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| Model: | Nite |
| Category: | Cable |
| Suggested Retail Price: | $1500.00 |
| Description: | Power series Nite Power |
| Manufacturer URL: | Virtual Dynamics |
| Model Picture: | View |
| Review by blazter (A) on January 17, 2003 at 14:13:11 IP Address: 64.12.96.202 | Add Your Review for the Nite |
NITE Cable ReviewThis review is for the Nite 1 meter digital cable, which represents the top of the line from the Canadian firm Virtual Dynamics. The cable construction is beyond reproach, albeit large due to the solid core 9.5 awg conductors and proprietary damping the company utilizes. Size wise, I believe the circumference to be approximately 2.5 inches while weighing in at around 3 to 4 pounds. The cable then eloquently tapers down to end in the highly regarded WBT-0108 locking RCA connectors. Don’t let the size of the cable fool you into thinking it’s a difficult cable to handle though. Due to the stiffness the cable retains it’s shape nicely once formed to the run you desire and this is actually helpful when running the other cables in your rack, as you now know exactly how to route those wires. In addition, though large and stiff, the cable is yet surprisingly malleable, being much easier to form than say the much smaller and lighter JPS Superconductor cables I owned a few years ago.
So much for physical descriptions let’s move on to how this puppy performs in comparison to other highly regarded cables in or above this price range. Actually, The Nite cable arrived in a very timely manner for me. I had just gone through a digital cable search for the “B” set up in the basement w/ some very highly regarded digital cables. At that time I had in my possession the Harmonic Tech Magic One digital, Marigo Apparition, Acoustic MC2, Omega Mikro D-4 w/ active shield, Omega Mikro’s earlier version w/ the DC current active shield that closely resembles their power cords in appearance, as well as an Omega Mikro Twin Tube Ebony digital that I use as a main stay on the main rig. Also lying around were the brand new Synergistic Research “X” series Digital Corridor Reference w/ active shield as well as the Electra Glide Silver reference. So I had been listening to some VERY good digital cables. Then on top of that I received a Siltech G5 Golden Ridge digital in about 60 days prior to the Nite getting here – the G5 was the 1.5 meter version that Siltech recommends – as well as the Kharma Grand Reference (only a one meter…thank GOD as it is ENOURMOUS and had to be hung from the ceiling to weighed so much at even one meter) that had been here maybe 25 or 30 days before the arrival of the Nite. The entire 60 days before the Nite arrived I had been doing serious listening to the Siltech and comparing it against the HT Magic, w/ Bybee filters on both ends of the Magic one against the G5. I slightly preferred the G5 in this comparison, but w/ the Bybee’s on the G5 also it was no contest. However, to my surprise, I actually liked the Kharma Grand Reference better than the G5 regardless of what the G5 had to soup it up a little!
So I had essentially been listening to the Siltech G5 1.5 meter digital cable for about a month when I traded it in for the Kharma Grand Reference and had been happily listening to that great cable for the last 30 days upon arrival of the Nite. As good as the Kharma Grand Reference was in my “B” system compared to ANY cable – Omega Mikro Ebony included – none of the cables I had previously heard before the Nite could hold a candle in the main system to the OM Ebony, it’s just WAY too musical, neutral, snappy, clean, transparent, and foot-tappin’ happy sounding up on the Big Rig. Due to this I sent even the Kharma packing and had decided I was buying another Omega Mikro Ebony – the Silver LCX version this time no less – to complete my digital connections on both systems….that’s when Rick at Virtual Dynamics made his challenge to me and stood behind his beliefs by sending me the cables to compare to all mine.
If it had not been from just having lived w/ the Kharma Grand Reference for a while I may have been taken back at the enormity of the Nite digital when first I laid eyes on it. However, the Kharma is about 4 inches in circumference so anything after it pales in comparison. Right out of the box this digital cable surprised me. I usually place all cables on my cooker for a week and then play them in some non-critical spot or in the bedroom for another 100 hours before seriously listening to them. However, Rick had already cooked them on a much better cable cooker and besides, I was WAY to curious about the thing to be that patient this go around. I figured that if it sucked, I would then go through my burn in routine and then give it another chance afterwards as I have heard some very good cables go from just OK sounding to incredible sounding after 300 – 400 hours of burn in time (Harmonic Tech Magic One as well as their Platinum are the most amazing in this transformation).
