Nordost Blue Heaven AC Cord Review

[PeteL]

What I find interesting is the 15 pages thread, we have numerous great reviewed products that actually serve a purpose but what we as a community get enthusiastic discussing, is this stuff, which don't bring anything to "audio science", if there is such a thing, this thing which measure the same as the last one, and the next one, which everything have already been said about, but still....

 

[voodooless]

What I find interesting is the 15 pages thread, we have numerous great reviewed products that actually serve a purpose but what we as a community get enthusiastic discussing, is this stuff, which don't bring anything to "audio science", if there is such a thing, this thing which measure the same as the last one, and the next one, which everything have already been said about, but still....

Came for the science, stayed for the entertainment

 

[JSmith]

True believers in power cables must surely be fans of this comic...

JSmith

 

[FrantzM]

Yes definitely. More time (distance) for electron cleaning. Those dirty little buggers.

Back in the early 90's Gorge Tice, who was selling some power related audiophile gears, amongst these the ~"Tice Power Block" and the "Tice Clock" claimed he found a way to ... err... program ... the electrons to that they could behave in a more orderly fashion.... through a proprietary process called TPT. Yep! people... And it was said with all seriousness. I believe that The Absolute Sound, perhaps Stereophile, did "review" some of his wares...

Search Google for "Tice Audio" and prepare yourselves to laugh ... perhaps cry.

Peace.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

You are not comparing like with like. Did you miss that? ;-)

For anyone wondering, The Chord Company has nothing to do with Chord Electronics.

 

[amirm]

Back in the early 90's Gorge Tice, who was selling some power related audiophile gears, amongst these the ~"Tice Power Block" and the "Tice Clock" claimed he found a way to ..

Someone has sent me a tice produce to test!

 

[totti1965]

What I find interesting is the 15 pages thread, we have numerous great reviewed products that actually serve a purpose but what we as a community get enthusiastic discussing, is this stuff, which don't bring anything to "audio science", if there is such a thing, this thing which measure the same as the last one, and the next one, which everything have already been said about, but still....

Yes! Let's check out just more speakers (even the more expensive ones!) because the quality of the loudspeakers matters ten times more than the quality of the other stuff. This testing of cable stuff is indeed a bit boring!
I'm from Germany, so I can't send stuff around the world - too expensive. But each of you can bring some of your stuff to Amir!
The only thing I can do is: write letters to the CEOs of some European brands to ask them if they could try to contact Amir (I did that with Nubert and got no answer yet) and I will write a letter to the R&D manager of Magnat, because they use not only Klippel NFS but also a Klippel Laser Interferrometer thing to develop chassis from scratch. Their EUR 350,- / pair Magnat Monitor Active 2000 bookshelf speakers really impressed me. I bought a pair for my son's desk and refused to put them in his room for two months because I was shocked by the quality, was speachless and wanted to hear them in my main system for a few weeks!!!!
So I am very excited to see the Klippel results in spinorama.org about this speaker and will try to get in touch with Christian Gather, Magnat development engineer, to ask him if he can contact Magnat America to send Amir a test unit.
Could there be better PR for a speaker company than a recommendation here in ASR?

A Look at the Measuring Laboratory | Magnat US

High-performance, high-quality home audio designed in Germany. MAGNAT-USA is your source for superior speakers, turntables, and home audio.

magnat-usa.com

 

[Ken Tajalli]

Could there be better PR for a speaker company than a recommendation here in ASR?

Err...
I am not too sure of that.
Certainly a recommendation from ASR would be a big feather in their caps, but most, I would say, don't seek it actively .
- ASR audio enthusiasts are knowledgeable. They spend their money wisely and as little as needed.
- These scrutinizing, stingy bunch )) are not large enough nor easy to please.
They much rather sell to Joe average, again and again.
He wouldn't know enough to either argue back, nor buy something else.
Also, Amir always manages to find something about any device that is less than perfect. He almost never gives full full hail to anything!
That is good for us, but as a PR?

