It’s a big world out there and no one company has a monopoly on better sound. Nordost is one of the premier names in audiophile cables and while we have been aware of their products, it’s taken till now for them to actively come into our orbit.
And it’s not even a cable that has made this happen but rather a mains power component – specifically the new QBase MkIII which comes in NZ plugged versions.
As you’ll be well aware, we are enthusiastic advocates for the Australian designed and made KLEI AC power cables – they sound convincingly better and are designed in the context of NZ/Au power – that’s 50Hz and 230v. With 4 models to choose from and the ability to quickly order any custom made length, they have found there way into many of our clients systems. I would not demonstrate the abilities of any components without them. Mains cables work and if you have any doubts on this front we are more than happy to send you one to try. But what we have been missing is something of the same calibre to plug them into.
Nordost are also really strong on AC power cables – with multiple levels ranging from NZ$650 to NZ$36,000 appearing in their catalogue it’s clear they take this part of cabling seriously and there are plenty of independent reviews to show that they do know what they are doing.
If you have got this far and accept that a mains cable can make a worthwhile improvement, it follows that what this cable then gets plugged into may also contribute. Especially when you may well have a number of components.
Rather than re-invent the wheel, I’ll let Nordost describe the QBase III in their own words here.
Now – this is my take on it; once your system is up to a reasonable standard of set up, the QBase III can be highly effective. Outside of the KLEI power cables, it’s the first mains component that I have found to be unequivocally better. Every system is unique and you may describe what you’ll hear in different words to me but once you do hear it, you’ll understand. The new Nordost distributors were kind enough to send us a demonstration QBase III and so we can now extend the same opportunity to you.
So what are you likely to hear? Let’s ask some reviewers –
- Neil Gader The Absolute Sound
- Vincent Guillemin – VuMetre
- Roy Gregory GY8
- Steve Dickinson hfi+
Being a little late to the Nordost party does have some advantages; we’re starting with the latest generation products and it’s clear that this is a company that is working hard to progress the sound quality of their entire range. In researching Nordost we were able to call upon an existing KLEI & NuPrime owner who recently compared a QBase II to the new QBase III and his feedback was pivotal.
Understanding how and why the QBase III works does isn’t hard. It’s essentially some very sensible and solid engineering and design to isolate individual components, ensure optimal earthing and a clean flow of power. While this sounds simple, it’s the attention to detail that actually delivers. I trust my own ears and what I heard was significant and comparable with a component upgrade. But unlike changing components, which can often give a different flavour but not be better in all areas, the QBase III improved the sound of the system in all aspects – admittedly some stood out more than others but for me the most striking was an increase in overall clarity which took a relatively modest system past the remembered performance of a considerably more costly set up.
There are 4 models of board presently available in New Zealand – 4 or 8 sockets and a standard or 16 Amp version for extremely power hungry systems. The standard models are priced below;
- Nordost QBase III 4 (sockets) $2550
- Nordost QBase III 8 (sockets) $4200
This first experience with Nordost drove me to look more seriously at cables. Again, the timing couldn’t be better as the new Mk III range is just out. The new ‘White Lightening III’ cables could not be more appropriately named – while they are very much the entry level to the Nordost range, the core technologies are the same and the key Nordost attributes of speed and precision are immediately obvious. The MK III versions are materially better than the MK IIs with greater conductor volumes and much better terminations.
A key point of difference with all Nordost speaker cables including the White Lightning III is that they are flat. This is completely antithetical to the approaches of Kimber and KLEI. Not surprisingly they present quite different interpretations when we compare similarly priced options, reflecting each designers sonic priorities. And at this level – ie the start of the respective ranges – each designer will be working hard to try and include some of the essence of their very best cables but will be chaffing against cost constraints. In some ways, what they do at this level can be harder than in the higher end – they want your attention and for you to (hopefully) consider cables further up the range.
The White Lightening III interconnects – both RCA and balanced are a little more conventional being round but share many of the same sonic attributes as the speaker cable. If you like what you hear with one, it makes sense to follow the same path for all cables. Having done this is a simple system, I have to agree.
Nordost White Lightning III is a cable designed to bring systems to life. Most listeners will not have experienced just how great an impact these cables make. This is because of the substantial progress that has been made over the last 30 or more years. Even within the last five years, I’ve been taken aback by improvements made. With this development comes a dramatic broadening of the range of performance between basic and best.
We now have readily available cables that cost more than many actual components. Which may seem crazy until you actually listen and discover that the clearly audible performance gains are often of the same magnitude. And then hear that the changes are superior cable can make are all positive – every thing you like about your existing components and system is magnified and any perceived weakness, which are often only understood in hindsight, are reduced.
Are you ready to experience Nordost? As with the QBase III we have a selection of the new White Lightening III cables availble for demonstration. Just contact us to find out more.
- Nordost White Lightning III speaker cable sets 2m pair $940
- 3 metre pair $1050
- 4 metre pair $1170
- 5 metre pair $1280
- Nordost White Lightning III analogue interconnects balanced or RCA 1m pair $740
A little more reading if you’re interested….
‘The White Lightning loudspeaker cable is a “fast” light but fastidious sounding cable; meaning: musical transients are quick, with fine attack yet string instruments are exceptionally smooth, subtle, delicate and very self-effacing in their sound personalities. The bass response, on the other hand, is deep and richly powerful.
The White Lightning Interconnect cables proved its pedigree with exceptional ambience, depth of image and lateral soundstage width. It was subsequently noticed that their hallmark was an extremely smooth yet decisive concordance and musicality, particularly noticed on massed orchestral strings. They displayed a fine mid to lower bass range with cello and double bass that blended into the full audible response without ever making note of itself- which is as it should be. The interconnects wonderfully matched the speaker cables (as Nordost expressed to me above) with a splendid ‘homogeneous’ character that meshed superbly as a pair!
On the other hand, when you take this Nordost package individually or as a whole, one cannot overstate the quality and painstakingly professional listening ears (and testing) that went into these cables and line distribution strip. Needless to say, the Nordost designers left no stone unturned when designing and evaluating the unadulterated musicality of these products. If you carefully listen to them while not being aware of their cost or ‘entry level’ designation, you would not believe the quality of the sound they produce. They are that good and so majestically musical that it can undeniably be qualified as one of, if not the greatest buy in audio cables today!’
December 31, 2019 by Howard Milstein
‘The White Lightning sound is fluid, tightly coiled and exceptionally consistent. If you want to listen to your music as nature intended, White Lightning shows you how.
Chris Thomas – in his review of Blue Heaven in issue 87 – pointed to something that I think is key to the White Lightning sound. He noted a shift to making the Nordost sound a little bit sweeter and possessed of an even tonal balance, and that’s precisely what happens here.
Like the new Blue Heaven, White Lightning Anniversary manages to harness the transient delivery common to all Nordost cables with the broadband natural performance that was hitherto the domain of the brand’s big guns. That alone will win friends.’
By Alan Sircom hifi_plus_issue_89
‘My experience with the Nordost cables leaves me speechless, if that is even possible. Overall, the difference is nothing short of spectacular. In fact, during the review several friends and colleagues remarked that the reference system for this review has never sounded nearly as good. Personally, I have to agree with them wholeheartedly. I thought the old cables made a huge difference in my system, but the new ones overshadow them exponentially.
In conclusion, if you are looking to build a new system or upgrade an existing system, you owe it to yourself to audition these cables. They represent a serious value and stellar performance within their price range. In my case, they have left me with the unchanging fact that I need to upgrade my cables to at least this level, because anything less would be unthinkable.’
Brett Rudolph enjoythemusic.com
