Nordost
In 1991, Nordost first made a name for itself with its revolutionary, flat audio cables, which used conductor solutions developed from unique technologies originally engineered for the aerospace industry. Since its founding, Nordost has continually pushed industry boundaries, striving to enhance audio technologies and bringing what were once unattainable goals into fruition.
Nordost cables bring the pure, unadulterated reality of a live performance to hifi sound systems, regardless the systems’ price point. Nordost has implemented a number of groundbreaking processes and developed proprietary technologies in order to ensure that the company maintains the quality that it has become known for. By introducing innovations such as Dual/Micro-Mono Filament, TSC (Total Signal Control) technology, and the new HOLO:PLUG® Connectors, Nordost has become a vanguard of the of the audio cable industry.
Nordost has several ranges of cable.
Leif Series - White Lightning, Purple Flare, Blue Heaven, Red Dawn.
Nordost’s entry level cables are perfect examples of quality cabling set at an affordable price range. The Leif family uses scientifically proven methods and technology derived from the development of our Valhalla and Odin ranges and applies their basic principles to create cables which evoke dynamic, low-loss and realistic performances from even modest components and Loudspeakers.
Leif cables construction uses Nordosts silver-plated, OFC solid core conductors. These solid core conductors are then insulated with Nordost’s innovative precision FEP extrusion process, where each conductor is individually enclosed in FEP insulation. Like all Nordost cables,Leif cables are designed with a mechanically tuned construction that optimizes the dimensions and spacing of conductors to reduce dielectric effects even further.
Norse 2 Series - Heimdall 2, Frey 2, Tyr 2
As you advance through each of Nordost’s cable ranges, each range adds progressive Nordost technologies.Like Leif cables, the Norse 2 family uses silver-plated, OFC solid core conductors, extruded FEP insulation and a mechanically tuned construction.
Adding from there, Norse 2 also employs even further technological advances, unlocking the full potential a high end audio system has to offer. Nordost Mono-Filament technology creates a virtual air dielectric by winding an FEP filament in a precise spiral around each individual conductor before extruding an outer FEP insulation cover which minimizes contact with the outer insulation. This minimal outer insulation contact lessens dielectric absorption while simultaneously enhancing mechanical damping and geometrical precision.
The Norse 2 family also uses use asymmetrical grounding which improves grounding and leads to a lower noise floor.L Lastly, the Norse 2 series introduces precision mechanically tuned lengths. These mechanically tuned lengths are less resonant which in turn reduces low level microphonic and high frequency resonance noise.
Valhalla 2 Reference Series
Nordost Valhalla 2 was Introduced in 2013 as a major technological upgrade over the Valhalla 1 series which were introduced in 2001.
Nordost Valhalla cables includes more precise and higher specification implementations of the core technologies found in Leif and Norse 2. This includes silver-plated, OFC solid core conductors, extruded FEP insulation, a mechanically tuned construction, and asymmetrical grounding, the advances made from that jumping-point are astounding. The Valhalla series takes these base technologies further. For example the individual silver plating on each conductor is a higher polish more perfect surface which minimizes signal degradation causes by minor surface imperfections as the signal travels over it.
Valhalla 2 also has Dual Mono-Filament construction which is a smaller dual wind helix of monofilament. This gives a better separation of conductor to insulator resulting in even less skin effect distortion. Valhalla 2 also has Nordost's HOLO :PLUG which is mass optimized proprietary connector that requires a circular multi-point solder connection to the individual conductor strands.
Odin two contains the highest implementation quality of all of Nordost's premier technologies. Given that Nordost's parent cable technology company wired NASA's Space Shuttle and the Mars Rover, a reader may wish to contextually interpret the term premier technologies. The Odin 2 is in a completely different category of performance compared to other cables and represents the state of the art in signal preservation. The Odin 2 is simply the pinnacle in cable development and easily the finest cable we have had in our store at Pearl audio. An external proof of performance can easily be seen in the number of high end audio reviewers and best in show systems that use Nordost Odin 2 as their basis. Wiring a system anew with Odin 2 often transforms an already high level system to a level that realigns earlier assumptions of performance potential. The sense of realism is both startling and uncanny to hear in-person.