Norne Audio (Was: Norse Audio): Feedback & Impression Thread
Feb 5, 2013 at 3:15 PM Post #241 of 6,459
Some pictures of a recent acquisition of Norse Audio Reign 4 series cable.  Tried to keep all my options open with the various terminations.  Really do need to get around to adding that final piece for Hifiman HE-6's, and that would be for a decent 75 Watt stereo amp. But of course other more pressing needs are delaying that particular purchase.  Still in process of burning in the HE-6, that hellish 200 hour burn in, so won't make any critical judgment on either cable nor headphones until both have had ample opportunity to get to optimum performance.
 
Closeup of locking bananas on one of my Reign 4 extensions
 

 
Reign 4 pig tail extension with locking bananas
 

 
Reign 4 extension with 6.3mm Furutech jack.
 

 
10' Main Reign 4 Hifiman to 4 pin XLR
 

 
Closeup of main cable.
 

 
Feb 5, 2013 at 3:27 PM Post #242 of 6,459
Lovely cable but it is a shame the XLR plug is so ugly. 
size]

Any other option without getting into silly prices territory? Plain black Neutrix would do...
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Feb 5, 2013 at 4:02 PM Post #244 of 6,459
1. Someone has an example photo Norse Audio cable with fully shielded ?
2. Prompt: we must bridge the Adam Artist5 and Antelope Zodiac by XLR cable, whether he should be shielded cable ?
 
Feb 5, 2013 at 4:06 PM Post #245 of 6,459
Quote:
1. Someone has an example photo Norse Audio cable with fully shielded ?
2. Prompt: we must bridge the Adam Artist5 and Antelope Zodiac by XLR cable, whether he should be shielded cable ?

If you look back in the photos you can see my interconnects from Norse that have tinned shieldings
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 7:48 PM Post #248 of 6,459
Thread seems kind of dead~ subbed anyways. What do you guys think the pricing on an adapter for HE-500 so it works with audeze cables and then another adapter from a 4 pin xlr termination to a 6.3mm jack would run along with a whatever the standard length cable is?
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 7:49 PM Post #249 of 6,459
Quote:
Thread seems kind of dead~ subbed anyways. What do you guys think the pricing on an adapter for HE-500 so it works with audeze cables and then another adapter from a 4 pin xlr termination to a 6.3mm jack would run along with a whatever the standard length cable is?

I have no idea but you should just email Trevor and I'm sure he'll give you a quote. Also depends on what series cable you want.
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 7:57 PM Post #250 of 6,459
Quote:
I have no idea but you should just email Trevor and I'm sure he'll give you a quote. Also depends on what series cable you want.

 
Would you mind summarizing the differences between the 3 cables he provides, and rank them from most expensive to least expensive if its not too much trouble?
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 8:13 PM Post #252 of 6,459
So his first cable was the Norn series cable, which I believe now is discontinued
 
It goes Reign>Skuld>Norse....
 
Now he's so incoming copy pasta
 
 
 
[size=medium] Norn Series 2 - http://www.norseaudio.com/Norn2Gallery02.html[/size]
[size=medium] Norse Audio being the absolute first to bring OCC and Litz together in high end headphone cables, we have brought the Norn Series 2 to a new evolution based on our core specialization in fine stranded Litz and OCC based design.[/size]
[size=medium] The Norn 2 brings the combination of a large 22 awg UP-OCC Cu (highest purity, highest conductivity), Trilevel complex fine stranded Litz (7x3x8) and pure textile (cotton) in its design. It is the only OCC based Litz headphone cable using a three level type 2 complex twist. Further it is the only Litz up-occ headphone cable with a 4, 6 and flagship 8-conductor version.[/size]
[size=medium] Each 22 awg conductor of the Norn has 168 strands (at a very fine 44 awg each strand). Giving the 4-wire model a total of 672 strands and 8-wire a total of 1,344 strands.  Every single individual 44 awg strand is separately insulatedwith an extremely thin layer (enamel).  So you now effectively have 168 individually insulated very fine separate conductors and current will not pass between these strands until they meet at the soldered termination point.  Inside each 22 awg litz bundle, these 168 individual strands are configured in our three layer complex trilevel twist (7x3x8).  Breaking this down it means 8 individual strands are first twisted together, 3 groups of these 8 strand bundles are twisted together, and finally 7 bundles of those are twisted together.  This complex pattern allows each strand to take up all possible positions radially and defeat skin and proximity effect issues (Litz wire). [/size]
[size=medium] The Norn Series 2 combines all of the above to bring one of the top headphone cables available today. The Norn brings top craftsmanship, design & materials resulting in one of the purest and most transparent cables. It is the only three level complex litz based pure textile jacketed headphone cable utilizing up-occ at its core. You name the cable design and we have tested it. Currently nothing can compare to Cryo treated Litz up-occ for revealing the absolute truth of ones system.[/size]
[size=medium]  [/size]
[size=medium]  [/size]
Skuld Series - http://www.norseaudio.com/SkuldGallery01.html
The Skuld Series benefits in a number of factors. First it gives a level of transparency unachieved with your typical single conductor design. Granted, a large part of this transparency is from utilizing Cryo OCC and Fine Stranded Litz. However with the Skuld it is also due to there being less strand level interaction with our quad and tri multiconductor geometry. The strands that would normally be a part of the same conductor are now in their own separated conductor until joined at the termination point. Besides this primary reason for creation it happens to also result in some other excellent physical benefits for headphone cables. The tri and quad multiconductor geomoetry results in bringing some of the lowest possible microphonics of any polymer based dielectric design while also giving a nice increase to flexibility, something always much desired for polymer based design.
The Skuld Series has a much more complex and longer build than the standard single conductor geometry headphone cables. However, this complexity and longer build time results in a cable that squeezes some of the topmost neutrality possible with Cryo OCC fine stranded Litz based design, or any cable that we have tested for that matter.
Ultimately, the Skuld Series is for the enthusiast that seeks absolutely untouched and uncolored sound from their system. We offer our 30-day money back as well as 60-day trade in policies to help prove our point.
 
