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Nordost Super Flatline Gold?

post #1 of 17
1/24/09 at 3:20am
Thread Starter 
I just pulled the trigger on a 12ft pair of Nordost Super Flatline gold bi-wire speaker cable on ebay (104 dollars!). I've never heard this particular cable but have been impressed with Nordost in general over the years. I hope they will have good synergy with my setup. If so, I'm going to sell my Kimber 8tc. If not, you'll see the Nordost on audiogon.

Anyone like to chime in on their experiences with nordost speaker cable? What do you think would be better, the 8tc or the Nordost? I know some might think that I'm being impatient - I am! I just cant' wait to get 'em and hear how they sound. In the mean time, just thought I'd ask. I just don't have any hi-fi friends to talk about it with around here and my wife doesn't really care either so.....
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post #2 of 17
1/24/09 at 6:25am
I now have the Kimber 8TC (but silver Clear day double shotguns are on the way) and I used to have the Super Flatline Gold.
I'm sorry to say that, in my system to my ears, I greatly prefer the Kimbers.
Both have a clear wide open sound, but the flatlines lack bass, sounding tonally more unbalanced. In the beginning this translates into more detail, but soon it got annoying.
BTW, the 8TC looks much bettter too.
After 15 years, I get rid of them, they seem to sound less clear, appearantly in the older version I've got (black and blue vs the current transparant and white) after years of use the pigments corrode the copper, which is what I might be hearing.
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post #3 of 17
1/24/09 at 12:31pm
Thread Starter 
Actually, I think the 8tc are pretty ugly with the blue and black strands. I prefer the gold look of the Nordost, not that that really matters. It's interesting that you say the Nordost are lacking in the bass department as I currently have a problem with too much bass muddying the overall presentation....interesting. I'll definitely give some impressions when I get them in the mail. Whatever way, I think I'll end easily selling either on audiogon - pretty sure the super flatline gold go for way more than 100 bucks.
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post #4 of 17
1/24/09 at 5:15pm
It would be remarkable if you would really prefer the looks of the NO-cables, they are rather broad and shiny ;-) .
As for the sound...
Quote:
too much bass muddying the overall presentation
perhaps the flatlines are exactly what you need; even more detail then the 8TC, and perhaps per saldo more balanced tonality.
Good luck, I will read your impressions with interest.
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post #5 of 17
1/29/09 at 9:39pm
Thread Starter 
Just got the Nordost in the mail today. Have been ABing with Kimber 8tc for about 5 hrs. So far my impressions go as follows:

The Nordost are very detailed and bring out different tones and textures in orchestral recordings better than the 8tc. However, they sound somewhat dry and analytical. In comparison, the 8tc kind of blend everything together in a nice way. For example, while I don't find myself noticing individual instruments during complex orchestral tuttis, the Kimbers presentation is lush and punchy at the same time. However, I have to say that the Nordost seem much more neutral to my ears and much more realistic in their representation of sound. I know the sound of stringed instruments and the Nordost reveal the complex overtones very well. With the Kimbers, the different sounds of the orchestra kind of homogenize or congeal in a very pleasing way but definitely not as realistic as the Nordost. Dynamics seem much more on the Kimbers - bass sometimes overwhelms. The Nordost bass is very present and tight - you can really hear the tone of the bass, really grippy- not boomy at all, but definitely less. I have not yet decided which cable to live with

