Virtual Dynamic Nite IC
Jun 25, 2003 at 6:00 PM Post #4 of 13
There are a couple variants of the Nite. The earlier ones have steel jackets. The latest version has plastic jackets, Cardas instead of WBT plugs, and is a slightly thinner cable. The thinner cable is easier to manipulate into place than the older one. There are some "circuit" differences as well, but I don't have details. In my setup the newer Nites are a bit more focussed than the older ones, but both sound great.
 
Jun 25, 2003 at 6:54 PM Post #6 of 13
I have emailed Rick Schultz from Virtual Dynamics on the versions, and here is his reply to me:

"There are in fact three versions of Nite I/Cs the first is a very heavy stiff unit and was very clear but dark. The second is lighter but the same overall build. The third has a new design is light detailed fast and overall outperforms the previous designs. A few of my customers that have tried both preferred the old version however it is not the most accurate. When you remove distortion you are sometime left to deal with the lack of linearity and compatibility of your system. So better is not always better, even when it is "better" it may sound worse, that is up to us individually to deal with. We can make a almost perfect cable but it may not work on a conception of prefect gear so a system still remain the sum of the whole. Of topic almost but vital to understand."

Thanks
Rick Schultz
 
Jun 25, 2003 at 7:32 PM Post #7 of 13
Quote:

Originally posted by bluesaint
I have emailed Rick Schultz from Virtual Dynamics on the versions, and here is his reply to me:

"...A few of my customers that have tried both preferred the old version however it is not the most accurate. When you remove distortion you are sometime left to deal with the lack of linearity and compatibility of your system...


This sums up the difference I hear quite nicely (I actually have both the oldest and newest versions in-house right now, but somehow missed the middle). The older version had a stronger sonic signature, indicating that it was imposing its own characteristics on the music, i.e. distorting it. Not necessarily bad sounding, but not accurate either. The newest version allows greater clarity to my ears, and would be more likely to expose problems upstream.

In addition to the Nites, I also have a prototype cable that Rick was considering as the next step after the Nites. This is not available at all right now, as Rick only made a couple of them, and there will be no more. He's made several design changes since the prototype, so the cable that is finally marketed (probably in the Fall) will be significantly different than the one I have. I'll try and post a comparison with the Nites when I can find some time. However, for now, I'll just say that it's really really good...
 
Jun 25, 2003 at 8:24 PM Post #8 of 13
Hi Scottpaul_iu, are you still liking the Voodoo cables?

Bluesaint, the Voodoo are great cables at the price (a real eye opener for me), but the VD cables are better *for me* overall, and more balanced in their presentation. The VD gear mates very well with the HR-2 (power cords, too).

I recently had the chance to compare the latest version of the VD Reference with Speed of Light against an older version of the Nite (silver jacket). Believe it or not I found that given the difference in price betrween the Nites and the Reference wasn't worth it to me at the time, I needed to save up for a new source, which I have now purchased
cool.gif
(might be a different story with my new source, the differences between the two would probably stick out more). All the VD cables seem to have a basic "house" sound, each step up seems to add incrementally on what they do well. The Nites are a killer cable, a great place to stop the cable-rolling madness and just be satisfied.

OTOH, the Nites are very heavy and can be hard on some RCA jacks. If I were you, I would wait for a Reference to come up, pocket the rest and put it toward a new source (I have a suggestion in that area, too
wink.gif
).

Mark
 
Jun 25, 2003 at 10:27 PM Post #9 of 13
This just my opinion, but with that said, i really wasn't in the least bit impressed with the nites that i tried out. Using the switching device on my melos, i could hear no sonic differences between the nites and my outlaws. This isn't to say that i can't hear cable differences, i tried several cardas cables, and could instantly tell the differences between them. I'd find it hard to believe that many other great cables exist at the price point lower than the nites. Just my humble opinion though
 
Jun 25, 2003 at 10:37 PM Post #10 of 13
Well, the VD cables can't turn the NS500V into an SCD-1. All they can do is give you a very clear picture of your source.

Mark
 
Jun 25, 2003 at 10:51 PM Post #11 of 13
Markl, you have simply misread what i had written.

First of all, these tests were done through a Di/O, and secondly, improvement and difference mean something entirely different. The nites should sound worse with a flawed system, and i perfer brutally revealing to overly forgiving, thus why i use a pair of cardas neutral referances (Which i feel sound much better, btw). I found the nites to not have these "revealing" qualities that you seem to imply with your post.
 
Jun 26, 2003 at 4:15 PM Post #13 of 13
Quote:

Originally posted by markl
Hi Scottpaul_iu, are you still liking the Voodoo cables? Mark


I like the Voodoo's a lot. In my headphone system, they have bumped my Magnan Vi's out of the system. That is saying something.
 
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