So first up is one of my “B” system favorite CDs, Keb’ Mo’s Big Wide Grin. Lots of background vocals going on here and the micro detail on some tracks can be challenging to all cables and players. The Nite leaped out of the box and took control of this CD pronto. Immediately I was amazed by the clarity of Keb’ Mo’s voice! It seemed huge and strong and so natural. I had just seen Keb’ Mo’ live w/ Dar Williams a few months prior at an outdoor event at the Columbus Rhythm & Zoo concert series and have been listening to his recordings on both systems for a few years now so I have a pretty good grasp on what the “live” as well as recorded artist sounds like to my ears anyway. With the Nite he was dead on IMHO. The really great thing though was that this CD can verge on being bright and for as clean and transparent as his vocals were there was absolutely no unnatural sibilance nor any ear wincing brightness from the music itself. I was pretty pleased by the first few tracks and knew I would NOT need to go through my burn in process at all. As a matter of fact, I was smiling as I thought how much BETTER things would get As the Nite actually DID fully burn in on my system! Check this out…from the get-go the Nite sounded better than my Siltech G5 Golden Ridge! No doubt about this at all. It had all the micro detail of the G5 w/ much more natural vocal presentation as well as a smoother, more refined musical presentation to it. I liked the G5 better than any of the mere mortal cables like the Magic One and MC2, (not necessarily the OM D-4 though, apples & oranges here though and more on that if anyone is curious) but it always had something about it that bugged me. Sometimes the darn thing would sound hot when it fleshed out all that glorious detail. The bass of the G5 was incredibly clean, articulate and deep, but just not as punchy in the midbass area as I liked and not quite as tight down low as I had hoped for. Well, the Nite had no problems there. It was every bit as deep and powerful as the G5 bass but also seemed a bit more defined and nimble too. Holy Shi*! I’m really digging this!
The moment of clarity w/ the Nite came very soon into the session. Track #4 on Big Wide Grin, while not the best track on the recording, has a peculiarity that makes cable auditioning rather revealing. The song starts out well enough w/ a good strong bass line and Kevin’s great acoustic guitar but there is something odd about the drum kit here. The kick drum, snare and even the high hats all sound really great being very clean and snappy. However, the cymbal strikes have always bugged my on this one track as I thought they sounded receded compared not only to thee rest of the drum kit here but also to the general recording of the rest of the album. Almost as if the set up crew had accidentally miked the cymbals too far away or something. I’ve tried a lot of cables on this track and it generally will give you a good idea of how well the set up is fleshing out the detail. I was nearly half through the song when I popped my eyes open in amazement! “Damn, is that track four?” I must be loosing my mind I thought as the cymbals were now nearly in line w/ the rest of the drum kit as far as the loudness and decay. It took me by surprise enough that I actually got up and LOOKED at the track number on the transport! Yep, that’s track 4 all right? So just in case I had not heard the recording recently enough and got it mixed up somehow I pulled the Nite for the OM digital w/ DC active shield and started over. YIKES, there it is again, those damn cymbals are just not up to snuff like I thought. Back on goes the Nite and sure as heck, now, though not as good as the rest of the recordings on the disc, the cymbals were much clearer and well enough exposed that it no longer irritated me to hear them during the song. This through me enough to run upstairs and commence to go through the hassle of pulling my Omega Micro Ebony from the main rig and drag it downstairs to see what it’s going to do w/ this situation. This NOT a task one takes likely when doing it by yourself believe me so it was a real stunner for me at this point to see where the cards would fall.
Even w/ the $1400 basic Ebony Twin Tube Digital cable, the detail of the drum kit was not as distinct as I had heard just moments b/4 w/ the Nite cable in place. Not that the Ebony was not better sounding at this point, as I feel it was more refined overall and more “texture” to the bass line as well as the PRaT being more to my liking by a very small margin, but then again, the Nite only had about 30 minutes on it at this point so I was still very impressed and so back it went to the “B” set up for a few hours of burn in before the next disc was to be spun w/ the cable.
