[Luigi]

Found on an audio news website:

Nordost's new Odin Reference cable range (starting at $14,000/pr for interconnects and $20,000/pr for loudspeaker cables), this revolutionary design combines the evolution of existing Nordost proprietary technologies with the fruits of fundamental new research…

Good luck to them.

[lonewolfny42]

Good luck to them.

Right....now the Valhalla's, their former best, will look like a bargain.....

(1M IC = $4330.00....2M SC = $7399.00)

[TONEPUB]

Where you really get hosed is trying to review that stuff.

You lose either way...

If you come back and say they are incredible, all of your
readers say you are insane.  If you say they are no big
deal, the mfr. says you can't hear and your system is
junk!

Arrgh!

Honestly, I'm just not even interested!

[ZLS]

   As long as their are people willing and able to pay the price, the cost of wires (cables, IC's, and power cords) will continue to go up.  Welcome to capitalism 101. 
    I would add one thing to why I would not want to review them.  I could not afford to pay for the insurance to ship them back!

[2bigears]

   Sucker  born every minute,some people really have too much money. 

[macrojack]

There is a segment of the population who will buy these cables simply because they can and you can't. Now that there are barriers to segregation according to race, color, creed, etc. the one remaining area of exclusion is price.

They won't say so, but a lot of people buy Wilson speakers with this in mind. There may be better performers around for less money but they won't let that thought enter their minds. It is inconceivable to them that they should own the same speakers that their gardener can afford.

So it is with Nordost cables. Many will praise these as the second coming and a precious few will fork over the money. Reviewers will reach down to the bottom of their bag of bullshit for just one more degree of sideways superlative to lavish on them. Audiophools will drool and dream. Other providers will offer equal of better cables at 1% of the price until they go out of business. And the lemming march toward medieval social circumstances will advance unabated.

Of course, Stereophile will need a new "A" quadruple plus category for them because they coax that last inexpendable drop of charismatic nuanced innuendo and choclaty orgasmic passion from the Ivar autographed MK VIII Linn LP 12 with the Inko, Dinko and Plinko improvements.

Oh shit! My train is leaving......

[PaulFolbrecht]

Where you really get hosed is trying to review that stuff.

You lose either way...

If you come back and say they are incredible, all of your
readers say you are insane.  If you say they are no big
deal, the mfr. says you can't hear and your system is
junk!

Arrgh!

Honestly, I'm just not even interested!

That's an easy one: take the readers' side, which in this case at least is likely FAR closer to objective.

For, they may indeed be 'incredible', but statements like that are pointless in audio - all that matters is compared to WHAT?  Of course they will probably sound incredible, and of course there are probably dozens of cables that will sound as good or better in the same system for 1/10th or less the price.

These crooks are going to keep upping the ante until they finally reach a limit nobody will pay.  Where is that?  Are there audiophiles who would be able to convince themselves that $100,000 speaker cables are giving them something they don't get for cheaper?  I bet there are.

This cable business is really just getting completely ridiculous.  I am not a silly "objectivist" who will say that cables make little or no difference - of course they do - the point is in the profit margins here.  What do these cables cost to make?

[miklorsmith]

Jeez, macro, nails for cornflakes today?   

[macrojack]

Don't turn it on me, Mike.
I may not be a skilled writer or a clever parody artist, but I offer opinions here that warrant consideration.

Please reread and comment on my content. There may be a point or two in there that excites your common sense. I count on you for informed commentary.

[miklorsmith]

I don't disagree with the sentiment, you were just more scathing than usual.  Don't count on seeing these anywhere near my gear.

[Phil]

I love these topics because they bring out the poet, economist and philosopher in enraged audiophiles.  So I'll do my part.

Don't we all have a knee-jerk reaction that more expensive must be better?  We might realistically talk about the diminishing return of an audio investment, but the natural tendency is to equate overall investment with value received.  As we watch the steady march toward specialization in everything from what you have to wear when you jump on a bike to the kind of metal in your specialized audio outlet (guilty), and the stratospheric prices of everything, we get alarmed and look for answers.  So, you see, in our detached little lives, the cable manufacturers are the ones forcing us to ask the big questions about life and love, and they bring us together in our collective outrage.     Surely that is worth the price a few of us will pay for the benefits of all the others.  The generosity of the ultra-wealthy, you see,  is something to admire.



