advertisement


Utterly conflicted over speaker cable

M

miles_b

pfm Member
Hello PFM! This is my first post, but I've been reading various posts here for years. Anyhow, I just had a switch in speaker cable, and it's causing great consternation for me. I'm in the process of a series of upgrades, so here's the system at current:

Digital: Naim CDS3/Teddy XPS
Analogue: Well Tempered Versalex/Well Tempered DPS/Dynavector 20X2L/Pass Labs Aleph Ono
Amplification: Naim NAC 112/Teddy HiCap/Naim NAP 150
Speakers: ProAc Response 2S.

When I first switched to Naim, I bought a Nait 5i and had a pair of JMLab/Focal speakers that weren't really a good match. So my dealer recommended Chord Rumour 2, and that seemed to make everything happy. It was a drastic improvement from the Kimber 8TC I had previously. I kept the Chord speaker cable when I switched out the JMLab floorstanders for a pair of ProAc Tablette 2000s, and eventually the Response 2S. The Chord Rumour 2 actually works very well in this system, but I had always wondered if it had the electrical properties that the amplifier was looking for. So on a whim, I bought a 3.5m length of Witch Hat N2, which claims to meet all of Naim's specs. The people I had found online who had tried N2 all seemed to say that it sounded just as good as/very similar to NACA5, and I wanted to avoid the stiffness if possible.

I swapped out the cables, and was almost immediately disappointed. The top-end sounded closed in, and I was missing some bass extension as well. The midrange sounded pinched and thin. Some recordings that previously sounded full and glowy now sounded nasal. Admittedly, CD playback seems to be more affected than vinyl, but I did notice that surface noise seemed accentuated by the new cable. But then something miraculous happend: the PRAT appeared out of nowhere. It was a sudden "Oh I get it now!" moment. The effect on micro-dynamics has been utterly transformative. However, I can't necessarily say that macro-dynamics have been improved.

So now I'm not sure which way to go with this. And who knew that a simple cable swap could be binary switch between more traditional "hi-fi" sound and the Church of Naim house sound? And if I decide to switch back to Chord, is there really any point in sticking with Naim amplification, or is it an indication that after all these years my audio preferences might be better suited by a different marque of amplification? Or is there a different (and not ridiculously-priced) speaker I should be looking for that will give me the frequency range and timbre of the Chord with the PRAT of the Witch Hat?
 
Get some Van Damme tour grade black and just forget about all the stupid nonsense.
 
MVV said:
Get some Van Damme tour grade black and just forget about all the stupid nonsense.
Click to expand...

I haven't heard it, though I do have to wonder - multi-core speaker cable like that is generally more capacitive than what Naim specs, and my previous experience with a multi-core speaker cable and Naim (the Kimber 8TC) sounded awful.
 
Kimber and Naim is a mismatch to the extent it can apparently fry the amp under certain scenarios. Chord Rumour is very thin, so a little odd in it's way too (I have some as it is about the "best" cable that will fit through the grommets on the back of JR149s!). Personally with Naim kit I'd just use A5, it is what it is and you can sleep at nights!
 
I've got some cable I'm not using and is just sat there doing nothing:

2x 3m of Van Damme tour grade black (2x 4mm cores)
1x 4m Van Damme tour grade black (4x 2.5mm cores)
2x 2m of Mogami 3103

Let me know what you want to try and for the cost of postage it is yours, none of it has plugs but you can buy them off ebay for peanuts.
 
I'd not worry much using N2, A5 or some Chord Co.
Theyre all excellent cables, Kimber does not match Naim amps, simply awfull
Make sure soldering is prof done and avoid biwire
Longer lenght is best on Naim amplication

What I would suggest you however is look out for a better amp/pre, not that your current is bad . at least before thinking speaker change, maybe you need a good rack support ?
Many don't rate a 112 but it has some charm, my 112x with 150x sing beautifull on my Motive 3 but benefit great from a sep. PSU.
 
per flemming said:
I'd not worry much using N2, A5 or some Chord Co.
Theyre all excellent cables, Kimber does not match Naim amps, simply awfull
Make sure soldering is prof done and avoid biwire
Longer lenght is best on Naim amplication

What I would suggest you however is look out for a better amp/pre, not that your current is bad . at least before thinking speaker change, maybe you need a good rack support ?
Many don't rate a 112 but it has some charm, my 112x with 150x sing beautifull on my Motive 3 but benefit great from a sep. PSU.
Click to expand...

