The High End Show in Munich (May 9-12) is just around the corner, and Nordost will be giving visitors a sneak peek into three new products – the Valhalla 2 Tonearm Cable +, QPOINT Resonance Synchronizer and QSOURCE linear power supply. All products are due for release later this year.
According to the company, the Valhalla 2 Tonearm Cable + features “recently discovered breakthroughs in tonearm cable design, which enable it to exceed the performance specifications that high-quality analogue replay requires.”
The cable uses four silver-plated, solid core 99.999999% OFC conductors, arranged in a twisted pair design to create left and right channels and which are individually wrapped in a silver, braided shield to eliminate inter-channel cross-talk.
“To dramatically increase signal speed, and expand the cable’s bandwidth capabilities, these conductors implement Nordost’s proprietary Dual Mono-Filament technology, reducing insulation contact by 85%. The construction also includes a separately shielded, silver-plated bond wire which runs alongside the left and right channels.”
To banish noise completely, Nordost has designed “the most versatile solution on the market… each cable is equipped with two, detachable, silver-plated ground whips, complete with Micro Mono-Filament technology, allowing the cable to provide proper grounding, regardless of the unique construction of the components it is being used with.”
The QPOINT, meanwhile, addresses the issue of electromechanical resonances that are a source of electrical noise.
“It emits a subtle field which manipulates all electromechanical resonances within its immediate proximity so that they vibrate in unison with each other. For maximum effect, QPOINT units should placed directly under or on top of targeted components, such as solid-state or tube amplifiers, digital or analogue source components, traditional line stages, or modern digital processors.”
Nordost claims the sonic effects are dramatic, including “enhanced coherency, greater dynamic range, more fluid musical expression, and greater space and ambiance in musical reproduction.”
Finally, the QSOURCE, which Nordost claims is the first linear power supply designed specifically for hi-fi audio applications, providing a stable, clean output of DC power at select voltages, while maintaining extremely low noise levels. It has a top-of-the-line transformer with a “unique circuit design to convert AC to DC power, while an internal QRT module smooths out DC output and removes electrical anomalies and noise artefacts from the line.”
“To complete the transmission chain, Nordost has designed the purpose-built QSOURCE DC Cable, so that the new QPOINT, as well as any other DC-run components in your system, can be run by your QSOURCE unit. Whether used in conjunction with the QPOINT or as a standalone power supply for DC-dependent audio components, the QSOURCE will bring new dimension to your sound system, allowing you to enjoy richer and more nuanced musical performances.”
The Valhalla 2 Tonearm Cable + will retail price at US$4,999.99 per 1.25m length; additional 0.5m increments are US$625.00. The QPOINT’s suggested retail price is US$749.99. The QSOURCE is US$2,499.99, and the accompanying QSOURCE DC Cable is US$259.99 per metre (US$50 per half-metre increments).
I like Nordost, but I am not sure about that Qpoint device…