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If someone pays $50 for a knock-off of a $5,000 power cord, they "may" have been ripped of for $50, but they have not been ripped for $5,000. Additionally, I would suggest that the person who paid $5,000 for a "genuine" Nordost power cord is the one who got ripped off.
@@robertdavis1976 I'll go one further and say if you paid $5k for a power cord firsthand you got scammed! And I do own good power cords, but not ones that cost thousands.
You weren't scammed by buying a knockoff $10,000 power cord for $78. You SAVED $9922 from buying a ridiculously overpriced power cord in the first place!
I bet TEN MILLION DOLLARS! 😄 And even though I don't have $10million in the bank, it's a guaranteed win for me, so that's not a problem! Even though I'm an honest kind of guy, it's sorely tempting to launch an "audiophile accessories" company. These scam products are making someone VERY VERY wealthy, and the "audiophiles" are happy with their overpriced crap...so, even though it's all a scam...it does kinda make sense! "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em"...as they say.
Problem is you don't have 1 million dollars and you would lose. On a highly resolving system you would be able to tell the difference if all power cables were swapped out.
@Jay's Audio Lab the audible differences evaporate quickly once controlled blind testing protocol is followed. Visual bias is a very strong influence that almost nobody is immune from (myself included).
@@Audioholics I can agree to that to a certain extent. However, if I was using home depot cables for speaker cables, my system would absolutely let me know - it gets terribly bright and unrefined
Who thinks a $39 look alike cable is a scam ? If the real cable is 30k and someone buys this cable for $4k it’s a scam. But also $39 everyone knows it’s a Chinese replica.
In fairness, the "fake" one looks well constructed for the price. Judging by many comments here, people are quite reasonably raising greater concerns about the pricing of the "real" cable. I too vote for you to publish an A-B comparison, Jay...
I hope it sounds like a $10k upgrade but let's be real, I doubt it. It might sound better but not $10k better. I also see the real one has a tighter twist rate then the fake one.
Anybody with "hifi" 2 channel system, should buy cables your budget permits. Most people buy "cheap" cables first though. Once you hear sets of real good cables( usually expensive), it's hard to go back to cheap ones, and I don't care how they measure
What baffles me is the fact that we are living in a world where there are people who pay $14000 and $35000 for a piece of cord. A piece of cord that does nothing compared to a properly working stock chord. In my world the knock off chords/cables are definitely less of a scam than the expensive ones.
I bought a fake Nordost Odin 2 power cord, knowing it was fake. I was very happy with the purchase, because it sounded great. I'm sure it's not as good as a real Nordost Odin 2--though I never made the comparison. I did, however, compare it to a real $500 Nordost power cord, and the fake Odin sounded much better.
That being said. $70 just for the craftmanship is a steal. I challenge anyone who can make it from scratch just for the look of it for $100. Noone can do it for a hundred just for the look sake. It is a marvel for $70!!!!
Hello Jay, you have nothing to lose by opening up the connectors, showing the inside, and what the cross section of the fake cable content looks like. We would all learn far more about the fake cable. There are not many copper pullers in the world, sometimes the actual material can come from the same factory. My understanding is Audioquest fought that for years and had to develop their elaborate braided covers. Thanks for sharing.
@@ConnorDylan Totally agree. Totally fixated on expensive things and brands, but don't want to show the inside. I say Nah - and good bye. Not interested in platitudes on this channel.
The funny thing is… if he actually compares the sound of them he will see how close they are! I’ve compared them. It’s not even funny how close they are in sound.
@@143GADGETSI’m doubting you’ve done this experiment. I have heard other knock offs against the real deal and they have failed miserably. Guessing these Nordost’s will be the same. Time will tell.
@@alberthalim7767 I believe in cables, I just don't believe that changing the last meter out of hundreds of meters of copper cable will make an audible difference to your stereo system. LOL Have you ever heard of placebo? Are you aware that the phenomenon can apply to audio, or do you just reject its existence?
I bought that same cable about two yrs ago. I knew it was a fake but at that price I didn't care, i wanted to hear/listen to it. That cable sounds very, very good for that price. I still have it.
It's not enough to call out the Chinese scammers selling counterfeit Nordost cables vs what you get if you buy the real thing. Call out the audio industry for obviously creating a market & a demand for counterfeit high end cables by charging 14 grand for the genuine branded one and you could also suggest to the people (who are obviously just lower income, but still love great audio gear and are just looking for a bargain) that are considering buying a $78 knockoff Nordost Odin cable a better, genuine branded, well made and actually affordable alternative. Because if your solution for most people to avoid getting scammed with a $78 fake Chinese Nordost Odin power cable is a $14,000 real one, there's a bigger problem than the Chinese scammers. Also, _if_ the $78 knockoff Odin 1 ends up sounding better than other $80 genuine branded audio power cables, I'd call that a bargain and another problem for an industry that is all too often extremely out of touch with most consumers when pricing their products, then advertising them here on a platform where at least 60% of viewers can't afford it, probably more.
You don't know whether the knock-offs are bad or good, worse, the same, or better than the originals unless you run them through the proper analyzing equipment. Have you? Have someone do it, and you might find that there isn't much of a difference between them.
Out of curiosity ... did you check the two cables with some sort of testing equipment that shows there is a difference in the "quality" of the power coming out? Or you just playing it "by ear" (i.e. by placebo).
Jay - I am going to ask you a question and I am not making a joke - is this a serious video or some sort of "tongue in cheek " comedy sketch that went over my head ?
The real important question is, does the knockoff perform like the authentic one? And if it does, what's the issue?! If your paying that much for a cable maybe you deserve to get scammed. 🤔
Jay - if you are going to spend that insane amount of money on a power cord why don't you just get a ICE cable directly spliced to your house electrical wires ? I have to admit the crazy stuff you come up with has me hooked - I look forward and check your channel every day just for the entertainment value.