Later that night I pulled at a favorite test CD of mine for this system Jimmy Buffett’s “Fruitcakes.” Yes, it’s not an “audiophile” disc, but I’ve heard it so many times in so many different configurations that I know every line and nuance it has to offer and it really does have a lot of stuff going on that makes it enjoyable as well as demanding when testing out new gear or cables. Of particular interest from this disc is track 7, “quietly making noise” as there is so much delicate information going from the shakers to the subtle way the bass line is introduced and then it builds up very well into a full blown boogie. The horn section here though is something I’ve come to pay special attention to w/ cables. It took me a few years of occasionally listening to this track to stumble one day upon how if everything is just right you can clearly distinguish the trombones from the trumpets even though they are tightly placed in the stage. However, when REALLY good cables that SYNERGIZE really well w/ a particular system are in play you can then even hear the trumpets as they swing across the microphones set up for the horns. This creates a really cool three-dimensional image and something that taught me just how important cable matching is to a system, as I never caught this until one day inserting some Nordost Quattro Fil from my Bel Canto DAC1.1. The Nordost really didn’t do anything for me upstairs in the main system as I much preferred the Omega Mikro and Pure Note Epsilon there over the QF, but HOLY MOLY when the QF were placed downstairs things snapped into place w/ astonishing results and forever spoiled me in some of my favorite albums would have to sound from that point forward. The OM Ebony digital allows this to occur as do the AQ Diamond X2 IC when I place Bybee filters on both pair. However, if the digital cable is not up to snuff this particular bit of magic is easily lost. The Nite cable passed this test w/ flying colors, not only allowing the horns to be distinct and tracking them across the microphones, but Jimmy Buffets vocals are enormous and full and really sounding like he’s down there in the dungeon w/ me. Smooth and rich too w/ no sibilance and the background singers are easily separated and properly placed in the stage being just a few feet behind JB. In this comparison the clarity was far beyond the Siltech G5 and the Kharma Grand Reference while the vocals were more enjoyable w/ the Nite than either of those two also. The Kharma has a slight edge in creating a mind blowing 3-D effect and the bass line is ever so slightly fuller and more forward than the Nite, but I still think that the Nite to be overall more musically to my liking, but then again I’m the type of guy that would choose Omega Mikro cables and Audio Magic Stealth PLCs over a Hydra or Synergistic Research, NBS sound, really digging on the faster sound as well as the razor sharp attack and crisp leading edge transients.
I spent quite a bit more time w/ the Nite down there going over everything from Patricia Barber & Sara K., to Steely Dan, Tracy Chapman, The Pretenders and even some No Doubt & Mellencamp. When it was time to take it up to the main rig I was pretty darn happy w/ what I heard down there and getting really curious w/ how my Omega Mikro Ebony was going to take over the task when I pulled it from the main rig. IMHO & IN MY STSTEM w/ MY PREFERENCES I found the Virtual Dynamics Nite Digital cable to be more to my liking than the Siltech G5 Golden Ridge (even w/ Bybee filters on both ends), the Kharma Grand Reference, Harmonic Tech Magic One, and especially the Acoustic Zen MC2 (this one didn’t go anywhere w/ Bybee’s on the ends like the others did). All of this is just w/ the Nite running from transport to DAC w/o ever having placed the Bybee filters on both ends, which has the potential to take it up even another notch or two. If anyone were considering upgrading his or her digital front end I would first think long and hard about trying a new digital cable first if you have not done so in the last couple years. The differences that these better digital cables make are stunning and the Nite is a contender for ANY cable out there, no matter if you o have $2000 to drop on a Kharma or Valhalla.
System starts w/ dedicated line into FIL outlet. Audio Magic Stealth PLC feed by Audio Magic Stealth power cord. Shunyata Cobra power cord from Stealth to PS Audio Ultimate Outlet HC. From the UO I feed my Bel Canto DAC 1.1 w/ an Omega Mikro Planar III DC active power cord and Monarchy DIP w/ another Audio Magic Illusion power cord. Another Omega Mikro PC feed the X-PSU power supply for my X-Cans headphone amp. AQ Diamond x2 and silver ribbon Ics from DAC to Carver amp and into X-Cans. Elco Audio silver ribbons to bottom posts of speakers and Pure Silver Sound to top posts w/ HDL’s there too. Everything gets DH Cones and squares and there are two Polycrystal shelves used to help in isolation.
| Product Weakness: | large and stiff so if you are barely making your current 1 or 1.5 meter digital cable fit you will have to buy the Nite a half meter longer possibly than your current cable? |
| Product Strengths: | Incredible clarity w/o ANY hint of glare or sibilnace. Very tight and well focused images. Competes w/ best in the world for a lot less cash! |
| Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
| Amplifier: | Carver integrated/MF X-Cans |
| Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | N/A |
| Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Rotel CDP |
| Speakers: | Sennheiser 580cans/ Wharfdales for csaual |
| Cables/Interconnects: | Listed above as too many to go over again! |
| Music Used (Genre/Selections): | jazz, rock, blues, pop |
| Time Period/Length of Audition: | still ongoing on main rig |
| Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | Stealth PLC & PS Audio UO |
| Type of Audition/Review: | Home Audition |
Follow Ups:
What are you testing? You say "This review is for the Nite 1 meter digital cable" but the picture is a power cord.And you have a Rotel CDP in your system? Dies it even have an IEC power inlet?
