Nordost ODIN 2 phono cable - 1.25 m

Note: interconnect cables that are specifically designed for tonearm outputs are technologically different to those used to connect a CD player to an amp or preamp. It has to carry a very low signal, 500 to 50,000 times lower than that at the output of a CD player. It supplies a signal close to 2 volts whereas a hi-fi moving coil cartridge hardly exceeds 0.5 millivolts! The signal is therefore very sensitive to impedance, resistance and noise.

US company Nordost takes this factor into consideration for the design and production of this cable range dedicated to Phono equipment. The Nordost Odin Phono benefits from the manufacturer's full expertise. Its four 0.26 mm² cross-section single-strand conductors are of OFC 7N copper covered with a thick coat of silver. A clever solution suspends the cables inside a PTFE sheath that provides perfect insulation. This solution significantly minimises the Kelvin and memory effects, therefore reducing distortion and delivering a very open sound. Its electromagnetic insulation has been particularly careful. The shielding is total, 100%! The connectors used are some of the best available (RCA Neutrik Nextgen…). At the cable input it is held and cushioned by a piece of wood to great effect.

It is certain that describing a cable showing such claims a price as stratospheric is not easy. We therefore opted to compare it with our reference cable that is available at a price three times lower than this Nordost Odin!  Immediately, the latter showed itself to be more rapid, more refined and certainly more uniform. The sound stage is clearly more precise and stable with an incredible realism. The dynamic range reaches the summits and it seems simply limited by our hi-fi cartridge… despite this liveliness, the listening is not constantly 'physical', on subtle passages, the sound quality is particularly expressive and shows great finesse in the most sensitive movements. The timbre is noted for its brightness in the midrange and high midrange. This gives the instruments a precision and definition never reached on our system. For this parameter, it must be noted that the Nordost has superior results to the ones obtained by a change of phono preamp!

If you have a very high-end turntable, a hi-fi cartridge of the same level and that your phono preamp is a 'state of the Art', create music to reflect your investments and no longer seek, you will need the Nordost Odin Phono to complete the set! Certainly one of the two or three best phono cables in the world!