I tried a few of these A-Express RCAs (Odin Gold, Odin, etc). Deeply discounted. They are obviously fakes. BUT, they did indeed absolutely destroy my AD-purchased Red Dawn and Tyr RCAs (all 6'/2m). For a fraction of the price. Bought the fakies for a buddy who just had a kid. He makes $45k/yr and will never be able to afford the real thing. BUT THE SOUND of the fake OG, despite being fake, is better than the lower tier authentic Nordosts in my much more expensive system. Didn't get to test the Odin1 fake. Break in took forever, but I was really impressed. If somebody thinks they are buying an *authentic Nordost Odin* series cable for $50, they really are dumb. Same goes for Rolex/Omega/AP watches.... If you actually think you are getting a real one for $300, then you deserve to get fleeced, IMO.
75' of 12 gauge Romex in the wall and 14 gauge stranded copper and a Bussman fuse in the amp. A couple feet of $10k "magic" in between really makes a difference? I will never know. Too busy buying engines that run on water.
Don't feel too badly. As an electrical engineer I've seen very expensive products that can't work as claimed or that have almost nothing in them worth only a tiny fraction of the price. These were from large reputable companies. You'd have to be an engineer to know they were a scam. Unfortunately one of my clients bought one. Years later when I confronted the sales rep who sold it to him the guy just laughed. Anybody want to buy some Bitcoins? 😃 Talk about a currency that is backed by nothing.
I never realized that all these wonderful amplifier and preamp companies would sell their products without these expensive cables that add so much to the performance of their gear. Do they sell their products with the pretense that you will or you need to or are expected to buy these cables in order to get the performance out their products what you think you’re paying for? I just don’t see it. Sorry
Jay, --If you're trying to convince people that they'll be scammed by paying $50 for a great looking copy of a $10,000 (or whatever) power cord, rather than the other way around, then, at the very least you owe it to us to try and convince everyone that the preposterously priced "real" product is actually worth the asking price. You made no effort to do so. So sound demo comparison, or anything.
@@jaysaudiolab OK Jay, take your time. But if you think any power cord can improve a sound system enough to justify an outlay of $14,000...? --Fine, I'll stay tuned.
OK... The facts stated are clear: - A 35,000$US one meter power cord is the real thing. - A 100$US one meter power cord is the scam. The price diference seen above is so huge that only faith can explain it. Electronic does have facts too: A good power supply will deliver less than 10 mV of ripple. In a way, it may be considered as being ~82 dB of reduction at 60 Hz. - A good preamplifier is expected to have a PSRR way above 80 dB over the audio band. - A good power amplifer is expected to have a PSRR way above 80 dB over the audo band. We are talking of about 157 dB of combined PSRR for a hooked up system, assuming no ground loop. Standard home electrical distribution does have facts as well: Generally, the 120VAC wiring of a house is done using LUMEX 14/3 cables with a limit of 15 A per circuit. - From the house's main breaker box to the wall outlet, the total length may well exceed 20 meters. - The wall outlet qualities vary from brand to brand. How can a 1 meter power cord improove the performance of the power line so much when it is 1/20th of the whole lenght? The only way to differenciate sound with such minuscule differences is with test instruments. I suspect that a spectrum analyzer is the way to go as it has a dynamic range that may exceed 170dB (10 nV range) with certain brands like Keysight, Rhodes&Schwatz or Tektronik. But it is hard to get a spetrum that has such dynamic range within the audio frequencies spectrum. We are talking about a unit cost of 27,000$US, calibration certificate included . (N9041B-B40 + N90401B-AMG) But, that is the price to walk out of religious audiophilia and enter the world of physics. Then, again, I use my ears to listen to music, not a test set. To me, a top of the line setup is: - A single power feed close to where it is used. - A possibly 100% shielded power line. - All case grounds of the same lenght. - All equipment within case is isolated from said case. - Audio grounds are going directly to Earth ground through an independent conductor. - All audio grounds are of the same lenght. I have seen: - No such details in any so called audiophile installation. - Dead tweeters. - Reversed speaker cables. - Poor AC wall outlets. - Total disregard to grounding. - Seemingly inexplicable hum, especially at low power output. - Unexplicable noise induction, from vacuum cleaner to a radio station to CB traffic. Particluary In the telecommunication world, especially in the analog technology era (1930-1990) those conditions were paramount for optimum operation. Therefore, a 3 feet cable does not cut it. The scam is the other way around. In short, PHYSICS rule! Always!
Jay Don't feel too bad the scammers are everywhere. A high end store I worked at back in the 80's was run by a very savvy businessman yet even he was scammed by a couple for 35k on a sale. The FBI was called in but they couldn't do anything for him. You're in good company, sad to say.
Great Video Jay - I'd love to hear a sound comparison - like - is the knock off better, the same, worse etc. sounding than a stock cable? Does the genuine Nordost blow away the knock off? All just curiosity Jay and I do think that adding or subtracting a single cable from a system may not tell the whole story about that particular level or brand of cable under test.
I guarantee you could not tell the difference in a "blind" side by side listening test between these 2 power cords. First of all, ANY power cord that retails for $10k is BS, and you're believing that if you spend big money, you will hear a big difference. Your ears can only hear so much. And in a blind test, I bet ANYONE they cannot tell the difference. So pay your $5k for a used piece of fancy wire. But the $78 one will do just as well, I'm sure. After a certain point, it's all just "snake oil" is all. If you believe differently, you are one drinking the Kool Aide. Equipment is one thing, but cables are another. Especially power cables. There is only so much a cable can do and protect against. And once you reach that point, there is no MAGIC that makes them worth this insane price you're trying to justify.
Looking forward to the AB video. I suggest bringing some other people in for a blind AB as well. I'm with the other commenter here. Power cables can make a difference, but spending thousands on a power cable is a scam, no matter how you slice it.
The folks that believe a 10k or 5 k or 2k or whatever power chord is worth it and will sound that much better are the ones getting scammed... You sir are the real person drinking the cool aid
Yep. Counterfeits definitely a problem. Crazy high stupid prices also a big problem. No doubt gouging is going on for the Uber high end cables. I also vote for a comparison of the fake vs real. Is the difference huge? Let's find out.
