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ATC SCM40A , what cable from Naim 252 ?

S

seadog7

pfm Member
I am in the process of getting a pair of ATC SCM 40A speakers. I am looking for a pair of cables to run from 252/Supercap2 to the XLR input of the ATC’s. I’ll need 5 meter runs.

Any recommendations ? I was thinking the Flashback 4pin DIN to XLR (cheaper) or The Chord Company Shawline (more expensive.)
 
seadog7 said:
I am in the process of getting a pair of ATC SCM 40A speakers. I am looking for a pair of cables to run from 252/Supercap2 to the XLR input of the ATC’s. I’ll need 5 meter runs.

Any recommendations ? I was thinking the Flashback 4pin DIN to XLR (cheaper) or The Chord Company Shawline (more expensive.)
Click to expand...

Either of those will do the job. I favour Shawline, but as a Chord retailer I am biased.

Be sure to order the correct wiring pattern. Don’t order Naim DIN to Naim XLR by mistake.
 
I have the Shawline with my SCM 40A’s and Chord TT2.

The Shawline was originally an interim measure due to budget, but In the intervening 2 years I’ve not felt the need to upgrade as it’s so good.
 
seadog7 said:
I am in the process of getting a pair of ATC SCM 40A speakers. I am looking for a pair of cables to run from 252/Supercap2 to the XLR input of the ATC’s. I’ll need 5 meter runs.

Any recommendations ? I was thinking the Flashback 4pin DIN to XLR (cheaper) or The Chord Company Shawline (more expensive.)
Click to expand...

A friend and I are having a comparison of various XLR cables into a pair of ATC 40 Mk2 actives on Thursday. Happy to report back after that.

Oyaide FTVS-910 (solid silver)

Belden 1800F

Canare L-4E6S star quad

Van Damme tour grade XKE star quad silver plated

Mogami Neglex 2549 (star quad)

Van Damme Pro Classic install cable XKE ultra pure silver plated OFC (recommended I think by @Musicraft )
 
Seadog7
Cereal Killer said:
@seadog7 Ask ATC to make you some, they use Belden IIRC. When i had my (25s&50s) ATC actives they gave me a 6m set for free. I tried various other cables in comparison; the ATC cables stayed in the system.
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+1 I talked to ATC a couple of months ago about cables and connectors (active amps to speakers), very down to earth and helpful, even though it was a DIY project
PS I made the XLRs to preamp - about 5mtrs - out of proprietary cable and I think Neutric connectors, care is needed to ensure the polarity etc is correct - even if the Naim has XLR connections
 
Cereal Killer said:
I'd avoid using anything with silver in it personally ..
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Haha, ignorance and prejudice abounds. It's your loss. :)
(Out of interest, one of the biggest improvements in kit was when I changed from a copper Music First V2 transformer preamp to a silver wired Music First V2.)
 
Fourlegs said:
Haha, ignorance and prejudice abounds. It's your loss. :)
(Out of interest, one of the biggest improvements in kit was when I changed from a copper Music First V2 transformer preamp to a silver wired Music First V2.)
Click to expand...

Wisdom - the OP was seeking advice on XLR cables, not quite expensive preamps
 
Ordered a set of the Flashback cables. Just to get me started, so I’ll see how I go. The website said these were designed specifically for active speakers as well as for naim DIN to XLR.

One question, the naim spec. for signal output 252 was .775V and the ATC sensitivity spec. was 1V.
Any cause for concern here with my 2x 5 meter cable runs ?
 
seadog7 said:
Ordered a set of the Flashback cables. Just to get me started, so I’ll see how I go. The website said these were designed specifically for active speakers as well as for naim DIN to XLR.

One question, the naim spec. for signal output 252 was .775V and the ATC sensitivity spec. was 1V.
Any cause for concern here with my 2x 5 meter cable runs ?
Click to expand...

The current is negligible so the voltage drop over that distance will also be negligible.
 
Worth checking the cable design . Some cables made up for Naim unbalanced out to balanced XLR input use the cable shield to carry -ve , with a single core used for positive.

I have had much better results using a balanced cable for each speaker with two inner cores , positive going to pin 2 as hot , -ve to pin 3 as cold . Screen or drain wire connected at speaker end to ground but not connected to the pre amp end.

This reduces background hum for me.

YMMV.
 
Cheers Rick. One of your old post saying you had yet to sell a single passive ATC SCM 40 since the active version has been available planted the seed for this upgrade.
 
Cereal Killer said:
@seadog7 Ask ATC to make you some, they use Belden IIRC. When i had my (25s&50s) ATC actives they gave me a 6m set for free. I tried various other cables in comparison; the ATC cables stayed in the system.
Click to expand...

In my experience for XLR - XLR and RCA - XLR they use the grey coloured Belden cables and for din - XLR Van Damme Pro Classic install cable XKE ultra pure silver plated OFC.
 
ATC gave me a set of XLR leads using Belden cable for my 100ASLs. Nothing wrong with the wire, but it’s a bit stiff and slightly awkward to use domestically. Canare, Van Damme and Mogami are usefully more flexible. Even more important than silver though is making sure that each cable is exactly a prime number of atoms long, that way there is no possibility of resonances. And the solder obviously must be balanced too. And you must solder upside down, otherwise bad vibes drip from the end of the soldering iron into the XLRs. Which must of course be exactly the same weight. But a black XLR sounds better for the right channel, and a silver for the left. Everyone knows that.
 
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