Cable Asylum: REVIEW: Nordost Vahalla IC Cable by DocDicK

Model:	Vahalla IC
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$3300
Description:	1M RCA
Manufacturer URL:	Nordost
Manufacturer URL:	Nordost

Review by DocDicK ( A ) on September 08, 2004 at 13:01:55
IP Address: 207.203.88.15

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For a wire to command the price of its weight in gold it must be good, right? And good it is too. Worth its weight in gold maybe, maybe not. The target listener has to decide whether something floats his boat to a sufficient degree to command the premium.
What was heard in a two day listening trail was as follows: Great detail, and sound stage with little or no coloration. Faint details were brought through with gusto. However, to these ears the upper frequencies seemed to be carried with less attenuation than the rest. This resulted in a slighty forward texture to the music, especially to the strings. The Brass instruments seemed true but with a slight edge to their ringing. Overall transparency is good so bright sounding equipment should not be used with these wires.

Product Weakness: Hi-Cost and upper frequencies.
Product Strengths: Transparance, detail, good sound stagging

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Counterpoint SA4 monoblocks @ 130 W/Ch
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Counterpoint SA9 phono, Conrad Johnson 17 LS line stage
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Basis Debut, Vector Model 1 tonearm, Benz Micro LP cartridge
Speakers:	Martin-Logan Monoliths, 90 db sensitivity
Cables/Interconnects:	MIT 330 interconnects, MIT shotgun speaker cable.
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical
Room Size (LxWxH):	21 ft x 13 ft x 8-12-8 ft
Room Comments/Treatments:	Homemade
Time Period/Length of Audition:	Two days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	None.
Type of Audition/Review:	Home Audition

Product Weakness:	Hi-Cost and upper frequencies.
Product Strengths:	Transparance, detail, good sound stagging