send body guards when you travel with a set of more than 200.000 $ cables ?
The good thing is that your Rolex is safe, in case you are burglared they take the cables, they don’t even pay attention to your watch
I ´m actually an big enthusiast and watch collector and my watches like me we are always safe lol
But i understand what your mean if you like watches i invite you to follow Letstalkaboutluxury on YouTube and instagram, i do reviews of my watch collection and also about luxury fashion and some cars
Funny to put a face on a forum member actually. We read each other posts but no one knows who is who…
Anyway, I watched your blog on the JLC Reverso Tribute, a wonderful watch, it is true.
Two years ago I hesitated buying one. I tried it on my wrist, beautiful. But eventually I bought an IWC Portugese 7 days…A nice watch too, but I regret my choice, I should have bought the JLC Reverso tribute, it is so classy…
Show me when you got the JLC Reverso Chronographe
I already had the opportunity to buy the reverso chrono but I want the gold version and can’t be all at the same time, audio up-grades and watches
I just bought the Rolex sub Starbucks because it’s always money in the box.
I love the IWC, never bought one until now, i like the Ingenieur but they put a price high with the competition they have. I have to be rich to dont have to think about losing value
A little late here having only just discovered the forum. Great IG account - your fashion taste is top drawer !
I too love my watches (and cars) but I went on a somewhat hyper accelerated journey these last 4 years, owned literally dozens, ended up consolidating down to 5 Patek’s and the Royak Oak my wife bought me (from an AP store as a walk-in, no less, truly the good old days…). I suspect I will further reduce to 3 Patek’s, one steel, one WG, one platinum.
Anyway I shall be asking many questions about audio in due course, I’m 53 and was a very serious but budget constrained enthusiast in my 20’s, now I have the resources to aim quite high (at least in the second hand market).
I just spotted this string.
I do not doubt that you prefer SRX to Nordost. At such a price point, taste matters a lot.
BUT, but, but.
I checked the pictures you attached, and your system has a major weak point, responsible for imho 25% - perhaps even 50% - of the sound (degradation).
Your system is not properly shielded from vibration and resonance. Unless you address that issue, you really do not know what your system is capable of. Start by buying a state-of-the art rack from Artesiana or the like. I personally use ACapella bases throughout on a Neo High End rack, in conjunction with Nordost Sort Kones, QPoints and a QSource. I even use ACapella bases under my heavy speakers (Townshend podiums are an alternative I used with remarkable success)! However, there are many, many excellent manufacturers aiming at the same goal, including Synergetic Research itself (I only use SR fuses - try them and be shocked! I have no experience with SR bases).
Since you have already purchased a state-of-the-art cable loom, you will be impressed by the improvements these changes make, which will take your system to another level altogether. You will not believe your ears and you will not need to upgrade equipment for many years to come.
I now know that in HiFi, the rack is the most important, together with further vibration/resonance suppression. It pays to go for the best available. Racks last 30 years. Then comes the power, starting from the power cords. And digital is many times more sensitive to vibration and resonance - and “bad” power - than vinyl. I suspect this is one of the reasons why vinyl sounds so “right”. The rest is a matter of taste.
Disclaimer: I use an almost full Odin2 cables loom, slowly upgrading to Odin Gold. Unfortunately, Odin Gold is not available on the 2nd hand market. Nordost prices are indeed too high (Nordost, are you listening? Bah…).
I have near no vibration control in my system, aside from my dCS components being atop IsoAcoustics feet and my turntable stand having some, and several other components resting atop Ayre Myrtle wood blocks.
The balance of my rack is serviceable at best - I would never pay the insane prices audiophile rack makers charge, even Salamander is a bit pricy for my tastes.
I believe in cables, but would not spend this kind of money for it. Just maybe secondhand some of it could be justified for me. All my current cables are mostly Acoustic Zen absolute silver or MC2 for digital, very good sounding cables but still affordable. I read this topic with interest, but 5-figure cables remain out of my range for what I am prepared to spend on them.
Yesterday a friend told me he had gotten a very good cable in with which he was very impressed and thought of me. So I asked him if I could borrow it.
So now I introduced one Stealth Indra V08 IC (balanced) between the Vivaldi DAC and the preamp. Thus far I am very impressed and feel the system is performing on another level. I’ll keep it for some time and decide to keep it or not. Secondhand it is doable, although still a few times more than the AZ Absolute IC.
@JackPot I understand what you say but its not so serious as it looks. This is not an “Ikea” furniture, this is from Rimadesio and its build like a tank. I can not invest in a proper rack because the styling of the leaving room. The fuse I’m going to order and try, its been on my mind for some time
By the way, i had try the Odin2 Vs the gold (XLR and speaker cables) and to be honest i did not find any diference at all, if any i even consider a placebo for the price diference.
IMHO “built like a tank” means that all the vibrations/resonances are transmitted both ways, slurring signal transmission. Furniture manufacturers are not hifi specialist rack manufacturers (fortunately!). A proper base and good power supply are the foundations of a hifi system, at any price.