The coincidence is absolutely HILARIOUS because I just looked at these cables from the same exact site literally a few hours ago for the first time. I knew it was a knock-off but never for a second did I feel like I'm getting the real thing for cheap.
You're right. We all know about these cables. People get tricked when they get sold on the used market, either by themselves, or packaged with other equipment. All the major brands are well aware of counterfeit cables, and most have a portion of their website going over how to tell real from fake. And if you send them some pictures, they'll always check them and get right back to you.
@@jaysaudiolab Is anyone willing to pay $10k for a cable concerned with saving money. I would think brand loyalty and wanting the very best are the top concerns. The only consumers thinking this is a steal are those who would never buy the original and are looking to have the best for nothing. SO in the end, nothing lost. The $70 cable here looks 2x better made than other standard cables offered on Amazon for near the same price. Most people do not have a system transparent enough to hear the difference. Again audience is everything. I think you have a lot of low and mid hifi subscribers here also. I know you want to appeal to the high ened owners, but I have a feeling many of them already know about HIFI and don't need much advice. Just MO. Love your channel Jay, but the dollars people spend on cables is just insane for most people becaause they are not using a $500k system.
Nice review Jay! I was recently discussing audio cables with a neighbor of mine, who is a Licensed Electrical Engineer in the State of Florida. He stated to me that all you need is a high quality, pure copper (preferably American made) UL rated (CL2 or CL3) cable of the correct gauge and length, for your specific setup. Any other make and model cable, regardless of price, should not yield any audible sonic improvement of any significance. Based on your experience with cables, is his conclusion reasonable??
Hi Jay. We absolutely cannot compare both cables, but being a sincere dude, how does the 60 bucks cable sound compared to an Amazon power cable ? I bet lots of people would love your insight. Cheers.
I'd like to see each cable dissected to visually compare the actual cable as well as result of a metallurgical test to determine how different the wire within the cables actually are.
To be honest Jay, I don't think these Chinese sellers are doing anything really wrong, they charge $50 or so for cables that should be $15.000.00, but they are honest in saying they are replicas, the people to really worry about is the ones that want $5000.00 for Nordost and send you a $50 replica. The Dartzeel is obvious and again the seller from China says they are replicas.
Most "audiophiles" don't listen to music. They listen to their equipment. Every listening session is a critical system evaluation so there is no enjoyment.
its a crime to ask 40k for a cable. Fake cables are so good you can't even hear the difference. Even lamp cables working better and costs you less than that. People who buys fake cables are wise people who doesn't get easily scam. You don't need any of that as long as if there is a chemistry between your set up. You can spend few hundreds and still enjoy the music.
I don't think anyone would really believe they're getting the real deal for pennies on the dollar. What most likely would happen is, someone would buy the cheap Chinese knockoff and resell it as the real deal for a more believable price.
Hifi enthusiasts are crazy. I’m a professional music producer and there are pretty much only 2 things with cables: Durability and shielding. Silver and copper have a very slightly different sound, but that is the only audio difference you’ll hear. Anyone tells you anything else, they’re trying to sell you something.
I just subbed and liked the video so i do hope for more videos like this one. 10 grand buys you a good used car. 10 grand is a down payment on a loan. 10 grand can pay down debt and place someone in better financial shape. 10 grand is a good starting point for a 401K. Anyone who spends that kind of money on a cable has f-you money period. Nordost is also ripping people off. The cable industry has been exposed years ago. You can get top notch measuring quality cables these days for a reasonable price. The people who buys these cables also spend high dollars for equipment. 50 to 100 thousand dollars for speakers alone. And some of these speakers still sound like crap no matter what you spend on cable.
if your buying power cords for more than the best ones in the hardware store , you deserve to get ripped off.........you need to rewire your whole house,,,,such foolery.
The real scammers are Nordost! 🤣 The "fake" cables will work just as well as the "genuine" ones. They're ALL nonsense. If you guys want to blow thousands of dollars on power cords though...go for it. 🤣
Thanks Jay for the insight. Just a question, as for the $50 power cord, how does it sound? Can it challenge the sound of the stock power cords? Is it competitive with the $500-$1k power cord range?
Same thing happened with PS audio power cables years ago. So many fakes out there. Another reason to buy from a reputable dealer. Age old saying...."if it's too good to be true..." Be careful with your money!
I am the first guy to argue that cables DO make a difference, BUT that being said the prices some of these companies charge are absolutely ludicrous. There is NO way any cable be it power , speaker or interconnect is worth 10, 20 or 30 + thousand dollars. They are NOT made of solid gold. Nordost also charges $600 for a small bottle of anti static fluid. Seriously? I have no experience with the Odin power cable genuine OR fake, but I did recently try a fake set of Nordost Blue Heaven speaker cables. 10 foot pair $125 delivered right to my door vs $1300 Canadian for the real thing. Can’t say how they would be compared to the genuine Nordost product but I must say for $ 125 I was very impressed, a real bargain fake or not.
I would assume those Furutech IEC connectors are also knock-offs. Otherwsie, getting a set for Furutech FI-50 & FI-50M NCF IEC connectors for $80 is a great deal. Retail on that set is closer to $780.
@@Highenddude4179 i think for this kind of budget you can get much better results buying bulk cable and connectors and making diy cables. High quality materials have costs and a finished cable for 80$ can’t be that good
@@Highenddude4179 I agree. It is not clear to me either the point of the video. Even if it was a lamp cord, for 80$ a cable that looks as pretty as that is not a rip off. If one expects sonic performance and looks from an 80$ preassembled cable he will be disappointed, but he deserves it I suppose
Both cables do the exact same thing. If you buy a "power cord" for hundrets or thousands or even ten-thoughsands of dollars... you might visit a professional to work on your psychological problems. The cheap cable is not the scam - the scam is the expensive one.