 
In summary the Skuld brings:
- Top level transparency possible for stranded conductor designs.
- Fine Stranded Litz, perfectly annealed and manufactured by the best in the industry. 
- Purest Cryo Treated OCC Cu for 103% IACS conductivity and the least impurities possible in any metal on earth. 
- Less Strand interaction than your common single conductor geometries resulting in improved neutrality. 
- Lowest microphonics possible for a polymer dielectric headphone cable. 
- Extremely flexible (benefit of the design) and very light weight. 
- Zero oxidizing due to each strand being individually insulated (Fine Stranded Litz). 
- Absolutely Zero Skin Effect issues in this cable.

 
 
The Skuld Series Cryo LITZ OCC headphone cable is available in the following configurations:
(1) Skuld 4 (24awg x 4, 16 total wires)
(2) Skuld 8 (25awg x 8, 24 total wires) - current series flagship
Both are available in Dark GreyBrown or a Hybrid of the two colors.
 
Both the Skuld 4 and the Skuld 8 utilize our nice and compact smaller wood splitters. Each splitter is handcrafted to precision in the USA and has the option of being laser engraved by one of the top engravers in the country.
Splitters are available with the following options: Caribbean Rosewood, Zebrano (LCD-3 matching), Makassar Ebony or Wenge.
You can have us use the laser engraved or non-engraved splitter for your cable.
 
 
 
Here's the gallery for the Reign series http://www.norseaudio.com/ReignGallery01.html
 
Let me see if I can dig up some info on the Reign series for you from emails with Trevor.
 
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 8:15 PM Post #253 of 6,459
In regards to the Reign Series:  

Reign 8 (8x26awg, single conductor geometry) or Reign 12 (12x26awg, Tri-Multiconductor geometry) would be the options available right now for the HD650.  Colors of our custom PE jacket are black, brown or hybrid.  There is currently a cotton jacket option for the single conductor geometry models as well.  We plan to offer some other textile options besides cotton for folks soon as well.  For the Reign 8 without textile jacket we have a new micro splitter available (engraved options are coming soon).  This splitter will also be available on the IEM cables when released.  

Our Reign 12 Tri-Multiconductor would be equivelant of 4 x 21 awg.  With this geometry it allows for much less strand interaction.  
On top of this with the Reign each sub-conductor is already type 2 litz (26awg).  So one 21awg Reign conductor would have three type 2 Cryo OCC Silver coated copper fine stranded litz conductors.  Each of our very fine 44awg strands making up the 26awg type 2 conductors is individually coated with specific thickness of silver to give the best of both OCC copper and silver.  Each of these silver coated strands are also of course coated with a razor thin enamel (Litz).  

Ultimately we find our Tri-Multiconductor geometry to be superior sonically to just having a single 21awg conductor with all the strands twisted closely together. 
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 8:19 PM Post #255 of 6,459
Wow, thanks for that. Looks like the skuld 8 is probably what I'm looking for I believe. Anyways I'll send an email to get a quote and see if I can somehow fit it into the budget.. ha.
 

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