More to come...
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post #6 of 17
1/30/09 at 12:34pm
Thanks for the impressions, I find it recognisable.
About that bassexcess, isn't there something you can do about it? Speakers more into the room, spikes instead of rubber dampers, closing the bassreflexports... things like that? Correcting it with cables is not the best way, but of course you know that.
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post #7 of 17
1/30/09 at 1:01pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dura View Post
Thanks for the impressions, I find it recognisable.
About that bassexcess, isn't there something you can do about it? Speakers more into the room, spikes instead of rubber dampers, closing the bassreflexports... things like that? Correcting it with cables is not the best way, but of course you know that.
Yes, I know that using cables to fix a room problem is definitely not very efficient to say the least. However, since I have a fairly small room, I can't move the speakers too far into the room (two feet max), I have to live with the boommy bass. And I did try filling the ports and I didn't like how it reduced bass extension with the bass output - I'm not using a sub so I need all the low hz I can get. Like I said before, the Nordost reduce output but not extension - you can really hear the bass tone (kind of like er4p in-ear monitors). Anyway, I think for now I'm going to keep the Nordost and when I get a bigger room I'll try out the 8tc.
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post #8 of 17
1/30/09 at 1:07pm
Nordost cables get lush after a burn in period.
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post #9 of 17
1/30/09 at 3:01pm
Thread Starter 
^
Let's hope so.

I was just doing some more ABing. The Kimbers make the notes and articulations sound like they're coated with some kind of wet glassiness. Notes really connect one another - not much silence - lot's of decay and overhang. I'm trying to figure out whether this is something I've become used to or if it is just not realistic or what. I have to say that right now, the kimbers are more pleasing to my ears. For example, during a huge dynamic slam with lots of instruments, the kimbers give you huge dynamic range without harshness. On the other hand, the Nordost seem reveal everything to the point of making the speakers sound somewhat overloaded with information and sounding brash.

On a side note, I've had my wife change the speaker cable 6 times, and I've guessed the right cable every time (closing my eyes of course). The difference is so ridiculously obvious. All those people who say that the difference between speaker cable is negligible really need to find different hobbies because they can't hear!

I'm hoping that burning in these wires will indeed warm them up.

BTW, I'm going a high fi store tomorrow to have the 12 foot pair terminated into two 6 foot pairs. That way, if I end of keeping Nordost, I can sell one 6 foot Nordost pair and one 10 foot kimber 8tc pair - probably just going to sell one nordost 6 foot pair though, as I don't know if I'll be able to part with the Kimbers!
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post #10 of 17
2/20/09 at 1:24pm
Thread Starter 
Just wanted to give an update on the Nordost Super Flatline gold vs. Kimber Kable 8tc: The Nordost are going to be put up on Audiogon and the Kimbers are staying. I just got a pair of Spendor S5e Loundspeakers and the synergy with the Kimber 8tc is really amazing - warm/full bodied, yet detailed and articulate sound. Nordost on the other hand was too bright and etched sounding - really took away from the enjoyment of the music.

BTW, all testing was done with a string quartet - the sound I know best. Spendors are so sweet with this genre!
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post #11 of 17
2/21/09 at 5:08am
Same story here; I tried silver cables for two weeks and the difference was very large (and instantly recognised by visitors who know my system well and did not even know about the cables being exchanced); details and spaciousness were amazing; but the musicality somehow was gone, and the tonal balance was like all midbass(-warmth) was gone, and like there was too much treble.
The Kimbers add a little bit smeared midbass, and have slightly rolled-off treble, giving a pleasant musical presentation.
So the silver cables went back and I reterminated and reinstalled the 8TCs.

BTW, the Kimber 4TC, with half the number of wires, does not add this middbass and also sounds clearer and colder. No synergy in my system either, like the flatlines.
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post #12 of 17
2/22/09 at 11:02am
if you happen to try the new Kimber 12TC, i'd love to hear some impressions...
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post #13 of 17
2/22/09 at 3:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by emelius View Post
if you happen to try the new Kimber 12TC, i'd love to hear some impressions...
Not gonna happen; I've tried 4TC which was clear but too cold; the 8TC is already too warm, so 12TC is probably far too much for my system; now, if there was a 6TC, I would like to try that....
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post #14 of 17
2/24/09 at 8:45am
If you get a chance, you might want to try "shotgunning" the 4TC (a double run). I found it to be fuller and warmer than a single run of 4TC, but clearer than the 8TC.
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post #15 of 17
2/24/09 at 8:59am
I refuse to pay Kimber prices. A 4.5M single run would cost £300. Double that for bi-amping, And the same again for center. 4.5M is too short would need 5/6M runs hmmm £1.5K on speaker cable. No thanks.
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