How can it be justifiable?

[The Grand Wazoo]

12k is a bit hard to justify isn't it?
5 years of research? what does that cost? - Depends who's doing the research & how they're doing it. Let's say the research cost a million (not a chance, but lets use a million for now).

They need to sell 83 stereo pairs to make that investment back. Since they (& spookily enough Mr Gregory) famously recommend a 'loom' approach, each buyer might need 3 pairs. So they need 27 victims to recoup the 1 million.

Parts - what can they come to? Not even 1% of the selling price, I shouldn't think.
Labour - I expect 1 person could knock up 83 pairs in a week.
Tooling - Whoever owns the tools, I expect they're already paid for.
Other overheads - a new product has to pay its share of these.

Chuck in a bit for marketing, but the product is already gaining currency by the fact that it's being discussed simply because of it's price.

So, let's imagine they need an extra 5 victims (£180,000) to cover these costs.
Everything else is profit.

Nice business model - if you can find enough victims.

Personally, I think it's immoral.

[alb]

Personally, I think it's immoral.

Well anyone with that much money to spare, should perhaps consider finding a better use for it.

[Marco]

Just for a laugh, I'd love to hear my £20 Mark Grants against it, so why don't I phone up a Nordost dealer who has Odin in stock and arrange a demo?

An A/B/A demo with the MGs in the dealer's test system would be most interesting...

I could then write-up my experiences here for your perusal. If it's a 'wonder cable', I'll tell it as it is - or if it's a simply another example of rip-off audiophile jewellery (more likely), then that's precisely what I'll report!

Should I go ahead and do it?

Marco.

[Themis]

Nice business model - if you can find enough victims.

Personally, I think it's immoral.

What is probably even more immoral, is the incestuous relationship with some "specialized press", needed to get the "victims" into range...

[Joe]

http://www.highendcable.co.uk/Nordos...terconnect.htm

Well it is nearly November 5th - "light blue touch paper and retire" - please can someone justify £12,000 for a 1m interconnect? To a degree I could understand it if it was solid gold, in a platinum sheath - but it isn't - I suppose the "5 years of intensive research" have to be paid for, but seriously, how much difference would a mere mortal hear with these compared to some "half decent" cables (I decided to skip these and order the Mark Grant Canare cable at £20+postage - OK, so the Odin has free postage, but not enough of a saving to sway it for me! )

Be fair Alex. The Odin also comes with 'Free conditioning'.

[RochaCullen]

I'd love to hear how they compare with the Mark Grants!

Nathan

[Alex_UK]

Nice business model - if you can find enough victims.

I'm starting a new Cable company, anyone on here interested in buying cables more exclusive and expensive than you've ever dreamed, PM me!

Personally, I think it's immoral.

Oh yeah, you're probably right - disregard the offer above!

Surprising how many few pairs would need to be sold, though... I suspect there is an element of "willy waving" too - for people spending that much on a cable. Just hope they are equally generous with their philanthropy...

[Alex_UK]

I'd love to hear how they compare with the Mark Grants!

Nathan

Yeah, me too - the Odin needs to be at least 601 times better than the Mark Grant to achieve a better Sound Per Pound Value... I'm not taking bets!

[Joe]

Not defending stratospheric cable prices in any way, but how does one estimate that sort of difference anyway? Is a £2000 amplifier ten times better than a £200 amplifier? Is a £20,000 amplifier 100 times better?

[Themis]

The function is quality=log10(price)