Nordost ODIN – Cold Out Of The Box: Addendum
A few notes…
First, the bass on the Kharma Mini Exquisite speakers is much improved with the Odin, especially with music that has a lot of bass at frequencies that the speaker is tuned for, i.e. around the port frequency. But, as we all know, the bass between the port frequency and about 35 Hz, say is not as strong and will never be as strong as that of a larger speaker.
Second, there is some relationship between dynamic compression and (multi-dimensional: frequency, imaging, dynamics, etc.) congestion. These cables, removing these, makes one wonder how they got there in the first place. One possibility is that, because problems often can be heard even on very well recorded, yet not very complex music, near or at loud notes, that it is the red-lining during the recording processes, maxing out the dynamics of the media, that most cables find hard to deal with. They can’t disambiguate the signal very well at all when there is not a lot of dynamic headroom – but that the Odin, being more sensitive, and consistent, can.
We put the Odin on as a digital cable between the transport and DAC. It did indeed improve the sound in the same character as when we inserted it between the DAC and integrated – but not to the same degree. But don’t take this as the final word on where that all important first / best cable should be inserted into a system. Although it makes sense that having more cable that the signal goes through the more of the character of that cable the sound will have, the opposite makes sense too – that the smaller signal needs the most help. Anyway, there is some interaction between the Valhalla and Audio Note SOOTTO (much more musical) as compared to the ODIN and SOOTTO (much more competent), that throws the test results askew.
The system was then outfitted with 100% ODIN. Very intense, and quite enjoyable, and they only have a few hours on them now.
Speaking of competent, Neli came up with it first, but these cables are the first really competent cables, like the Coltrane Supremes being the first, real competent speakers. They just do the job – plain and simple, but unlike anything that came before them, nothing else has been able to just do the darned job of carrying a signal without mucking with it.
And once you hear them, once you try them in a decent system that you are familiar with, you are… ruined.
Next, putting a cable or two in the Marten Coltrane Supreme system.