No, the CDP down in that "B" set up has a captive power cord. It's still a pretty nice player though and by having the Monarchy DIP in between it and the Bel Canto DAC 1.1 I feel the digital set up is pretty good for a second system. The DIP does take aftermarket power cords and I use an Audio Magic Illusion PC on that piece. I recently bought a second Theta Data Basic two - what I use in the main system -to be installed in the "B" set up. However, I have not had the heart to hook it up down there yet. Seems I've sort of "banked" it just in case something goes wrong w/ my transport mechanism w/ the one in the main rig since they can't be repaired.
Why do you call it that?The only thing more confusing here is the manufacturers web site!
This review is of course for a digital cable.I have some of the Nite power cords here to but not ready to post about that yet. When you go to the Nite link at the VD web page it does take you to the power cord at first. If you look off to the left side though I believe you will find the link to get to the digital, interconnect, and speaker cables. At least I was there a few days ago and though it took a few minutes I did get to the digital cable page again to look up prices for different lengths.I thought you were simply curious about the CDP from your earier question. That & I know this heading is for a power cord, but I did not see anything for the other Nite cables so I posted under that heading anyway.
Thanks for the great review. You certainly have an aersenal of cables at your disposal.I am using 2 Nite digital cables from my Altis CDT-3 -> DCS Purcell -> Wadia 27ix.
Before the Nites, I was using HT Cyber Platinum XLR, then Stealth Varidig Topline/Premier XLR, and I also borrowed an AZ MC-2. Without going into lenghty details, when the Nites showed up, they were clearly superior to any of the previous cables in my system. The Nites extract deep bass, great detail, great dynamics, and speed. I have no desire to seek any better than the Nites in this insane chase -> hey, we all have our limits.
I also have 5 VD Nite power cords, plugged into a Hydra with Python cord. Before the Nites, I had several VD Signatures, and before them Granite Audio 560, and HT Pro-AC11 cords. It is freaking amazing what a great cord like the Nite can do. As with the VD digital cables, I have no desire to seek out better power cords.
All of Rick's cables are very well made, and his crew have always been a pleasure to deal with.
- Andy
These cables may sound good to YOU but, if VD's website is anything to go by, their design is NOT founded on science, as is claimed. I'm not a scientist but I do know that it's impossible for an electron - or any particle - to travel at the speed of light. Mr Schultz seems to think that this may be possible in the future! Could it be that these cables perform well because they've been cryogenically treated and burned in on a Cable Cooker, rather than cleverly designed?
"Customers have reported dramatic lowering of heat dissipation and lower measurements of power consumption. This cable is so efficient, so low in resistance and so able to remove the friction that causes distortion that it is in a league of its own."The VD website is not just non-technical hyperbole, it is egregious and legally-actionable fraud.
Blazter's exhaustive review shows he obtained sonic benefits from the cables. The claims on the VD website are so nonsensical that they detract from blazter's review by mere association.
If I were to fall asleep when not tired, cry when not sad, and dance with myself most likely I would be bored, depressed, medicated and hearing things nobody else hears. Virtually just friggin' crackers!
Char...
Char...what exactly are you getting at here, I'm sort of lost by the post? Are you stating that cables DON'T make a difference or was it directed at the above post about the sciencefic claims of VD cables or what? Not trying to get into anything other than understanding where this all fits in?
Read the statements made on the VD website and you will know where I'm coming from.
Char...
I certainly am no scientist either. Hell man, a few years ago I was one of the greatest cable skeptics out there. Then I experienced first hand what better cables could do over your generic rat shack and Best Buy Monster cable stuff & I could care less about WHY anything sounded better but more intrigued by HEARING what each cable family/design actually sounded like IMS. I never thought though from Rick’s web page that he claimed to accelerate anything to the speed of light, I just assumed he did some research into making the cables that were less restricted in delivering the signal, but that is certainly something for Rick to chime in on here. I do know this, that different cables will make a HUGE impact on the sound of any high-resolution system. I also know that some cables will sound better or worse in different systems. I thought though that I clearly explained this thought in the review when I discussed the Quattro Fil phenomenon? Anyway, how any cable or component will ultimately sound in the end is certainly a matter of personal preference.
