NORDOST ODIN GOLD AC Power Cable Instruction Manual
- June 4, 2024
- NORDOST
Table of Contents
NORDOST ODIN GOLD AC Power Cable
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Congratulations on your purchase of Nordost’s flagship, Supreme Reference Series: Odin Gold. As a vanguard of the industry, Nordost’s Odin Gold cables are a revelation to reference audio. A winning combination of the most innovative proprietary technology, desirable and effective materials, and revolutionary designs culminate in a cable range whose caliber of audio performance and production quality is unmatched. With Odin Gold integrated in your home sound system, you will encounter a realism in playback that won’t have you questioning how your system could ever sound so good… it will leave you questioning the presence of any system at all. This instruction manual will give you the information you need to ensure that you are using your Odin Gold cables as they were intended— elevating the performance of your cables as well as your sound system as a whole. Please make sure that your Odin Gold Supreme Reference Cables are registered with Nordost by filling out and returning the supplied Warranty Card at the back of this manual or by filling out the Product Registration form on our website. Once we have received the registration, your Odin Gold cable is guaranteed a lifetime warranty.
BURNING-IN YOUR CABLES
During the manufacturing process, as insulation is extruded over conductors,
gases can become trapped. This combined with the high electrical charges often
found in new cables, can result in a brittle and bright sound. In order to
solve this problem, and yield the best results possible from your Odin Gold
cables, it is important let your cables to burn in.
You must allow a minimum of 150 hours of burn-in time to occur before
expecting to hear the true benefits of your new cable purchase. However, the
best way to burn in a set of Odin Gold is to bring your cables to your local
Nordost dealer for a VIDAR treatment. Once the VIDAR begins running current
through cables, the trapped gases are dissipated and small impurities in the
conductors’ metal begin to act like a diode, favoring current flow in a
particular direction. By using extremely wide bandwidth signal as well as a
range of both ultra-low and high-frequency sweeps, the VIDAR stresses the
conductors, neutralizes charges, improves the way that signals pass through
metal, and ultrasonically conditions the surface of the conductors. The
changes made in both the conductor and insulation material refine the
performance of your audio cable, allowing it to peform to its full potential.
While it is most important to implement burn-in upon purchase, there is
something to be gained from routine maintenance as well. If cables are left
unused for a prolonged period of time they become stagnant. And even through
everyday cable use, electrical equipment experiences current leakage,
imparting a charge onto your cables. By having your cables treated with the
VIDAR, you are conditioning them and allowing the charges to neutralize once
again.
However, if you do not have access to a VIDAR, Nordost’s System Solution Set-
Up & Tuning Discs, include system burn-in and degauss tracks that allow you to
condition your cables on your own. These test CDs also offers an extensive
range of proven diagnostic tracks that help with speaker placement and sub-
woofer integration, performance checks and assessment, and problem location.
POWER CORDS
The Odin Gold Power Cord is the most critical cable in your loom. It will
ensure the optimum transfer of AC power, free from the harmful effects of
electromagnetic interference and radio frequencies, needed to seamlessly run
your sound system. Please ensure that the IEC end of the power cord is fitted
firmly into the IEC receptacle. Then plug the power connector into the wall
socket, or into the your QRT power product. When placing or changing out Odin
Gold Power Cords, please be aware that the HOLO: PLUG® connectors used on all
of our power cords are capable of marking the surface of equipment or
furniture if dropped, so careful handling is recommended.
An increasing amount of HiFi audio components require the use of IEC C-19
input connectors. For this reason Nordost provides this upgraded option in
both our Odin Gold Power Cords and our QB8-Mark II power distribution units.
INTERCONNECTS
Odin Gold Interconnects are terminated with color-coded RCA and XLR connectors. The connector that shows “HOLO: PLUG” engraved in black should be connected to the black connection (left channel) on the rear of your component. The connector that shows “HOLO: PLUG” engraved in white should be connected to the red connection (right channel) on the rear of your component. All Nordost cables are directional. To ensure the highest quality sound, the directional arrows shown on the wooden blocks should point in the direction of the signal. Example: On the interconnect placed between a CD player and an amplifier, the arrows should point towards the amplifier. It is important to note that the cable geometry of Odin Gold RCA and XLR Interconnects is specifically constructed for each termination. Due to the distinct design difference between these two cables, re-termination from one variety to the other is not available.
