March 18, 2012

  • Nordost Red Dawn Rev II, Part 1

    I don't know about the rest of the country, but in 1986, Berkeley's Timex Social Club changed the sound of popular music around here.  They introduced a cleaner kind of rap/R&B/dance sound.  Following in their footsteps, Sacramento's Jay King formed Club Nouveau.  They responded to Timex Social Club's "Rumors," with "Jealousy."  But 25 years (!) ago, in the spring of 1987, Club Nouveau had a monster hit, with that killer remake of Bill Withers' "Lean On Me."

    Yep, that's what got all of us to say, "We be jammon'." 

    I have no idea when Nordost followed up their original Red Dawn speaker cable with the so-called Rev II version.  But here is that Rev II version.

    As a ribbon-like cable, it can be coiled.  That's much more practical than the usual thick, stiff audiophile hose.  You don't have to jam the Rev II into the packaging.  Nor do you have to jam it behind your rack and speakers.

    Audiophiles know that spades suck, but have a hard time admitting it.  That is why they mutter Club Nouveau's "Why You Treat Me So Bad," both at themselves and at the spades.  But Nordost are listening to our complaints about spades, and treat us well.  While you could get the Red Dawn Rev II with spades, Nordost smartly made the Z-Plug banana the default.  Notice that, in order to differentiate positive (+) from negative (-), Nordost use a red stripe on one side.  Most users opt to use the red side as the positive leg.

    Too bad the audiodharma Cable Cooker wasn't around in 1972 or 1987.  If so, its song would have been "Lean On Me."  As it is, my colleagues and I have been leaning on the Cable Cooker since 2003.  As for the Red Dawn Rev II, it really only needs 3 days of Cook time, in order to unlock and realize its potential.  We be jammon' indeed!