Soldering was all professional - the Chord was done up by my dealer, with Naim plugs on the amp end, and bananas on the speaker end. The N2 was purchased directly from Witch Hat, with shrink tubing and all. The system is currently situated on a 5-tier Sound Organisation rack (powder-coated steel frame with treated glass shelves). The speakers are mounted on rather beefy stands that are filled with about 50 lbs of sand. The speaker stands are spiked, but the rack is just sitting on the carpet.

As far as the preamp, yes I'm aware of the shortcomings that others have pointed out, and have been keeping my eye out for a step up. I had the 112 on an olive Flatcap for about 8 years and replaced that with the Teddy HiCap about a month ago. I can't really say I was ever particularly disappointed with the sound of the 112 - it was a big step up from the Nait 5i.
 
miles_b said:
So now I'm not sure which way to go with this. And who knew that a simple cable swap could be binary switch between more traditional "hi-fi" sound and the Church of Naim house sound? And if I decide to switch back to Chord, is there really any point in sticking with Naim amplification, or is it an indication that after all these years my audio preferences might be better suited by a different marque of amplification? Or is there a different (and not ridiculously-priced) speaker I should be looking for that will give me the frequency range and timbre of the Chord with the PRAT of the Witch Hat?
Click to expand...
I wonder. Have you allowed burn-in time on the new cables?

I tried Tellurium Q with my Naim set-up but was disappointed initially. After a week or so of more-or less continuous play I was delighted to find they were VERY different. (To make sure it wasn't a question of 'conditioning' I reverted to the previous cables for an hour or so, and was able to convince myself that I preferred the TQ's)
 
ItalianMike said:
I wonder. Have you allowed burn-in time on the new cables?

I tried Tellurium Q with my Naim set-up but was disappointed initially. After a week or so of more-or less continuous play I was delighted to find they were VERY different. (To make sure it wasn't a question of 'conditioning' I reverted to the previous cables for an hour or so, and was able to convince myself that I preferred the TQ's)
Click to expand...

Good point. They've been running in for a few days, but I'll give them another week or two before doing anything drastic.
 
Okay, just my take on this. After Response 3s, 3As and 4s on the end of 135s then E.A.R. valve amp's (fronted by 552), I got fed up with using 11 metre runs of NAC A5. I bought similar runs of Odyssey, hearing good things about them with Naim.

Result, after swapping in and out over a year or more, was a difference in presentation between the two. The NAC A5 slightly more laid back but all-encompassing; the Chord slightly faster but thinner. This on my Response Fours. Developed a slight preference for the Naim over different genres of music.

Along came my Quad 2905 'statics and as I had the Chord in at the time, that was my very disappointing intro. to the 2905s (with the E.A.R.s). Substituted the NAC A5 and a new world of non-m/coil listening unfolded; still very extant today.

Conclusion (I s'pose)? NAC A5 all the way if you have Naim and ProAcs; they simply go together !
 
So glad I don't fret about wires any more, but its a rite of passage which all us audio folk need to go through.

OP, enjoy the burn in period and good advise above to convince yourself you enjoy them :)
 
DNM said:
Full fat 6mm HiFi here cause if it looks good, it sounds good.
Click to expand...

Same here. In fact I swapped out the 6mm runs on my office rig (Audiolab 8200 mk2, infinity modulas with emit tweeters) with some 2.5mm runs of the same LCOFC cable because I wanted to use the 6mm elsewhere and the stage disappeared. I hated the fact that changing the cables actually made a difference, but sadly it did.

Have fun OP. !!
 
There are a few of us that think the Van damme blue sounds a bit soft. If it were me I'd use Nac A5 because to my ears it just tells the truth (good or bad).
 
You could also try one of the NVA offerings. I've used their LS5 cable to great effect on Naim gear...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top