 

[AudioSceptic]

I have done that, but by using a separate supply (a wall wart with DC output). Some further filtering is in order in the main unit, but the noisy parts are remote.

Would a phone charger (USB 5 V) work for that?

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Yes! Let's check out just more speakers (even the more expensive ones!) because the quality of the loudspeakers matters ten times more than the quality of the other stuff. This testing of cable stuff is indeed a bit boring!
I'm from Germany, so I can't send stuff around the world - too expensive. But each of you can bring some of your stuff to Amir!
The only thing I can do is: write letters to the CEOs of some European brands to ask them if they could try to contact Amir (I did that with Nubert and got no answer yet) and I will write a letter to the R&D manager of Magnat, because they use not only Klippel NFS but also a Klippel Laser Interferrometer thing to develop chassis from scratch. Their EUR 350,- / pair Magnat Monitor Active 2000 bookshelf speakers really impressed me. I bought a pair for my son's desk and refused to put them in his room for two months because I was shocked by the quality, was speachless and wanted to hear them in my main system for a few weeks!!!!
So I am very excited to see the Klippel results in spinorama.org about this speaker and will try to get in touch with Christian Gather, Magnat development engineer, to ask him if he can contact Magnat America to send Amir a test unit.
Could there be better PR for a speaker company than a recommendation here in ASR?

A Look at the Measuring Laboratory | Magnat US

High-performance, high-quality home audio designed in Germany. MAGNAT-USA is your source for superior speakers, turntables, and home audio.

magnat-usa.com

Why didn’t Magnat publish their own NFS results? That would be a good start short of sending one to Amir. The fact that they didn’t already publish their results, sends a message (unless they did and I overlooked it).

KEF, JBL, Neumann and Genelec do publish measurements too (yes not all from NFS but mainly confirmed by NFS) and not to their disadvantage.

 

[aslan7]

View attachment 291766So I was passing a Kiehl’s cosmetics shop as I read this thread . This was in their window display - same old pseudo science complete with a DNA helix to add some weight to their science-based potions and lotions. I wonder what sort of blind testing they did to substantiate the claims on their window poster

Years ago I went to Kiehl’s in Philadelphia. The sales lady looked at me very disapprovingly and said I needed their shampoo to take the yellow tinge out of my gray hair. So, being a sucker, I bought the shampoo and used it for six months. When I returned to the store another sales lady accosted me and said I needed their shampoo to take the yellow tinge out of my grey hair. You can imagine my response.

 

[fpitas]

Would a phone charger (USB 5 V) work for that?

I've never tried one, or looked at the specs; but probably.

 

[bboris77]

This kind of product actually makes me angry because it is 100% fraudulent and is equivalent to stealing money from naive people. The issue is that all of the marketing claims are verifiably false, and the company knows it. My question is whether any country in the world has any kind of anti-fraud laws that would regulate this kind of practice and protect the consumer? I’m not saying that selling this type of product should be illegal. My issue is with advertising that a product does something that it does not do.

 

[totti1965]

Why didn’t Magnat publish their own NFS results?

I will ask Christian Gather! Perhaps the simple reason is: they don´t know about ASR! The MLSSA plot (Frequency response and distortion) in German magazine stereoplay is pretty darn good for a EUR 350 ,-- / pair speaker (sometimes avaiable for just EUR 199,-- / pair!). JBL 305 P Mk II / JBL 306 P Mk II Killer?
And: I ask myself: why did Neuman yet not send the KH 120 II to Amir? Amir likes Neumann - Where is the risk?
All speakers, I consider to buy!

