Closer Examination

The cable that ships with the Noble Viking Ragnar might be the best stock cable I've used to date and this itself is a slightly cut-down version of the $2000 Noble Magnus cable which shipped with the original Noble Viking IEMs. The Magnus is an 8-core cable that also uses Damascus steel hardware throughout the cable to make for a statement piece which actually feels priced about right compared to some of the ridiculously priced cables being sold today. This particular one is called the Magnus 4 and sells for $1200 separately. It foregoes the Damascus steel in favor of aluminium as well as has four total strands instead of eight, but is otherwise the same cable down to the use of a genuine 4.4 mm Pentaconn balanced source connection with the official branding on the housing itself. Strain relief is well integrated on this relatively large housing piece that then leads to a hybrid graphene and high-purity OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) copper-silver alloy conductor in a Litz-style configuration. It does look stunning in the gray and silver aesthetic that also matches the IEMs well as seen on the previous page. The cable is very supple, resistant to kinking and microphonics, and is a pleasure to work with as it keeps its shape easily. The splitter and cable cinch both have Noble branding on it, with the cinch doing its job well courtesy the thicker strands that lead to the IEM side. There are pre-formed ear hooks here which ultimately lead to L/R-marked connector housings to help indicate the left and right channels, respectively. Here we get extended 0.78 mm 2-pin plugs which are also gold-plated for oxidation resistance as with the 4.4 mm plug on the other side. If I had to nitpick, I'd have rather seen flush-mount style 2-pin connectors since now we end up with that clear extension section visible where the cable meets the IEMs.


The shells of the Noble Viking Ragnar are something else to behold in person, and I dare say photos/videos only go so far to convey their physical presence. I mentioned before how Noble Audio had partnered with Chris Ploof and his team based out of Massachussets for the original Viking and now also the Viking Ragnar that is simpler—yet not easy at all—to manufacture courtesy the CNC-machined aluminium shells. I was able to briefly chat with Chris to get more context on this project and learned he took up blacksmithing after leaving the US Army—Noble Audio likes to flaunt its US roots and support other local artisans—only to realize he loved making jewelry enough to go back to school and apprenticeship for it. As with Noble Audio, Chris Ploof Designs is a small team with six people and the Viking/Viking Ragnar was borne out of a discussion between John Moulton and Chris Ploof to come up with a design and pattern which was immediately recognizable yet looked ancient—such as a Viking sword. The all-Damascus steel Viking necessitated far too much time to be a mass production unit, and the machined aluminium on the Viking Ragnar helps provide the days required to individually hand-forge the Damascus steel face plate inserts used here. No two face plates will look exactly the same thus, but also I can tell you it certainly looks better than the Mokume-gane design on the DUNU VULKAN as well as the "Damascus steel" on the Campfire Audio Saber. I also took these to my lab for some Raman spectroscopy and can vouch for the consistency of the Damascus steel throughout. Note that there is at least one localized version that goes with a heat-treated titanium oxide face plate, also from Chris Ploof, but to me that does not feel as special as these Damascus steel ones.


Here are a few more photos of the shells for those who can't get an opportunity to see them in person. On the side is branding in the form of the Noble Audio logo next to a vent and the expected 2-pin connectors. The assembly itself could be better finished given you can still see some glue remnants from where the shells are put together, but it takes a macro lens at just the right angle to really notice this. The bottom section of the shells also have deliberately machined striations that add to the visual appeal while also making it easy to hold on to the shells, whereas the top section is smoother to allow for it to be a background for the other elements here in the form of runes here that seemingly translate to "Viking II" to indicate this is the second of Noble Audio Viking IEMs. It's not flashy whatsoever and I dig the aesthetic and build quality a lot. A look from the side also reveals a relatively smooth inner surface that tapers to the integrated nozzle which heads into the ear canals at a small angle. The nozzle isn't stubby and thankfully also not very wide at ~5.8 mm. There is a retaining notch at the end to help secure ear tips as well as a metal grille to help prevent contaminants from easily entering the acoustic chamber.


Fitting the different ear tips will require you to slightly stretch the inner bore to fit over the nozzle before pushing them in and going around to ensure they are not at an angle. The retaining notch further helps keep them there once in place, and seen above are each of the included size M silicone and foam ear tips installed on the Viking Ragnar as we see how they vary in composition, length, and bore diameter. Try out the various tips and sizes, and keep in mind that both ear canals don't need to have the best seal with the same size or set, either. Regardless of which tips you pick, the next step is to re-connect the cable by carefully identifying the matching channels and orienting the ear hooks around your ear when connecting the IEMs. Doing so is simple, as you just push the 2-pin connectors in place and they remain there via a friction fit. Now you will also note how the silver and gray on the cable works well with the Damascus steel inlay and the darker shells themselves. The 4.4 mm connection necessitates a decent source with balanced output and I found myself using the Viking Ragnar on the go mostly paired with the excellent Questyle M15 or the FiiO Q7. When at home, I did use it with the FiiO K9 Pro ESS as well as the HIFIMAN EF400.