The question isn't whether an $80 power cord sounds as good or better then a $15,000 power cord, the question is, does a $15,000 power cord sound $14,920 better then an $80 power cord? My guess is not even close. The simple fact of the matter is, 1 pound of silver today is worth $338.8 dollars. Unless that Nordost cord is made of 42 pounds of pure silver you are getting ripped off. Anyone who has disposable income to buy a $10,000 used power cord, this is just a POWER CORD we are talking about, can certainly afford to buy a new one for $15,000 and not have to worry about getting ripped off.
There are good and bad versions of the knock off cables, just like knock off Rolex watches. The good ones are virtually indistinguishable from the original.
All this insane prices for friggin power cords and speaker cables is absolutely stupid. The only thing that is important in a speaker cable for instance is Induction, capacitance, and resistance that is it!
No matter real or not the upper theoretical limit of the cable related to it's electric/electronics performance will allow those dollars This is audiophile PORN!!! Have been involved in both audio and Electronics since 15 years old there's no problem spending $75 to get a to run between 5 Hertz and 22k Hertz
As he plugs a three foot $10,000 power cord into an outlet in his house with 50 feet of 50 cents per foot of Romex housing wire back to breaker box.... I have a special #2 pencil to sell you for $3,000. It writes better than any pencil you have ever used. I will throw in a free spiral-wound notepad if you buy a 2-pack. LOL.
when connected my odin power cord to my ikea lamp Vindkast and was blown away by the quality of the kelvin range between 4 - 5K, the photons was bright but not "in your face" bright. I have a Thorium-beryllium lamp head but i think the cord just made all the diffrence in the world. After i understood the importance of powercords i have been secretly replacing the powercord between my house and the powerstation, meter by mete(by night of course). disguised as municipal worker. I'm very close to the reactors core by now so I'm carefully considering the dimension of the cabels shielding so it doesn't get destroyed by the radiation. The next step will be to to AB test diffrent power plants, i am heavely considering trying wind power towers so i can getmore airyness to my lamps.
Jay - please be honest - what’s your main in wall dedicated power cable made from, where feeds your audio equipment ??? Is it “ultra high end” - silver or gold plated cooper conected to your wall sockets ??? I guess it cost min x10 times more (as way longer cable) then those “genuine” 🤔😂
If you want to see more content like this, You must subscribe and like this video. If I see an uptick in subscribers, I promise i will keep bringing content like this that exposes a lot of scams out there.
Tell the truth.... you were not scammed... don't clickbait please. Just be honest and title it something like don't buy clones idk
That's a pretty GREAT deal folks!
Subscribe / like and Jay WON'T give you a knuckle sandwich (with fries)
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I subscribed, just so I could unsubscribe.
If someone pays $50 for a knock-off of a $5,000 power cord, they "may" have been ripped of for $50, but they have not been ripped for $5,000. Additionally, I would suggest that the person who paid $5,000 for a "genuine" Nordost power cord is the one who got ripped off.
😂
thats not nice 🤣
I enjoy a lot t of Jay's content so I won't post how I really feel..but I appreciate that your comment pretty much summed it up.
I am a die hard audiophile - however I agree that whoever spent $5,000 for a second hand power cord is the one who got scammed 🤣
@@robertdavis1976 I'll go one further and say if you paid $5k for a power cord firsthand you got scammed! And I do own good power cords, but not ones that cost thousands.
Based on the price, the fake one seems less of a scam than the real one
🫢🫢
my thought exactly
Hmmmmmm
Yep
@@jaysaudiolab I think speaker prices can be justified on build quality, performance, and brand. But it’s a hard sell for a power cable.
You weren't scammed by buying a knockoff $10,000 power cord for $78. You SAVED $9922 from buying a ridiculously overpriced power cord in the first place!
Which one is the scam? YMMV
As I understand he took on trade a $78 cable and almost paid $4k.
When you pay 5-10k for a power cord, that is the real steal...
$35,000 for a power cord!!!! I am prepared to pay $2 million!!
I bet 1 million dollars that in a blind test not one person on this planet can tell the difference in sound between these two cables.
I bet TEN MILLION DOLLARS! 😄 And even though I don't have $10million in the bank, it's a guaranteed win for me, so that's not a problem! Even though I'm an honest kind of guy, it's sorely tempting to launch an "audiophile accessories" company. These scam products are making someone VERY VERY wealthy, and the "audiophiles" are happy with their overpriced crap...so, even though it's all a scam...it does kinda make sense! "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em"...as they say.
Problem is you don't have 1 million dollars and you would lose. On a highly resolving system you would be able to tell the difference if all power cables were swapped out.
The scam is the $10k power cord, not the cheap knock off. Keep listening :)
That's debatable... I wish people can hear in my room the massive improvement cables make in my system
@Jay's Audio Lab the audible differences evaporate quickly once controlled blind testing protocol is followed. Visual bias is a very strong influence that almost nobody is immune from (myself included).
@@Audioholics I can agree to that to a certain extent. However, if I was using home depot cables for speaker cables, my system would absolutely let me know - it gets terribly bright and unrefined
Who thinks a $39 look alike cable is a scam ? If the real cable is 30k and someone buys this cable for $4k it’s a scam. But also $39 everyone knows it’s a Chinese replica.
In fairness, the "fake" one looks well constructed for the price. Judging by many comments here, people are quite reasonably raising greater concerns about the pricing of the "real" cable.
I too vote for you to publish an A-B comparison, Jay...
Soon
I hope it sounds like a $10k upgrade but let's be real, I doubt it. It might sound better but not $10k better.
I also see the real one has a tighter twist rate then the fake one.
@@jaysaudiolab How do you intend to do your comparaison video?
Anybody with "hifi" 2 channel system, should buy cables your budget permits. Most people buy "cheap" cables first though. Once you hear sets of real good cables( usually expensive), it's hard to go back to cheap ones, and I don't care how they measure
@@alberthalim7767 Sure. you're just another bias victim chasing unicorns.
What baffles me is the fact that we are living in a world where there are people who pay $14000 and $35000 for a piece of cord. A piece of cord that does nothing compared to a properly working stock chord. In my world the knock off chords/cables are definitely less of a scam than the expensive ones.