I learned about proper bases when I discovered Townshend platforms that use springs to filter out ground vibration (the very opposite of built like a tank!). They are affordable and make for a huge improvement.
I upgraded selected power cables from Nordost Odin2 to Nordost Gold, making 2nd hand cable buyers very happy (2nd hand Odin2 trades at 1/2 the price). The difference is huge. If the swap is indifferent in a high-end system, IMHO it means that that system is plagued by vibration/resonance.
Please excuse the British currency (I don’t know where you are): so you replaced several £20,000+ power cables with £30,000 ones? You must be relieved that the difference is huge!
Could you please expand on the sentence starting “If the swap…”? You seem to be suggesting here that the improved sound quality you now enjoy is primarily caused by the Odin Gold’s vibration/resonance handling capabilities rather than anything in its conductors, geometry, shielding or whatever. Do you know what the Odin Gold does which the Odin 2 doesn’t in respect of vibrations/resonance? Colour me intrigued!
It took me many years to replace Odin 2 with Odin Gold. I finalized the replacement last week.
First, a clarification. I claim, through experience, that if an expensive cable swap does not lead to substantial audible improvement, something else is at fault in the hifi system. According to me, most often the other hifi components are not properly insulated from ground vibration and/or internal resonance, seriously compromising overall performance. Nothing to do with the cables. Cable manufacturers know exactly what they are doing, and more expensive cables in their assortment invariably lead to vast sonic improvements.
So what does Gold bring to the equation? Some readers will remember when they introduced their first Odin power cord into their system. Massive drop in noise level, leading to increased dynamics and a wider/deeper sound stage, staggering bass. An astonishing experience.
What happened when I replaced my Odin cables with Odin2? Massive drop in noise level, leading to increased dynamics and wider/deeper sound stage, and even slightly better, more tuneful bass. I found Odin2 slightly more edgy, probably closer to the recorded sound (see below)?
What happened when I replaced my Odin2 cables with Gold? Astounding drop in noise level, beautiful “infinite” dynamics reaching far into the highest frequencies, even larger, more “natural” and airy sound stage, even faster transients and more natural decays, but with an overall added sweetness which I had slightly lost with Odin2, even more beautifully tuned deep bass. Gold allowed my already very high-end system to reproduce my recorded performances with true “life” conviction. I must confess that the pieces of the puzzle only fell completely into place with a complete Gold loom, especially regarding digital reproduction (I am lifelong fan of vinyl, which is by far not as demanding). As with all Nordost upgrades, after having installed an upgrade, it is very hard to revert to the old situation.
From my experience, I would rather spend serious money on proper bases and good cable looms than on any other equipment upgrade bar none.
Given the unaffordability of Nordost cables, I would recommend buying second hand. Imho, Nordost Odin second hand remains the unquestionable hifi bargain.
Thanks for this. There are a lot of superlatives in there, as I suppose is to be expected if you have a high end system and high end ears!
Can I ask a direct question? I know you suggest secondhand Odin as a bargain but it’s highly unlikely there is any secondhand Odin Gold out there: did you buy all the Odin Gold you currently enjoy in your system new and from a dealer at RRP or thereabouts?
That’s a huge investment but clearly one your system and ears deserve. Cue envy!
I think most of us have found that cables, at least ones for analogue signals, do make a difference. But would we agree with statements such as these: “..if an expensive cable swap does not lead to substantial audible improvement, something else is at fault in the hifi system.” or “Cable manufacturers know exactly what they are doing, and more expensive cables in their assortment invariably lead to vast sonic improvements.”?
In my opinion, the opposite is true in both cases. For a healthy dose of scepticism I recommend Benchmark’s application note Audiophile snake oil. I don’t agree with all of it, but it has the right attitude.
I totally get where you are coming from @Simon_C but in my admittedly very limited experience I have found nothing to contradict @JackPot’s central thesis.
The first set of real “audiophile” cables I bought (30-odd years ago) were from Audioquest and I have been more-or-less loyal to the brand ever since, principally from blind “momentum”. I have tried a sparse matrix of their very cheapest to their very top models and found a clear progression, but can agree that the prices at the top of the tree (as in all categories of high end audio) tend to provoke a nosebleed. I have bought most of mine at <33% of list on the second hand market (helped a bit by the fact that they are not as “hot” as Nordost or Shunyata, but then again maybe those are far better?) but of course that relies on someone else having bought from new. As with my car purchases I salute and thank those people!
Whether of course they are worth the money (however much) versus other uses for the same funds is of course between you, your system, your diary (time taken to investigate and compare) and your pocketbook. My own considered opinion fwiw is that those who consider expensive cables to be snake oil by definition are missing out.
Hi there,
I only check this site occasionally. Hence my late response. Unfortunately, Nordost Gold is not available 2nd hand. I would have jumped on the occasion. But then I would have had to sell my Odin2 online… My Nordost delaer offered me a fair price for my Odin2 loom. That made upgrading to a Gold loom tempting, although still massively (too) expensive.