 

[Jon L]

Found on an audio news website:

Nordost's new Odin Reference cable range (starting at $14,000/pr for interconnects and $20,000/pr for loudspeaker cables), this revolutionary design combines the evolution of existing Nordost proprietary technologies with the fruits of fundamental new research…

Good luck to them.

Nordost wouldn't be making'em if people weren't buying them.  Apparently, their business model is a successful one with plenty of customers.  Since the purpose of business is to make profit, and since nobody is forcing ME to buy their products, so be it 

[ctviggen]

They won't say so, but a lot of people buy Wilson speakers with this in mind.

Some people buy Wilsons simply because they like them.  My best friend's "dream" speakers are Wilson cubs with a good subwoofer.  For some reason, he loves the cubs, even though they're an insane price with matching stands.

[2bigears]

There is a segment of the population who will buy these cables simply because they can and you can't. Now that there are barriers to segregation according to race, color, creed, etc. the one remaining area of exclusion is price.

They won't say so, but a lot of people buy Wilson speakers with this in mind. There may be better performers around for less money but they won't let that thought enter their minds. It is inconceivable to them that they should own the same speakers that their gardener can afford.

So it is with Nordost cables. Many will praise these as the second coming and a precious few will fork over the money. Reviewers will reach down to the bottom of their bag of bullshit for just one more degree of sideways superlative to lavish on them. Audiophools will drool and dream. Other providers will offer equal of better cables at 1% of the price until they go out of business.  -------And the lemming march toward medieval social circumstances will advance unabated. --------

Of course, Stereophile will need a new "A" quadruple plus category for them because they coax that last inexpendable drop of charismatic nuanced innuendo and choclaty orgasmic passion from the Ivar autographed MK VIII Linn LP 12 with the Inko, Dinko and Plinko improvements.

Oh shit! My train is leaving......   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------   hey,i like that,can i use that line ???? there are 50000.00 bed mattressrs with an eight month wait list,12000.00 fridges???? like i said,sucker born per minute!!!!

[rollo]

There is a segment of the population who will buy these cables simply because they can and you can't. Now that there are barriers to segregation according to race, color, creed, etc. the one remaining area of exclusion is price.

They won't say so, but a lot of people buy Wilson speakers with this in mind. There may be better performers around for less money but they won't let that thought enter their minds. It is inconceivable to them that they should own the same speakers that their gardener can afford.

So it is with Nordost cables. Many will praise these as the second coming and a precious few will fork over the money. Reviewers will reach down to the bottom of their bag of bullshit for just one more degree of sideways superlative to lavish on them. Audiophools will drool and dream. Other providers will offer equal of better cables at 1% of the price until they go out of business. And the lemming march toward medieval social circumstances will advance unabated.

Of course, Stereophile will need a new "A" quadruple plus category for them because they coax that last in expendable drop of charismatic nuanced innuendo and chocolaty orgasmic passion from the Ivar autographed MK VIII Linn LP 12 with the Inko, Dinko and Plinko improvements.

Oh shit! My train is leaving......

   


   Could not agree more, except the Sterophile comment. You guys want to try a killer speaker cable. Go to Radio Shack and buy a 50" spool of 16GA gold speaker cable. Then braid 4 wires together like a a Women's hair braid. attach two leads together, one for Pos, one for Neg. IMO you will be very satisfied

 rollo

[art]

Where you really get hosed is trying to review that stuff.

You might.......the big boys don't........

A bit off-topic:

Anyone ever notice how the components reviewed find their ways into reviewers' systems? And how often they change their reference system?

I thought "reference" was supposed to actually be a reference, IOW, something that you know inside and out. Not the latest gold-plated POC some manufacturer donated to the cause.

I am going to assume that Rollo is above that fray. Comment(s) not directed at him.

Pat