I bought a fake Nordost Odin 2 power cord, knowing it was fake. I was very happy with the purchase, because it sounded great. I'm sure it's not as good as a real Nordost Odin 2--though I never made the comparison. I did, however, compare it to a real $500 Nordost power cord, and the fake Odin sounded much better.
Exactly!
Cool
Details on your system?
That being said. $70 just for the craftmanship is a steal.
I challenge anyone who can make it from scratch just for the look of it for $100.
Noone can do it for a hundred just for the look sake.
It is a marvel for $70!!!!
Plus free shipping from China….it’s a deal
What is this site?
Hello Jay, you have nothing to lose by opening up the connectors, showing the inside, and what the cross section of the fake cable content looks like. We would all learn far more about the fake cable. There are not many copper pullers in the world, sometimes the actual material can come from the same factory. My understanding is Audioquest fought that for years and had to develop their elaborate braided covers. Thanks for sharing.
Lol nah man
Do a blind test and see if you can hear a different. That’s what i think people want
@@ConnorDylan Totally agree. Totally fixated on expensive things and brands, but don't want to show the inside. I say Nah - and good bye. Not interested in platitudes on this channel.
@@Peter_van_bjork he will never do that. He's scared
I think this video is creating the opposite reaction that Jay expected
The funny thing is… if he actually compares the sound of them he will see how close they are! I’ve compared them. It’s not even funny how close they are in sound.
Yes... Jay sounds like the scammer with the bait and click title.
It's on
@@143GADGETS hmm...
@@143GADGETSI’m doubting you’ve done this experiment.
I have heard other knock offs against the real deal and they have failed miserably.
Guessing these Nordost’s will be the same. Time will tell.
$10,000 for a power cable?? The Placebo affect IS real.
Looks like a really nice cable for $70,00, thanks for the tip Jay!
I suggest you do a blind test for the cables and see if you notice a difference
There's a difference, I owned both lol
@@alberthalim7767 yeah there is a difference in price, but there won't be a difference in sound if you eliminate placebo! Cheers!
@@literalghost929 listen to both cables at least 24 hours and then you can probably judge. If you dont believe in cables, thats fine with me.
@@alberthalim7767 I believe in cables, I just don't believe that changing the last meter out of hundreds of meters of copper cable will make an audible difference to your stereo system. LOL
Have you ever heard of placebo? Are you aware that the phenomenon can apply to audio, or do you just reject its existence?
@@literalghost929 ok if thats what you believe, what can i say lol. Im not here trying to persuade you what i hear. Lets leave at that and enjoy hifi
Whether or not you get the “real” one, you still got scammed. 💯
Yes
$10,000 Dollars? You waste more money a year than that.
I bought that same cable about two yrs ago. I knew it was a fake but at that price I didn't care, i wanted to hear/listen to it. That cable sounds very, very good for that price. I still have it.
something tells me there would be no difference in sound between the imposter vs real.
It's not enough to call out the Chinese scammers selling counterfeit Nordost cables vs what you get if you buy the real thing. Call out the audio industry for obviously creating a market & a demand for counterfeit high end cables by charging 14 grand for the genuine branded one and you could also suggest to the people (who are obviously just lower income, but still love great audio gear and are just looking for a bargain) that are considering buying a $78 knockoff Nordost Odin cable a better, genuine branded, well made and actually affordable alternative. Because if your solution for most people to avoid getting scammed with a $78 fake Chinese Nordost Odin power cable is a $14,000 real one, there's a bigger problem than the Chinese scammers. Also, _if_ the $78 knockoff Odin 1 ends up sounding better than other $80 genuine branded audio power cables, I'd call that a bargain and another problem for an industry that is all too often extremely out of touch with most consumers when pricing their products, then advertising them here on a platform where at least 60% of viewers can't afford it, probably more.
Good points above
It's amazing how gross "ultra" high end audio has gotten. When someone will pay 35k for a .6M PC of course this stuff is gonna happen.
What’s the difference in sound between the two power chords?
One sounds normal, the other one sounds like your wife crying.
@@andtothewestamerica crying from the beauty of the music right 😂😂😂
The rip off is probably just as good in a blind test. You just buy them for the looks anyway and they look similar.
Ok
their 14k power cord broke and they CHARGED you to repair it? nice gig.
if it costs 14k I expect it was made of Vibranium-metal alloy
I tried the Odin Gold "copy" power cable for
Nobody knows
@@toucheslapper keep being disrespectful... You'll be forever blocked from posting... Your call.
the question is does it sound as good as or better than a power cable in the same price range as what you paid.
The only scam I see is paying $10,000 for three feet of wire. Maybe the Nordost sounds 2 times better but not 166 times better.
Maybe
Power cords don't have a "sound", so...the fake is just as good as the "real" one. Hilarious.
@@njm1971nyc Bad power cords have a sound. The good ones do not.
I could understand the stupidity if he was paid for it.
You don't know whether the knock-offs are bad or good, worse, the same, or better than the originals unless you run them through the proper analyzing equipment. Have you? Have someone do it, and you might find that there isn't much of a difference between them.
How exactly would you test the cables, and why?
Are you real? It's obvious they are copies!!! Utterly ridiculous video...a shameless publicity grab!! "Please, you guys...share this video" 👍
Bro, I'm doing this for YOU bro, you MUST share bro! I'm doing this for you!!!
Out of curiosity ... did you check the two cables with some sort of testing equipment that shows there is a difference in the "quality" of the power coming out? Or you just playing it "by ear" (i.e. by placebo).
Jay - I am going to ask you a question and I am not making a joke - is this a serious video or some sort of "tongue in cheek " comedy sketch that went over my head ?
The real important question is, does the knockoff perform like the authentic one? And if it does, what's the issue?! If your paying that much for a cable maybe you deserve to get scammed. 🤔
Who cares how it sounds, $78 for a power cable that looks that good is a bargain.
