Nordost Tyr 2 Review (USB Cable)

[don'ttrustauthority]

Well, the guarantee failed. I measured no difference let alone taking my system to the next level. Listening tests showed the same past the vagaries of such tests.

Needless to say, I can't recommend the Nordost Tyr 2 USB cable. Save your money and buy more music with it.

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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

Yes people, donate some money seeing as Amir just saved you lots of money. This site is saving you money!

On the other hand, I'm not sure why Amir doesn't realize, looking around and wondering where your $1400 went IS THE NEXT LEVEL

 

[jkasch]

I haven’t read the entire thread, but how did seven members vote for the golfing panther? Nordost employees and family members?

 

[A Surfer]

I haven’t read the entire thread, but how did seven members vote for the golfing panther? Nordost employees and family members?

I am willing to bet the majority were joking when they did. Just to have some fun results.

 

[Grooved]

$1,400...
I don't know who are the one to blame the most, the brand or the customers, because at least, it is not a brand that rips off "poor" customers
But it's still a shame that you're "allowed" to sell something like while your claims are just lies.

I started with Amazon Basics cable and my reference test tracks. Sounded great as usual. I then switched in the Nordost Tyr 2. The quick impression was that the sound became more compressed and congested. To confirm, I went back to Amazon Basics. It indeed sounded better. A bit later I switched back to Nordost. Now the Nordost sounded more clear and detailed! Listened for a bit more and switched back to Amazon. Now the Amazon sounded more detailed and clear! Continue to listen and these differences faded within a few seconds. Needless to say, none of this is real. The cables are not making a difference. It is me that is varying my perception as I go through plugging and unplugging stuff and music keeps playing.

Hi @amirm , you may try to add a loopback recording and compare it with DeltaWave which would also kill the possibility for them to say "hey, it was not music but test signal".
For what it's worth, I did it with a good standard USB cable, and then added a cheap 15ft USB extender cable bought for $2, and at the end, the results in DeltaWave were exactly the same for both recordings.

 

[elvisizer]

The only thing that makes me chuckle more than this stuff is "audiophile Ethernet switches".


Literally none of the claims make any sense if you have a basic understanding of how computers work.

10 pages of silliness if you're in the mood over at the Hoffman forums

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

Does any cable "look" audibly better otoh?

The flat speaker wires do! Very audibly better looking.

 

[DonR]

The flat speaker wires do! Very audibly better looking.

I like the cables with little wooden blocks attached to them. Wood makes electronics look "old school" and pre-industrial. It brings in notes of a slower time when peasants worked your fields for you and servants served you breakfast.

Here is Nordost's top tier USB cable (more than twice the price of the Tyr 2) and it's flat as a bonus!

 

[SIY]

Silver plating might increase life expectancy as well, but its completely unreasonable when there is plastic insulation on top of it. And there are other really cheap ways how to protect the wiring.

It won't. The only reason that silver plating is there (aside from marketing spin) is that it's necessary for the extrusion coating of PTFE.

PTFE/silver is highly fashionable in woo-woo circles, but in reality, it's a terrible choice for audio or computer cables. Extra cost and degraded performance and reliability- perfect for high end audio.

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

It would be funny is someone wanted to take out a google ad for searches that reference a certain noun to link these charts to the ad to save money on usb cables! by learning not to buy them.

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

I like the cables with little wooden blocks attached to them. Wood makes electronics look "old school" and pre-industrial. It brings in notes of a slower time when peasants worked your fields for you and servants served you breakfast.

Here is Nordost's top tier USB cable (more than twice the price of the Tyr 2) and it's flat as a bonus!

I forgot about the wooden blocks! Totally audibly better looking!

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

I also know the old saying "You get what you pay for". Do you guys think that's also another reason for people to believe in cables? Premium price does not equal premium quality, but at the very least it brings a sense of relief and trust to the customers.

Depends on what you mean by premium quality. Lots of bling may not be quality, but adding better conducting metals, moving the signal away from the external environment, can make people feel like their music is 'safer' and that might have an impact on how we 'hear' music if you define 'hear' as including components beyond the movement of the eardrum.

