Nordost's latest resonance control solution, the Sort Kone is a revolutionary approach to the problem of supporting sensitive electronics. The Sort Kone is a sophisticated, directly coupled and mechanically tuned device which channels vibration away from the chassis, allowing the internal components to operate more effectively. Sold individually, Sort Kones may be configured in a number of ways to properly "sort" out your components. We generally recommend starting with three Sort Kones in a triangle configuration and adding more as necessary. Nordost has assured us there are no practical weight limits for Sort Kones.

Sort is Danish for black, which is exactly what Sort Kones provide – a blacker background to your music. With it comes greater focus, instrumental color, depth, transparency and dynamic range. Your system will sound more natural and more lifelike, music becomes more lively and engaging, every performance becomes more engaging– simply because you’ll finally be able to hear everything your recordings have to offer.

Isolation Devices vs Sort Kones

There are many vibration control devices referred to as Isolation Devices, but this completely misses the nature of the problem. External vibration and interference is certainly a problem, however the most harmful mechanical energy is generated internally by the audio circuits and their power supplies. Transformers, power supply capacitors, even active devices such as DACs and transistors, all vibrate as they operate – and those vibrations occur right where the fragile signal is. These vibrations create timing errors which smear and distort the music, reducing resolution and skewing the tonal balance. Nordost developed the Sort Kone specifically to deal with this threat to audio fidelity.

How Sort Kones Work

The Sort Kone acts like a diode, allowing energy to pass one way, but not return. Vibration from the component enters the Sort Kone via its metal conductor and is channeled through the bearing into the base of the Sort Kone where it is dissipated. The energy present on the rack's shelf, however, cannot return back through the Sort Kone into the component. This is what makes the Sort Kone so unique and so effective. With each step up the Sort Kone line, conductivity of the materials improves increasing effectiveness of isolation and wringing even more astounding sonic improvements from your system.

There are four levels of Sort Kone, each successive step reveals greater resolution, deeper blacker backgrounds and a richer, smoother tonal balance.

Sort Kone AS

The AS model uses an aluminum post and base combined with a hardened steel coupling ball. The aluminum hardware gives this Sort Kone excellent weight and power with good damping characteristics for a smooth sound. The steel coupling ball improves speed and dynamic range, allowing the system to flow more evenly with greater dynamic range.

Sort Kone AC

The AC model uses the same Aluminum hardware as the AS model, but upgrades the bearing to an Si3N4 ceramic ball. The ceramic bearing offers superior energy transfer, giving the AC far greater resolution and focus, a richer tonal balance and superior damping for deeper blacker backgrounds.

Sort Kone BC

The BC model keeps the ceramic ball and upgrades to Bronze hardware which greatly improves the Sort Kone's effectiveness. Bronze adds warmth and harmonic development, revealing a richer tonal balance, substantially better defined soundstage, greater air around instruments and a spooky level of realism.

Sort Kone TC

Much as Nordost's previous efforts with Titanium have garnered awards and accolades, the TC model couples titanium hardware with the ceramic bearing and is quite simply breathtaking. Detail and dynamic range are shockingly real coupled with a natural and extended tonal balance with unparalleled speed. Soundstaging is noticeably improved, with a tonal rightness that gives the system that rare sense of realism.