Who cares how it sounds?? 🤣
Jay - if you are going to spend that insane amount of money on a power cord why don't you just get a ICE cable directly spliced to your house electrical wires ? I have to admit the crazy stuff you come up with has me hooked - I look forward and check your channel every day just for the entertainment value.
it would also save you a fortune on the thousand dollar wall power outlets
Please test the knock-off. Is it worth keeping for a
second mid-fi stereo system? Thanks
Exactly. Hell, I may order a couple to try for these prices.
@@sean_heisler on looks alone they are worth $50 lol
Won't do that because there's not a $4950 worth of difference to hear lol
The real scam is when the fake sounds better than the real...(with proper synergy, of course)
Some would argue that paying 35k (or even 10k) for the 'real thing' is getting scammed.
True
I tried a few of these A-Express RCAs (Odin Gold, Odin, etc). Deeply discounted. They are obviously fakes. BUT, they did indeed absolutely destroy my AD-purchased Red Dawn and Tyr RCAs (all 6'/2m). For a fraction of the price. Bought the fakies for a buddy who just had a kid. He makes $45k/yr and will never be able to afford the real thing. BUT THE SOUND of the fake OG, despite being fake, is better than the lower tier authentic Nordosts in my much more expensive system. Didn't get to test the Odin1 fake. Break in took forever, but I was really impressed.
If somebody thinks they are buying an *authentic Nordost Odin* series cable for $50, they really are dumb. Same goes for Rolex/Omega/AP watches.... If you actually think you are getting a real one for $300, then you deserve to get fleeced, IMO.
Can you please explain how you break in a cable? If that have anything to say, how do you do if the temperature change a few degrees? Plain stupid.
75' of 12 gauge Romex in the wall and 14 gauge stranded copper and a Bussman fuse in the amp. A couple feet of $10k "magic" in between really makes a difference?
I will never know. Too busy buying engines that run on water.
Jay, we are all going to buy the $78 fake nordost cable and save $$$$
Maybe lol
These high end companies prey on the OCD of the rich.
Don't feel too badly. As an electrical engineer I've seen very expensive products that can't work as claimed or that have almost nothing in them worth only a tiny fraction of the price. These were from large reputable companies. You'd have to be an engineer to know they were a scam. Unfortunately one of my clients bought one. Years later when I confronted the sales rep who sold it to him the guy just laughed. Anybody want to buy some Bitcoins? 😃 Talk about a currency that is backed by nothing.
Anyone paying $10k plus for an audio power chord needs to get their head checked!
I never realized that all these wonderful amplifier and preamp companies would sell their products without these expensive cables that add so much to the performance of their gear. Do they sell their products with the pretense that you will or you need to or are expected to buy these cables in order to get the performance out their products what you think you’re paying for? I just don’t see it. Sorry
Your so right man! 😅👌🏼
Jay, --If you're trying to convince people that they'll be scammed by paying $50 for a great looking copy of a $10,000 (or whatever) power cord, rather than the other way around, then, at the very least you owe it to us to try and convince everyone that the preposterously priced "real" product is actually worth the asking price. You made no effort to do so. So sound demo comparison, or anything.
Relax... There will be time for that
@@jaysaudiolab OK Jay, take your time. But if you think any power cord can improve a sound system enough to justify an outlay of $14,000...? --Fine, I'll stay tuned.
OK...
The facts stated are clear:
- A 35,000$US one meter power cord is the real thing.
- A 100$US one meter power cord is the scam.
The price diference seen above is so huge that only faith can explain it.
Electronic does have facts too:
A good power supply will deliver less than 10 mV of ripple. In a way, it may be considered as being ~82 dB of reduction at 60 Hz.
- A good preamplifier is expected to have a PSRR way above 80 dB over the audio band.
- A good power amplifer is expected to have a PSRR way above 80 dB over the audo band.
We are talking of about 157 dB of combined PSRR for a hooked up system, assuming no ground loop.
Standard home electrical distribution does have facts as well:
Generally, the 120VAC wiring of a house is done using LUMEX 14/3 cables with a limit of 15 A per circuit.
- From the house's main breaker box to the wall outlet, the total length may well exceed 20 meters.
- The wall outlet qualities vary from brand to brand.
How can a 1 meter power cord improove the performance of the power line so much when it is 1/20th of the whole lenght?
The only way to differenciate sound with such minuscule differences is with test instruments.
I suspect that a spectrum analyzer is the way to go as it has a dynamic range that may exceed 170dB (10 nV range) with certain brands like Keysight, Rhodes&Schwatz or Tektronik. But it is hard to get a spetrum that has such dynamic range within the audio frequencies spectrum.
We are talking about a unit cost of 27,000$US, calibration certificate included . (N9041B-B40 + N90401B-AMG)
But, that is the price to walk out of religious audiophilia and enter the world of physics.
Then, again, I use my ears to listen to music, not a test set.
To me, a top of the line setup is:
- A single power feed close to where it is used.
- A possibly 100% shielded power line.
- All case grounds of the same lenght.
- All equipment within case is isolated from said case.
- Audio grounds are going directly to Earth ground through an independent conductor.
- All audio grounds are of the same lenght.
I have seen:
- No such details in any so called audiophile installation.
- Dead tweeters.
- Reversed speaker cables.
- Poor AC wall outlets.
- Total disregard to grounding.
- Seemingly inexplicable hum, especially at low power output.
- Unexplicable noise induction, from vacuum cleaner to a radio station to CB traffic.
Particluary In the telecommunication world, especially in the analog technology era (1930-1990) those conditions were paramount for optimum operation.
Therefore, a 3 feet cable does not cut it.
The scam is the other way around.
In short, PHYSICS rule!
Always!
Could you please explain why the original one cost $4000?
Ask everyone else
Jay
Don't feel too bad the scammers are everywhere. A high end store I worked at back in the 80's was run by a very savvy businessman yet even he was scammed by a couple for 35k on a sale. The FBI was called in but they couldn't do anything for him. You're in good company, sad to say.
Interesting
35K in the 1980s was a significant amount of money. That must have been a very big purchase.
