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REVIEW: Nordost Valhalla Bi-Wire Jumper Cable

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Model: Valhalla Bi-Wire Jumper
Category: Cable
Suggested Retail Price: ca. $2200
Description: Bi-Wire Jumpers
Manufacturer URL: Nordost

Review by Luminator on January 08, 2009 at 13:10:15
IP Address: 66.47.253.226
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for the Valhalla Bi-Wire Jumper


In the early 90s, when I was in undergrad, I used to study with a couple friends/classmates, Kim and Jen. Kim was actually a friend of my housemate, Tron. And, as we were once in the same dorm, Jen and I knew each other since the first day of college.

Since Kim knew both Tron and me, she came over to our apartment quite frequently. One early October Friday night, Kim was hanging out with Tron in the dining room. I was reading Stereophile, which was still in digest form back then. The phone rang. Tron was with Kim, I was buried in Stereophile, and I guess my other two housemates were out. So the phone kept ringing. I put down the Stereophile, and answered the phone. Turns out it was Jen. Since there was no nightlife in Santa Cruz, she was wondering what I was doing.

"Nothing," I answered.

"Me neither," said Jen.

A few minutes later [Jen's dorm was just across the parking lot from our apartment], Jen knocked on our door. Jen recognized Kim from our economics classes. Those two girls just started talking to each other, in effect, leaving me and Tron out.

Kim said, "I hate those 8 o'clock [a.m.] classes. I always look like shit, 'cuz I can't wake up in time, and then get ready."

Jen said, "That's why I shower at night, when I have time, and I'm not rushed. Besides, no one in the dorms showers at night, so I have the showers to myself."

Kim said, "But I always do my best work at night."

Jen laughed, "That sounds kinky!"

Kim said, "I'm just so relaxed and not stressed at night. I'd rather be productive, than waste my best hours taking a shower. Now, if our classes were at 8 at night, rather than 8 in the morning..."

Jen said, "But then someone would complain that the classes are too late! My secondary discussion group with the TA can get out at 9:30 [p.m.]. By the time I get back, even I don't feel like waiting for the hot water to come on, in order to take a shower. I just want to hit the sack."

Kim said, "Yeah, I guess I should change my routine, and see how I like showering at night. But when I wake up, I still feel icky, and want to shower again."

Jen said, "Yeah, but when I shower in the morning, I feel rushed. Everyone else in my dorm also is in there in the morning."

Kim said, "Yeah, I hate that. Nothing like running late, and you can't get into the bathroom."

Jen said, "The shower stalls are so small. I don't like shaving. If I go home to my parents' house, I'll shave there." Jen then rolled up her sweats, revealing a shiny leg. "See! Since I'm not going home this weekend, I decided to shave."

Kim then giggled, "Oooh, do you want me to help you tweeze? I guess you've already showered, then."

Jen agreed, "Yeah, when I shower at night, I'm all clean, and I don't feel like wearing a bra." Jen then grabbed the front collar of her t-shirt, pulled it down, and showed Kim a peek.

After Kim and Jen left, Tron just shook his head. He then asked me, "So...which one do you like best?"

I stammered, "Well, I never really thought of them that way..."

That thought bothered me the whole night.

The next morning, Tron was smiling widely, and pushed for an answer.

I stumbled, "Neither. Both. Either."

Tron postulated, "I think Kim can be more fun, but I don't know how she'll turn out in 10, 15 years. Jen is more relaxing, and might be more stable."

Tron and I looked at each other, and then he smiled brightly, "I don't think either of us will get the chance to find out..."

Kim and Jen may have been unobtainable, and so was much of high-end audio. I still didn't like being "forced" to choose one girl over the other. But you know what? Many times, high-end audio forces you to make tough choices.

It's very common for people to acquire new speakers. And what if the new speaker is a bi-wire model, when your cable is single-wire? Should you re-terminate the cable? Buy a second run? Get a jumper?

I've been playing around with Nordost's Valhalla bi-wire jumper. Read about it here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

In addition to the Valhalla jumpers, we also have an internally bi-wired Valhalla speaker cable:

And of course, what is the jumper without a single-wire run?


Fortunately, we have Nordost Odin interconnects. So everything upstream is hunky-dory. In a high quality system, even if you have (a) bi-wired Valhalla, and (b) single-wire Valhalla with jumper, you may vacillate.

In general, the internally bi-wired Valhalla sounds slightly "whiter" and thinner. The single-wire plus jumper can sound bigger, bolder, more open up top. But it can also sound less smooth, and more choppy.

Some people will refuse to re-terminate a cable, and will automatically get the jumper. $2000+ for these jumpers is a lot of money. That said, the Valhalla jumpers do sound cleaner, clearer, more transparent than the similarly-priced XLO Limited Edition jumpers. And on Totem's The One, we do prefer the Valhalla jumper over the included (and excellent, I might add) WBT Bridge. The Valhalla jumper seems to let details through more cleanly than the WBT Bridge.

Incidentally, we were able to do a discreet bi-wire arrangement with one run of Valhalla going to the tweeter, and another run going to the woofer. I many ways, this arrangement, on all of the speakers, was the ultimate. But really, it was only slightly more firm, unambiguous, and believable than the single-wire + jumper.

And just for the hell of it, we did try Valhalla to the tweeter, and Odin to the woofer. And vice versa. And actually, the single-run Odin + Valhalla jumper was only marginally less open and refined than Odin + single-run Valhalla.

"But is the jumper worth $2000?" the audiophiles demand. That, of course, depends on your situation, your long-term budget, your timeline, your other needs, your speakers.

Would it have been worth it to go after Kim or Jen? That's up to you. But after Tron kept pushing me for my opinion, I answered, "Aw c'mon Tron, if I'm going to risk rejection, you know I'd ask [Kim's roommate] Pauline out!"

-Lummy The Seahorse


Product Weakness: cost
Product Strengths: 10" length is longer and more effective than usual


Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Jeff Rowland 501; Mark Levinson No. 431; Simaudio W-7
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Mark Levinson No. 326S; Simaudio P-8
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Rega P9; dCS Puccini; EAR Acute; Esoteric DV-60; Simaudio Andromeda; Wadia 581i SE
Speakers: ProAc Response One SC; Sonus Faber Concertino; Totem Hawk, Forest, The One, Mani-2 Sig; Wilson Benesch ARC
Cables/Interconnects: Nordost Valhalla and Odin
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Rock, pop, metal, TV
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Nordost Valhalla Bi-Wire Jumper Cable - Luminator 13:10:15 01/8/09 ( 0)