Nordost QKore Grounding System

**Mike** · November 23, 2021, 07:48 PM

I added the Nordost QKore Grounding System to my system at home today. Damn, it works. I hate the voodoo….but it works.

I listened for an hour and then hooked it up and played the same songs. I heard greater micro detail retrieval, better bass, better controlled sibilance and a much more relaxed presentation.

I hooked up the 552 preamp, NDX 2 DAC and N20. The amps don’t have anywhere to connect a SIGNAL ground cable. It needs to be something like an unused RCA input/output, unused XLR input/output, unused SPDIF/BNC connection, that sort of thing.

The grounding unit (QKore 6 in my case) is heavy as hell. It doesn’t look like much, but damn, it’s heavy as heck.

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**RaChiK** · November 23, 2021, 07:56 PM

I have ordered QKore 3 and waiting to arrive. Have lots of hope based on user experience and reviews. Good to know positive experience in your system. I am planning to plug to preamp, N20 and esoteric K-01XD.

**Mike** · November 23, 2021, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by RaChiK

I have ordered QKore 3 and waiting to arrive. Have lots of hope based on user experience and reviews. Good to know positive experience in your system. I am planning to plug to preamp, N20 and esoteric K-01XD.

Excellent. Let us know how it sounds. Did you go for the premium ground wires?

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**RaChiK** · November 23, 2021, 08:00 PM

Yes. I was originally thinking of entreq, but they are big and look like furniture. The appearance and size of qkore fits my set up.

**Mike** · November 23, 2021, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by RaChiK

Yes. I was originally thinking of entreq, but they are big and look like furniture. The appearance and size of qkore fits my set up.

Cool. Just remember, it’s heavy!

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**RaChiK** · November 23, 2021, 08:03 PM

Did not know their weight. They look small like a internet modem. But damn good nordost for not making it bulky and big.

**Ritmo** · November 24, 2021, 07:56 AM

Have seen and heard at shows but never tried at home. May need to try sometime.

**kimurastanley** · November 25, 2021, 09:24 AM

Have been using it for almost 1 year. Consider it as an indispensable tweak in my system. Addition of sort Kones underneath is also transforming.

**GSOphile** · November 25, 2021, 03:12 PM

How do the QKore system results differ from using the grounding terminals on a Shunyata Denali/Everest?

**Mike** · November 25, 2021, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by GSOphile

How do the QKore system results differ from using the grounding terminals on a Shunyata Denali/Everest?

One is signal ground, the other is electrical grounding.

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**kimurastanley** · November 26, 2021, 04:15 AM

If not mistaken, qkore is signal ground. I also using the usb ground wire with Lumin X1 with good effect

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**Mike** · November 26, 2021, 04:05 PM

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**u-sound** · November 26, 2021, 06:38 PM

very interesting.
does the q kore require a q base or would it work in conjunction with an everest or any kind of distributor as well?

**Mike** · November 27, 2021, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by u-sound

very interesting.
does the q kore require a q base or would it work in conjunction with an everest or any kind of distributor as well?

Good question. The QKore comes in three sizes - 1, 3 and 6. Only the 6 can ground to the Q Bases. By grounding the QKore to a QB8 for example, you accomplish both signal common grounding and electrical common grounding while essentially grounding everything together. The QKore 6 comes with a cable to ground to the Q Bases.

At home I have the Q Kore6 with the Denali 6000sV2 and have not grounded them together. In the store, we have the QKore6 and QB8 tied together.

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**u-sound** · November 27, 2021, 04:16 PM

thx, that means it is not mandatory to ground the distibutor.
after reading some articeles i do understand it as follow:

qkore1 CAN ground the qbase,
it cant ground a component.

qkore3 cant ground the qbase,
it can ground 3 components.

qkore6 can ground the qbase
and it can ground 5 components.

actually you could plug as many components to any post but performance would decrease.
the qkore6 is inside identical to a qkore1 plus a qkore3.
either the qkore 3 or qkore6 is optimised to ground 3 components.
if you ground more than 3 components with a qkore6, then some performance gets lost.
mike, as per this logic it would probably be best to use a couple of qkore3 in your homesystem.

**Mike** · November 27, 2021, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by u-sound

thx, that means it is not mandatory to ground the distibutor.
after reading some articeles i do understand it as follow:

qkore1 CAN ground the qbase,
it cant ground a component.

qkore3 cant ground the qbase,
it can ground 3 components.

qkore6 can ground the qbase
and it can ground 5 components.

actually you could plug as many components to any post but performance would decrease.
the qkore6 is inside identical to a qkore1 plus a qkore3.
either the qkore 3 or qkore6 is optimised to ground 3 components.
if you ground more than 3 components with a qkore6, then some performance gets lost.
mike, as per this logic it would probably be best to use a couple of qkore3 in your homesystem.

QB1 ground to component, not QBase,

Correct otherwise.

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**u-sound** · November 27, 2021, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Mike

QB1 ground to component, not QBase,

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please check this again, it is really written everywhere that the qkore 1 is to ground the qbase and cant ground a component.

**Mike** · November 27, 2021, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by u-sound

please check this again, it is really written everywhere that the qkore 1 is to ground the qbase and cant ground a component.

The QKORE 1 is for grounding one component like a stereo amp. QKore is for SIGNAL ground. QB for electrical ground. That’s my understanding. I guess you COULD use it to ground to a QB too.