Great Video Jay - I'd love to hear a sound comparison - like - is the knock off better, the same, worse etc. sounding than a stock cable? Does the genuine Nordost blow away the knock off? All just curiosity Jay and I do think that adding or subtracting a single cable from a system may not tell the whole story about that particular level or brand of cable under test.
Coming soon!
I guarantee you could not tell the difference in a "blind" side by side listening test between these 2 power cords. First of all, ANY power cord that retails for $10k is BS, and you're believing that if you spend big money, you will hear a big difference. Your ears can only hear so much. And in a blind test, I bet ANYONE they cannot tell the difference. So pay your $5k for a used piece of fancy wire. But the $78 one will do just as well, I'm sure. After a certain point, it's all just "snake oil" is all. If you believe differently, you are one drinking the Kool Aide. Equipment is one thing, but cables are another. Especially power cables. There is only so much a cable can do and protect against. And once you reach that point, there is no MAGIC that makes them worth this insane price you're trying to justify.
Looking forward to the AB video. I suggest bringing some other people in for a blind AB as well. I'm with the other commenter here. Power cables can make a difference, but spending thousands on a power cable is a scam, no matter how you slice it.
Good point
The folks that believe a 10k or 5 k or 2k or whatever power chord is worth it and will sound that much better are the ones getting scammed... You sir are the real person drinking the cool aid
Yep. Counterfeits definitely a problem. Crazy high stupid prices also a big problem. No doubt gouging is going on for the Uber high end cables. I also vote for a comparison of the fake vs real. Is the difference huge? Let's find out.
Soon
The coincidence is absolutely HILARIOUS because I just looked at these cables from the same exact site literally a few hours ago for the first time. I knew it was a knock-off but never for a second did I feel like I'm getting the real thing for cheap.
You're right. We all know about these cables. People get tricked when they get sold on the used market, either by themselves, or packaged with other equipment. All the major brands are well aware of counterfeit cables, and most have a portion of their website going over how to tell real from fake. And if you send them some pictures, they'll always check them and get right back to you.
Some people will
@@jaysaudiolab Is anyone willing to pay $10k for a cable concerned with saving money. I would think brand loyalty and wanting the very best are the top concerns. The only consumers thinking this is a steal are those who would never buy the original and are looking to have the best for nothing. SO in the end, nothing lost. The $70 cable here looks 2x better made than other standard cables offered on Amazon for near the same price. Most people do not have a system transparent enough to hear the difference. Again audience is everything. I think you have a lot of low and mid hifi subscribers here also. I know you want to appeal to the high ened owners, but I have a feeling many of them already know about HIFI and don't need much advice. Just MO. Love your channel Jay, but the dollars people spend on cables is just insane for most people becaause they are not using a $500k system.
Yeah, I can only think that Jay must consider the average hi-fi enthusiast lacks a little grey matter up above.😅
Nice review Jay! I was recently discussing audio cables with a neighbor of mine, who is a Licensed Electrical Engineer in the State of Florida. He stated to me that all you need is a high quality, pure copper (preferably American made) UL rated (CL2 or CL3) cable of the correct gauge and length, for your specific setup. Any other make and model cable, regardless of price, should not yield any audible sonic improvement of any significance. Based on your experience with cables, is his conclusion reasonable??
He's crazy
No Jay.....you are crazy,@@jaysaudiolab
Do a shoot out fake vs real , what if fake sounds same or better ? Now there would be a shootout
Do you have any objective tests comparing the performance of the two IEC cables?
If you compared them. I think you would find the results VERY interesting.
Hi Jay. We absolutely cannot compare both cables, but being a sincere dude, how does the 60 bucks cable sound compared to an Amazon power cable ? I bet lots of people would love your insight. Cheers.
Good question!
The title says you were scammed but then you say you were “almost” scammed. Which is it?
I'd like to see each cable dissected to visually compare the actual cable as well as result of a metallurgical test to determine how different the wire within the cables actually are.
Thanks for calling it out. Ignore the cable sceptics always that always looking to bring their view.
Cut open both, see what materials these are made of - easy to show your point. Material science 101.
OK maybe
I am interest in see how Nordost does the shielding on male plug side. I know the knock off version does not do the shielding correctly.
@@jaysaudiolab let's be ambivalent versus decisive - your call.
Jay, How do the compare in actual use? They should be tested in a lab.
Mr. Pete----->
aging hippie
To be honest Jay, I don't think these Chinese sellers are doing anything really wrong, they charge $50 or so for cables that should be $15.000.00, but they are honest in saying they are replicas, the people to really worry about is the ones that want $5000.00 for Nordost and send you a $50 replica.
The Dartzeel is obvious and again the seller from China says they are replicas.
Most "audiophiles" don't listen to music. They listen to their equipment. Every listening session is a critical system evaluation so there is no enjoyment.
Yes I am one of them
@@jaysaudiolab Gotta appreciate your honesty.
Power cables don't do anything to your sound, stop this nonsense
its a crime to ask 40k for a cable. Fake cables are so good you can't even hear the difference. Even lamp cables working better and costs you less than that. People who buys fake cables are wise people who doesn't get easily scam. You don't need any of that as long as if there is a chemistry between your set up. You can spend few hundreds and still enjoy the music.
I don't think anyone would really believe they're getting the real deal for pennies on the dollar. What most likely would happen is, someone would buy the cheap Chinese knockoff and resell it as the real deal for a more believable price.
So which one sounds better? 😀
Exactly. The fake one might sound better, or even the same, in which case you’ve saved a lot of money
Time for a blind test!!
The real one sounds x187 better 😂
@@justasimplefox i doubt that real 1 probably isnt even twice as good....lol
Hifi enthusiasts are crazy. I’m a professional music producer and there are pretty much only 2 things with cables: Durability and shielding. Silver and copper have a very slightly different sound, but that is the only audio difference you’ll hear. Anyone tells you anything else, they’re trying to sell you something.
