Oh dear.My dealer came round last night and got me addicted to another expensive habit - Nordost Blue Heaven speaker cables.
I am using Nordost Flatline cables, and they were sensationally better than the Monster cable I tried. And I thought that would be about is good as it should get, because my system is at the bottom of the high end - Rega Planet, Sonus Faber Grand Pianos, Musical Fidelity X-A1.
But as soon as he changed the Flatlines for the Blue Heavens I knew I'd be buying bloody wires that cost more than the amp, for God's sake.
Where will it all end?
(He also brought round a valve amp, made locally in Canberra. Oh dear. More money. After an hour of that I have been turned into a value afficionado.)
Nordost Blue Heavens speaker cable? Nothing less than a 4.9. I suppose there could be better cable out there, but I don't know how it could be better.
What it did: Completely disappeared the speakers, made a full, wide, lush, deep, high soundstage, far beyond the confines of the room. We didn't listen to the system - we listed to the music.
All sibilance was gone, all imbalance was gone. Amazing.
We tried the Blue Heaven interconnects but they were too bright. Ah well, I suppose you can't predict everything. Back to the Van Den Hulls for that.

I'm using the Blue Heaven bi-wire cables and interconnect on my Wadia 830, McCormack amp and Martin Logan SL-3 system...the Nordost replace MIT 750 speaker cables and 330 Mk II interconnect....the difference? Immediately apparent...much more clarity and "air" along with more speed much better suited to the abilities of the SL-3's. The bass presentation stayed about the same, which was already good. This product isn't a bank breaker and probably would mate well with any system that sounds dark and slow...not recommended if your gear has a tonal imbalance favoring the upper frequencies. Rating is based on 5 being unattainable...

The Nordost Blue Heaven speaker cables and interconnects are clean,clear,fast,and dynamic.They are probably the best price/performance value in the entire Nordost line.The biwire version of the speaker cable is definitely worth the extra cost.Be sure to breakin the cables for at least 80 hours before you make any subjective evaluations about their ability to play music in your system.If there is a synergy with these cables inserted in your system,I'm sure that you will be quite amazed with the end result.

Nordost Blue Heaven Cable
The cables and interconnects are fabulous. If I owned a $100,000 pair of speakers, there might be a better cable and interconnect. Detail, air, soundstage! Blue Heaven does it all.
The Spectron Digital Power Amp works perfectly with this wire and oh by the way, give a listen this amp. It competes with almost any amp and at any price.

Equipment: Spectron Musician 300 watt Digital Amp
CAL Audio CD-CL-15 digital
No pre-amp
Nordost Blue Heaven cables and interconnects
Monster Cable Power line filter HTS 2000
Speakers: AR9LS
Speakers: Martin Logins with Sub

Hunter

I've had achance to try several different cables at home in my own system, and here's my opinion. For interconnects the Nordost Flatline Magic 1 is the steal of the century. It sounds as good or better to me than more expensive wires from the likes of Siltech,Straightwire,Alpha Sterling,and Kimber. For more expensive wires I found the Nordost Blue Heaven to blow away anything in it's price range, with the Straightwire Rhapsody II coming in a close second. But, I picked up the Blue Heaven for $125, and the Straightwires are $150. So, for my money, the Blue Heaven has the best balance of detail, dynamics, and tonal purity and is my favorite cable I've yet to hear.

Clarity, Focus Air, Precision, Soundstage

Long break-in time

About 6 months ago, I demo'd a pair of Black Knight interconnects (see my review of them). I was so amazed in the transformation in my system that I decided to pick up a pair. Just before I did, though, a fellow AudioReview.com contributor e-mailed me saying that if I thought the Knights were something, I should try the Blue Heavens. As my equipment array is somewhat low-budget, I was a bit hesitant, but I thought "What the Heck?" Bought a 1m RCA pair, put the CD player on endless repeat, went on a 1 week business trip, and when I returned... WOW. My entire system had been transformed. It was the audio equivalent of spraying Windex on my listening 'window'. Detail, soundstage, dynamic range had all been dramatically improved. The slightly muddy bass I had been experiencing with the MIT Terminator 2 cables was gone.

For anyone who is hesitant to shell out ~$170 for an interconnect because they figure their system isn't worthy, check out this list of modest equipment, and know that it made more of an improvement than I could possibly have imagined.

Equipment:
Musical Fidelity XA1 Integrated Amp
NAD 522 CD Player
Musical Fidelity X10-D Tube Buffer
Paradigm Mini-Monitors
Nordost Blue Heaven Interconnects
Tributaries SP-4 Speaker Cables

Similar Products Used:

MIT Terminator 2, Nordost Black Knight

System comprises of the following.Preamp: conrad-johnson PFR
Poweramps: conrad-johnson MF2300 and MF2100
CD Player: Arcam Alpha 8
Speaker Cable: Nordost Super Flat-line Gold MKII (Bi-wire)
Interconnects: Nordost Blue Heaven

At a glance, these cables don't present themselves as audio cables, rather something out of computer perifery comes into mind. You have to truely understand the desing principles of high-end cables, including design materials used. Lock-on mechanisms, grounding attributes, flexibility, quality material, transparency, and cost factors all sum up high-end cable. Most high-end cables do not have all of the above traits, maybe two or three out of the six mentioned. Nordost is one of those companies that reach the gold, and should be awarded the benchmark for reference standards. There are a vast number of brands that could only hold their name high, but when realized sonically they fall far below the reference standard. The Blue Heavens are definitely up there, and do require break in period of 72 hours or more. Also they have directional arrows which should be connected in "opposite directions" campared to conventional high-end interconnects. Proper set up and delicate handling will take you to the world of Nordost. I really have nothing to say about this cable other than trying the Blue Heavens out for yourself! They won't let you down, instead they will take you to heaven! I will close my review by stating, "Nordost defines what transparency is all about."

Speed, dynamics

very slight HF edge

Best value for money in Nordost range. Keep this until you can afford SPM Reference or Quattro Fil! Red Dawn isn't enough of an upgrade!

Good focusing on the details. Bass is excellence.

none

The blue heaven interconnect has raised my music enjoyment after I hooked it up to my system. I bought 2 pairs of blue heaven interconnects for my pre and power amp. Sound was all right initially but not until I burned in for seventy hours(as recommended by the manufacturer), the sound changed from earth to heaven.
Bass is so well controlled, top and bottom end of the details have improved. The kind of spaciousness and soundstage offered by this cable is so superb as compared to my previous cable.
Although this cable isn't really cheap, but the return is worthy because the music/songs will now put you up ther in the heaven!

Similar Products Used:

QED

focus, detail, speed

bright, splashy treble

I'm using both the speaker cables and interconnects along with other brands of cables.

Though clean, fast, and focused (most reviewers below seem to miss this), the treble is still a bit splashy. Biwiring, my 2 way speaker, i prefer to use another cable for the treble and let the blue heaven do the midrange/bass.

the cable is on the bright side, so beware. also, there are a lot of cables with this type of sound, but the Blue Heaven has the edge in focus over them while things like speed/dynamics/detail are generally the same.

I also have a blue angel interconnect. the blue heaven interconnect is only a slight improvement. remember that cable differences are minor and don't waste time doing small or sideways changes unless you have a serious tonal problem (too bright/too dull).

i bought them discounted, so 5 stars for value

Similar Products Used:

XLO, Harmonic Tech