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**u-sound** · November 27, 2021, 05:57 PM

https://nordost.com/downloads/multiL...0Manual_EN.pdf

**Mike** · November 27, 2021, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by u-sound

https://nordost.com/downloads/multiL...0Manual_EN.pdf

Definitely can be used for QBase or one component. Just confirmed with Nordost.

Now back to my Saturday…

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**RaChiK** · December 4, 2021, 01:26 AM

I have got QKore 3 and connected to my preamp, K-01XD and under N20. They are exceptional addition to my system. They reduce the noise floor, which I did not realize I had before. They just make space for all instruments to layer. Bass is controlled and defined, highs are very musical. Hard to beat this tweak.

**kimurastanley** · December 4, 2021, 02:00 AM

Anyone using the new premium grounding cable? Wondering how is the comparison with the normal one

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**beagle** · February 1, 2022, 12:58 PM

I also have tried the Qkore 3 unit and in a number of hook-up configurations. The only difference I can hear is
that when connected to my amplifiers the sound level increases. Louder and more in your face isn't necessarily an improvement. I should also note that my system is on a dedicated line which is grounded to an 8' copper rod driven into the ground. Although this unit is supposed to deal with signal grounding, my electrical ground system may have something to do with my results.

**Henry303** · February 1, 2022, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by beagle

I also have tried the Qkore 3 unit and in a number of hook-up configurations. The only difference I can hear is
that when connected to my amplifiers the sound level increases. Louder and more in your face isn't necessarily an improvement. I should also note that my system is on a dedicated line which is grounded to an 8' copper rod driven into the ground. Although this unit is supposed to deal with signal grounding, my electrical ground system may have something to do with my results.

I don't think the amp SPL can increase due to any ground point scheme change. Did you actually measure it?

**Mike** · February 1, 2022, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by Henry303

I don't think the amp SPL can increase due to any ground point scheme change. Did you actually measure it?

Agreed. Probably hearing blacker backgrounds which may make it sound louder. More micro detail.

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**beagle** · February 1, 2022, 02:27 PM

I agree with both comments. I also cannot understand how a ground issue can effect volume except, the sense was that it did. It could well be that a darker background could create the sense of a greater sound pressure level. I did consider the possibility that I was hearing program material from a darker background and that accounted for the sense of an increase in volume. However, I was very careful in attempting to detect any changes in the detail presented and I simply heard none from listening to a number of different recordings. The whole idea of a darker background is to, hopefully, reveal more detail, clarity, etc. and I simply could detect none. When I first had my electrical side grounded with the copper rod, etc. without question I could hear more detail without the sense that the volume level had in any way changed. If the explanation actually is that I am hearing the same material from a darker background but without that material being presented with greater detail, resolution, with less grain, etc. I think the result is the same. As is often the case with different kinds of equipment we try- the Qkore just didn't work in this system.

**Puma Cat** · February 1, 2022, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by beagle

I also have tried the Qkore 3 unit and in a number of hook-up configurations. The only difference I can hear is
that when connected to my amplifiers the sound level increases. Louder and more in your face isn't necessarily an improvement. I should also note that my system is on a dedicated line which is grounded to an 8' copper rod driven into the ground. Although this unit is supposed to deal with signal grounding, my electrical ground system may have something to do with my results.

Signal grounding and chassis grounding are two completely different things. Very important not to confound or confuse the two. The only thing common between them is the word, "ground".

**beagle** · February 1, 2022, 06:23 PM

I am very aware of the differences between the two kinds of grounding and this why I tried the Qkore. I had electrical and wanted to try signal or chassis grounding. Unfortunately Qkore didn't seem to produce any benefit.

**Solecky** · March 16, 2022, 06:58 PM

RaChik
I also have a esoteric K01XD and I am planning on hooking it up to a qkore6 for signal grounding. Do u hook urs up? If yes how did it sound? Also what connection did u use (rca, XLR, etc)?

**audio.bill** · March 16, 2022, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by Solecky

Also what connection did u use (rca, XLR, etc)?

The Esoteric K-01XD has a connection post to the left of the power IEC marked "SIGNAL GND". To connect the Nordost QKORE you should use a spade terminated ground cable and connect to the SIGNAL GND post.

**Solecky** · March 17, 2022, 07:27 AM

Thx!

**RaChiK** · March 17, 2022, 09:30 AM

Solecky
I sent you message. I use RCA to my preamp, DAC and streamer. Changes were pretty obvious and good. At some point, I will go with QKORE-6 to hook up with amp and power conditioner.

**Vintage_Tube** · August 27, 2023, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

At home I have the Q Kore6 with the Denali 6000sV2 and have not grounded them together.

Any reason why you haven't?

Best to all,

Bob

**Mike** · August 27, 2023, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Vintage_Tube

Any reason why you haven't?

Best to all,

Bob

Because I’ll either be switching to Altaira or going Stromtank 2500 mk2.

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**Vintage_Tube** · August 27, 2023, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by kimurastanley

Have been using it for almost 1 year. Consider it as an indispensable tweak in my system. Addition of sort Kones underneath is also transforming.

Care to mention which Kones you employed?

Best to all,

Bob

**kimurastanley** · August 28, 2023, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by Vintage_Tube

Care to mention which Kones you employed?

Best to all,

Bob

I am using TC

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**Vintage_Tube** · August 28, 2023, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by kimurastanley

I am using TC

You're not playing around

The reason I asked was, one reviewer started off with 2 BC's & 1 TC & later into the listening session he settled on 2 TC's & 1 BC.

Best to all,

Bob

Thread: Nordost QKore Grounding System