I just subbed and liked the video so i do hope for more videos like this one. 10 grand buys you a good used car. 10 grand is a down payment on a loan. 10 grand can pay down debt and place someone in better financial shape. 10 grand is a good starting point for a 401K. Anyone who spends that kind of money on a cable has f-you money period. Nordost is also ripping people off. The cable industry has been exposed years ago. You can get top notch measuring quality cables these days for a reasonable price. The people who buys these cables also spend high dollars for equipment. 50 to 100 thousand dollars for speakers alone. And some of these speakers still sound like crap no matter what you spend on cable.
Agreed
if your buying power cords for more than the best ones in the hardware store , you deserve to get ripped off.........you need to rewire your whole house,,,,such foolery.
Why doesn’t Nordost file an international lawsuit against this company?! This is 1000% illegal!
The real scammers are Nordost! 🤣 The "fake" cables will work just as well as the "genuine" ones. They're ALL nonsense. If you guys want to blow thousands of dollars on power cords though...go for it. 🤣
Do the blind A/B test. Bet they sound identical.
Bet me $10,000!
@@carlosoliveira-rc2xt Deal!
Jay would certainly fail a blind AB test
Soon
Thanks Jay for the insight. Just a question, as for the $50 power cord, how does it sound? Can it challenge the sound of the stock power cords? Is it competitive with the $500-$1k power cord range?
You'll soon know
Same thing happened with PS audio power cables years ago. So many fakes out there. Another reason to buy from a reputable dealer. Age old saying...."if it's too good to be true..."
Be careful with your money!
Agreed
I am the first guy to argue that cables DO make a difference, BUT that being said the prices some of these companies charge are absolutely ludicrous. There is NO way any cable be it power , speaker or interconnect is worth 10, 20 or 30 + thousand dollars. They are NOT made of solid gold. Nordost also charges $600 for a small bottle of anti static fluid. Seriously? I have no experience with the Odin power cable genuine OR fake, but I did recently try a fake set of Nordost Blue Heaven speaker cables. 10 foot pair $125 delivered right to my door vs $1300 Canadian for the real thing. Can’t say how they would be compared to the genuine Nordost product but I must say for $ 125 I was very impressed, a real bargain fake or not.
If the fake one sounds good at $60, let's say 80% out of 100%, does the real one sounds $9,940 better? HOW is that possible? 🤔🤔🤔
Not sure
And the best part is they work the exact same.
I would assume those Furutech IEC connectors are also knock-offs. Otherwsie, getting a set for Furutech FI-50 & FI-50M NCF IEC connectors for $80 is a great deal. Retail on that set is closer to $780.
Of course they’re fake. Nobody is giving away stuff for free
@@Highenddude4179 i think for this kind of budget you can get much better results buying bulk cable and connectors and making diy cables. High quality materials have costs and a finished cable for 80$ can’t be that good
@@Highenddude4179 I agree. It is not clear to me either the point of the video. Even if it was a lamp cord, for 80$ a cable that looks as pretty as that is not a rip off. If one expects sonic performance and looks from an 80$ preassembled cable he will be disappointed, but he deserves it I suppose
So you weren't really scammed the 10K?
Yep
Both cables do the exact same thing. If you buy a "power cord" for hundrets or thousands or even ten-thoughsands of dollars... you might visit a professional to work on your psychological problems.
The cheap cable is not the scam - the scam is the expensive one.
I have so many issues with the content in this video, I really wouldn’t know where to start!!😅
After listening to your video and reading the comments below, I purchased an Odin power cord on the Chinese website! Thanks
Fantastic!
Love the new intro! Appreciate your sincerity! Hang in there, bro!
I appreciate it!
Let us listen to the fake vs the real. I bet we can pick out the fake easily by listening.
Soon
The question isn't whether an $80 power cord sounds as good or better then a $15,000 power cord, the question is, does a $15,000 power cord sound $14,920 better then an $80 power cord? My guess is not even close. The simple fact of the matter is, 1 pound of silver today is worth $338.8 dollars. Unless that Nordost cord is made of 42 pounds of pure silver you are getting ripped off.
Anyone who has disposable income to buy a $10,000 used power cord, this is just a POWER CORD we are talking about, can certainly afford to buy a new one for $15,000 and not have to worry about getting ripped off.
There are good and bad versions of the knock off cables, just like knock off Rolex watches. The good ones are virtually indistinguishable from the original.
Depends how good your eyes are
All this insane prices for friggin power cords and speaker cables is absolutely stupid. The only thing that is important in a speaker cable for instance is Induction, capacitance, and resistance that is it!
No matter real or not the upper theoretical limit of the cable related to it's electric/electronics performance will allow those dollars
This is audiophile PORN!!!
Have been involved in both audio and Electronics since 15 years old there's no problem spending $75 to get a to run between 5 Hertz and 22k Hertz
The real cable is the biggest scam in electronics of any type.
The suckers who really get scammed are the ones who pay 14.000 for a power cable thinking it's gonna matter XD
As he plugs a three foot $10,000 power cord into an outlet in his house with 50 feet of 50 cents per foot of Romex housing wire back to breaker box.... I have a special #2 pencil to sell you for $3,000. It writes better than any pencil you have ever used. I will throw in a free spiral-wound notepad if you buy a 2-pack. LOL.
when connected my odin power cord to my ikea lamp Vindkast and was blown away by the quality of the kelvin range between 4 - 5K, the photons was bright but not "in your face" bright. I have a Thorium-beryllium lamp head but i think the cord just made all the diffrence in the world. After i understood the importance of powercords i have been secretly replacing the powercord between my house and the powerstation, meter by mete(by night of course). disguised as municipal worker. I'm very close to the reactors core by now so I'm carefully considering the dimension of the cabels shielding so it doesn't get destroyed by the radiation. The next step will be to to AB test diffrent power plants, i am heavely considering trying wind power towers so i can getmore airyness to my lamps.
Hehehe 😅
Jay - please be honest - what’s your main in wall dedicated power cable made from, where feeds your audio equipment ??? Is it “ultra high end” - silver or gold plated cooper conected to your wall sockets ??? I guess it cost min x10 times more (as way longer cable) then those “genuine” 🤔😂
Lol