 

[ZolaIII]

This are perfectly fine USB C short phone cable's. They cost 5~8$. The shielding is TPE (flexible and nice on tuch), with resistor on input plugs... They are considerably high quality perfectly fine USB cables with long endurance. Who ever finds better even for considerably more money has my slight inclination as long as I live.

https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/accessories/ucb30/specifications

 

[Sal1950]

Here is Nordost's top tier USB cable (more than twice the price of the Tyr 2) and it's flat as a bonus!

A 1m length of Valhalla 2 USB cable is "only" $3,499.
A 5m length will run ya only $8,299.99.
That's why your measurements didn't show any real improvements @amirm
You used the cheap stuff. LOL

Valhalla 2 USB 2.0

The Valhalla 2 USB 2.0 is revolutionary in terms of USB cable design. For the first time, Nordost is introducing a flat, twin-axial geometry to its USB cables. This innovative layout allows the two signal wires to run parallel, compared to the standard twisted-pair configuration, shortening the...

pearlaudiovideo.com

 

[Robbo99999]

@amirm , please don't do listening tests on cables, to satisfy the arguments of a section of audiophools (or to make fun of them!)!

 

[FrantzM]

Just to make you either laugh or cry ...
Nordost has a 75Ohms cable, OK, an SPDIF cable they call the Odin-2. It cost the eye-watering amount of $14,000.oo.

Here's a review of the Odin-2 non-digital cables from TAS ... Speaker cables, AC Power cords and Analog interconnects ... I usually refrain from re-posting bovine manure aka BS but .. this needs to be read, perhaps as a vaccine against HEA BS.

That some people buy these things, because some do, and that some Magazines extoll their virtues illustrate the level of stupid ignorance, arrogance and villainy, humans are capable of.

Peace

 

[KxDx]

You're doing it wrong. You would actually have to make, support & sell a laptop and keep it relevant.

What you should be selling are audiophile laptop stands.

Why would you not put your laptop on a stand that drastically improves clarity, timing, bass extension and soundstage, while at the same time eliminating resonances and magnetic interference?

4 years went into the development, and we are proud that we can finally introduce the single greatest upgrade for anyone who's serious about streaming highres audio.

Close.

I'm thinking audiophile laptop power supplies. The obsession with high-end power cords is real, so you need audiophile power coming in as well as audiophile 1's and 0's going out.

 

[Sal1950]

Peace

PEACE? I'd give em peace, What they deserve is a smack upside the head with a 2x4!
Can you believe the closing paragraph?

"In my view, Nordost deserves the highest possible commendation for building on its previous efforts to produce a statement product that is remarkable for its purity and resolution, transparency and clarity. If you get the collywobbles at the imposing prices that state-of-the-art cables command, then you look should elsewhere. But if you can shoulder the tariff, then the Odin 2 is worth every penny and more. Mighty Odin, indeed."

Nordost Odin 2 Interconnect and Speaker Cable Supreme Reference Range

At a recent Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, one of the most compelling demos that I heard was conducted by the Nordost cable company. Its representatives

www.theabsolutesound.com

 

[liquidlino]

On a more serious note, I'd pay good money (not $1400) for a lightning cable that my kids couldn't break every five minutes.

 

[DrJayDub]

Good write up as always showing no audible benefit to these exorbitantly priced cables.

I wonder if ASR, AVS, and Audioholics are beating this horse after it is already dead? Folks have already decided to either use measurements for purchasing decisions or not. At this point these studies are unlikely to change anyone’s minds. Kind of like science versus faith. Good luck trying to scientifically disprove someone’s beliefs.

EDIT: I am happy to hear folks are getting some education and good out of these studies! Maybe I should check my cynicism level down a few notches!

 

[elvisizer]

On a more serious note, I'd pay good money (not $1400) for a lightning cable that my kids couldn't break every five minutes.

Amazon.com : armored lightning cable