I'm not disputing that cables can make a huge difference, just reacting to VD's portrayal of their designs as the ultimate, world's best, etc. without recourse to science. Vague, meaningless terms like "less restricted" signal transmission are just mumbo-jumbo. As I said, cryogenic treatment and robust burning-in certainly bring great benefits.
The cryo treatment of audio cables seems to be something that is really catching on. There is a place in Kansas City I think that does the 3 day cryo treatment for only like $10 per pound which would make it VERY reasonable for most interconnects and some power cords as well as tubes!
Nice review Man! Like I said last night I really enjoyed your "ALL-Virtual" system. I know you're not a proponent of maintaining that all cables must be from the family (me neither) but there was a certain seamlessness to the presentation. I've only listened, at lenght, to the Nite pc IMS and I was very impressed, and this was in comparison to the Elrod III. I'd also be interested on your take comparing the Nite to the Elrods. And on an unrelated note, I'm really loving this Stealth PLC - hope the Hydra is working out for you - glad you finally talked me into switchin'.MikE
Mike the Hydra sounded pretty good this morning. I know anything from Shunyata takes a while to settle in after being moved so I am being patient w/ it. However, I don't feel deprived by any means by swapping out my Stealth w/ you, things just have a different presentation is all. It rocks here too!Know you really liked the Nite PC I brought by & you certainly liked the sound when you were here. Surprised me too to have it sound that good w/ all one cable family in there? I think maybe sometime when I start doing some comparisons I need to bring down three Nite power cords and the one IC you need and you tell me after hearing the Elrod/Pure Note set up I loved so much how the all Nite thing goes as well. At least in your room we can do it relatively easy. I had to pay someone to help me get the Nites' set up here b/c of that nasty mess I have for a listening room. Do bring your camera sometime though as I'm sure it'll give some laughs to a lot of anal retentive audiophiles to see my tower of babble in the basement w/ your Hydra about 6 feet up in the air! ;-)
Have you considered a single-box CDP? I remember being in digital cable hell like you before, which ended when I went single-box.I'm glad the "Nite" stuff is promising since they are priced way less than the rest of those you mention, and I eagerly await your "Nite" power cord review (what about IC, speaker cable?)
Before the formal eval, can you give us a little Hint, preview of whether the Nite cord is on par with Nite digital cable?
The NIte power cord is incredible. Here is the review I posted awhile back.
Way to soon to do a serious evaluation & review on the speaker and power cords. I can say this though, the bi-wire speaker cables are very good and on par w/ my Pure Silver Connection large silver ribbons I love so much. However, I use Bybee Ultra filters on top and the regular Bybee speaker filters on the bottom posts so they sort of make ALL speaker cables sound incredible. I will pull the Bybee at some point and directly compare Nite to my Silver ribbons as well as Nordost Red Dawn, but it will be a while.The Power cords are WAY better than my experience w/ the VD Audition PCs(which were BEFORE the cryo treatment that is now standard) I wrote a lot about if you do the search. I had one friend I loaned one to like it right up there w/ the Elrod I took over, but both were right out of the box at the time and they both have changed a LOT since then so I am going to refrain from serious review until I honestly get around to direct comparison w/ the Shunyata Cobra, Viper V2, and Elrod cords. THE PCs are EXTREMELY well built though, but as w/ the other line, heavy and still, but you can manipulate them pretty easily once you get the hang of it. I am ALSO VERY curious to compare my Elrod EPS-3 Signature w/ the other Elrod line up. That is after the Nite as no hurry there, I already bought it a few months ago.
FWIW, I sort of enjoy the digital cable influence, even if some will say I am using them as colorations/tone controls. On top of that I really LOVE my Theta Data Basic II transport, so I'm sticking w/ seperates for now. I recently picked up another DB-II for the basement rig, which will allow me to get rid of the Monarchy DIP (thus losing one digital cable!) as anything b/w the Theta and the DAC only gets in the way
Sorry I posted this under the power cable section. It is of course for the digital cable which Virtual Dynamics has listed currently at $700 for a one meter. Check w/ Rick though as he will often have specials or demos available. The review for the cable as it plays out on my main system will be soon. I made too many changes there at once to accurately describe what the Nite is doing but plan on swapping it out for my reference Omega Mikro Silver LCX digital($1800) very soon. Also will detail later how the Nite power cord fairs against the Elrod EPS-2, EPS-3, EPS-3 signature as well as Shunyta Cobra and Viper V2, & Omega Mikro but that may be a while yet in coming.
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