LOUDSPEAKER / BI-WIRE JUMPER CABLES
Odin Gold Loudspeaker Cables are terminated with Nordost’s own gold-plated
HOLO:PLUG® spade and low-mass Z-plug Banana connectors. When installing Odin
Gold Loudspeaker Cables into your system, do as follows: Attach the connector
near the black (–) strip to the black terminal on both the power amplifier and
loudspeaker. Attach the connector near the white (+) strip to the red terminal
on the power amplifier and loudspeaker. All Nordost cables are directional. To
ensure the highest quality sound, the wooden blocks marked with directional
arrows must point towards the loudspeaker.
Odin Gold Loudspeaker Cables are only available in the shotgun configuration.
If you should have equipment that requires either bi-wire or bi-amp
connections, invest in the Odin Gold Bi-Wire Jumper. Odin Gold Bi-Wire Jumpers
are an exact extension of Nordost’s Supreme Reference Loudspeaker Cables,
ensuring a consistent sonic signature throughout your system.
ARROWS POINT IN DIRECTION OF SIGNAL
TONEARM CABLE +
CONNECTING
Connect the DIN / RCA / XLR connectors to the outputs on your turntable and
inputs on your phono-stage. For RCA and XLR configurations, the connector that
shows “HOLO: PLUG” engraved in white denotes right channel, and the one
engraved in black denotes the left channel.
Please note that Nordost tonearm cables are directional. To correctly orient
your cable, make sure that any arrows found on the breakout blocks are
pointing towards your phono-stage.
GROUNDING
If you are experiencing any noise (hum) while listening to your turntable set- up, you are most likely suffering from a ground loop. In order to eliminate this problem, you must address the grounding between your turntable and phono- stage. Most turntables and phono-stages are equipped with ground screws on their chassis. Connect the Bond Ground Wire (the wire terminated with spade connectors that is permanently attached to the tonearm cable) to the ground screws on both your turntable and your phono-stage. This connection will bond the two chassis together, creating a secure, low-noise connection between the two components.
ADDITIONAL / SHIELD GROUNDING
When needed, ‘Detchable Ground Wires’ can be inserted into the cable’s breakout blocks, allowing you to use the TSC as an additional ground loop prevention. Each unique system has its own ideal grounding configuration. You’ll need to figure out what works best for your system through experimentation…
- First, play some music without any of the Detachable Ground Wires attached and see how it sounds.
- Then, try inserting one of the Detachable Ground Wires to your cable on the end closest to the turntable. Connect the spade of the Detachable Ground Wire to the ground post on your turntable.
- Next, if you have a ground option on the phono-stage end, disconnect the Detachable Ground Wire from the turntable end of the tonearm cable, and insert it into the phono-stage end instead.
- Connect the spade of the Detachable Ground Wire to the phono-stage ground, and listen again.
- Finally, if applicable, insert both Detachable Ground Wires to the two ends of your cable, connect them to the ground on the turntable and the phono stage, and listen one last time.
- Based on your findings, configure whichever set-up had the least noise.
IMPORTANCE OF A FULL LOOM
Odin Gold will transform your hifi system. Music lovers who wire their systems
entirely with these Supreme Reference Cables will not only achieve the
performance they have been searching for, but will discover results they never
imagined were possible. Using Odin Gold, you will finally find yourself
immersed in a complete and pure musical experience. However, if a full loom of
Odin Gold is not an immediate possibility, you can make your upgrade in
stages. If any of your components are of a higher quality than others in your
system, it is best to service those components by upgrading their cables
first. However, for systems with components of equal quality, Nordost has
provided you with a comprehensive framework to help prioritize your system
upgrade. First, identify the most important cable in your system — the power
cord coming out of the wall, feeding your QB8 distribution block — and
continue by following the diagram below…
( Note: Every system is unique. There is always a chance you may benefit
from deviating from this guide.)
CABLES LISTED IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE
Documents / Resources
|
NORDOST ODIN GOLD AC Power
Cable
[pdf] Instruction Manual
ODIN GOLD, AC Power Cable, ODIN, GOLD AC Power Cable, ODIN GOLD AC Power
Cable, Power Cable, Cable
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References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Read User Manual Online (PDF format) >>