 

[HarmonicTHD]

I will ask Christian Gather! Perhaps the simple reason is: they don´t know about ASR! The MLSSA plot (Frequency response and distortion) in German magazine stereoplay is pretty darn good for a EUR 350 ,-- / pair speaker (sometimes avaiable for just EUR 199,-- / pair!). JBL 305 P Mk II / JBL 306 P Mk II Killer?
And: I ask myself: why did Neuman yet not send the KH 120 II to Amir? Amir likes Neumann - Where is the risk?
All speakers, I consider to buy

Yes please ask.

What I don’t understand where the connection is between Magnat knowing ASR and publishing their own NFS results. Others published results on their respective websites / publications way before ASR was founded and Magnat could do so at any time if they choose so. So far they haven’t. Makes me think.

I see no risk that Amir would not also confirm the Neumann KH120ii results once he receives one. So far every Neumann (Genelec, KEF, JBL) speaker were within the margins of error of what Neumann or the above mentioned manufacturers published. In the case of the 120 I would therefore trust Neumanns published results 100 percent.

 

[Mathijs Kok]

You joke (I think) but I've seen hardcore "audiophiles" build giant battery packs to power their gear.

Well if you believe that power should be 'clean', that is the perfect way to go.

Certainly replacing a $15 powerwart with a USB powerpack helps with the sound on small devices (Rasberry etc) helps a lot.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Well if you believe that power should be 'clean', that is the perfect way to go.

Certainly replacing a $15 powerwart with a USB powerpack helps with the sound on small devices (Rasberry etc) helps a lot.

Really? Do you have any objective facts?

 

[AudioSceptic]

This kind of product actually makes me angry because it is 100% fraudulent and is equivalent to stealing money from naive people. The issue is that all of the marketing claims are verifiably false, and the company knows it. My question is whether any country in the world has any kind of anti-fraud laws that would regulate this kind of practice and protect the consumer? I’m not saying that selling this type of product should be illegal. My issue is with advertising that a product does something that it does not do.

The manufacturers might be fraudulent or possibly believe in what they are selling; in any case, they do what they can get away with. I have a bigger issue with so-called reviewers/journalists such as <https://hifiplus.com/articles/nordost-odin-2-cables/>. What possible excuse is there for that (no, advertising revenue is not a valid one)? To think that I bought a few issues of that mag some years ago...

 

[roog]

Since I can remember, so that will be the 1970's on, the HiFi industry has been desperate to sell accessories, knowing that once a punter has 'spent out', usually exceeding their original budget, on their new stereo system, their revenue from similar purchases will be severely curtailed for a while. The 'low cost' accessory market keeps them coming back to the store for that affordable little thing that 'lifts the performance' of your system. Its always struck me that it is a bit dumb that you sell someone something which is often quite expensive and certainly a non essential luxury item that 'can be improved' with the addition of a cheap add on that the original manufactures couldn't possibly have thought of, whether it was worthwhile or not.

I can't help but feel that the buyers of such accessories have lost all sense, placing disproportionate faith in the marketing claims made for such devices and I'm not talking about $80,000 cables which look like a python that's just had a good meal, I'm talking about the relatively innocent things like fancy little bottles of contact cleaner, little disks to shove under your speaker feet or a 'HiFi standard' power distribution strip.

Much like the seeming rise of conspiracy theories, there seem to be a large proportion of HiFi enthusiast who seem to have disengaged the skeptical safety feature of their brain and who want to believe, no, they go so far as to defend, the hype spouted by these far from transparent companies. I am led to understand that it is an increasing mistrust of authority and science that is at the heart of this behavior in our society. Ignoring the money side of things it is perhaps the behavioral issue here which troubles me most, why is it that people don't trust science?

 

[fpitas]

The manufacturers might be fraudulent or possibly believe in what they are selling; in any case, they do what they can get away with. I have a bigger issue with so-called reviewers/journalists such as <https://hifiplus.com/articles/nordost-odin-2-cables/>. What possible excuse is there for that (no, advertising revenue is not a valid one)? To think that I bought a few issues of that mag some years ago...

You need to attract the sort of readers that buy snake oil products Your advertisers will thank you.