Length requirement for 3rd party speaker cable (Sarum, SLumina)

I thought the minimum recommended length is 3.5m

It is my understand that Naim does not recommend minimum lengths for other manufacturers' cables but advises to seek recommendation from these manufacturers. 

The minimum for NACA5 is 3.5m,  it does not  apply to other cables.    3.5m of NACA5 is a customer friendly way of applying the required minimum inductance load of 3.5uH to the amp output stages.  NACA5 is 1uH per meter, so 3.5m is required.   If you know the 3rd party cable inductance,  you can do the math,  but you might find the most difficult part is actually finding the cables specs in the first place.   

thanks

And what about the concept of equal lengths right and left?  My right speaker can use 1 meter less than the left side.  At some of these third party cable prices that amounts to quite an nice amount of cash

This seems a rather odd question from someone as experienced as your good self. Of course you can use different lengths, but it's more a question of whether you'll get the best from the system. With an expensive system such as this, the odd metre of wire surely pales into insignificance. Is it worth risking spoiling the ship?

Hungryhalibut posted:

This seems a rather odd question from someone as experienced as your good self. Of course you can use different lengths, but it's more a question of whether you'll get the best from the system. With an expensive system such as this, the odd metre of wire surely pales into insignificance. Is it worth risking spoiling the ship?

Exactamente -- 552/500....

Unfortunately you are so correct.

You can't blame me for trying - at 1800 gbp per meter every bit counts!

Quite. If you can afford a £40,000 amplifier, you can afford £1,800. Or you could get Super Lumina, which is a mere £300 per metre. Then you can get two wires the same length!

Yes indeed HH,  spoiling the ship over a lick of paint.                  Equal lengths are obviously best,  provided the shortest length is 3.5uH (note this is the cable inductance, not the length) & the difference is not so great    (e.g. your 1m)    the amps will be happy & I doubt its audible.         But can you actually buy SL with different lengths,  I seriously doubt it.    What about Chord ???     

Although 3.5m is the recommended minimum, Naim also suggest that the optimum length is more, from memory I think 5 to 7 metres might have been the optimum. If you're using these guidelines, unequal lengths might make less sense.

Thats as I remember the various discussions on the forum too Chris.     Glevethan seems to be set to go for one or other of the 'super' cables,  I see Naim SL lengths start at 3m so I guess thats set the Naim amps minimum req induction load.  Chord Sarum-T lengths start at 1m.  I'm guessing based on the construction/screen/spacing that both have fairly high inductance around or >1uH/m,  but both are ready made assemblies so no chance to get unequal lengths.  I would however be wary about using less than 3m of Sarum-T on a high end Naim.

How I miss the days when there was but one cable and that was the reasonably priced NACA5. 

 I can't help but think Naim's new approach in updating this was an "everyone else is doing it so why can't we?" strategy. 

There's something about  £1800pm that just seems wrong to me. But hey ho I don't have to buy it and each to their own. I'll probably end up eating my words someday. 

.sjb

About that inductance issue.

Superlumina inductance (and this is on the hi-fi critic review on the Naim superlumina website) is 0.08 UH/m

https://www.naimaudio.com/site...%202_July%202015.pdf

So 3.0m of SL is 0.24 UH, not the 3.5 UH of NACA5

capacitance of SL is around 75 PF/M.

I don't understand what all this means, but would be useful to get the numbers from Chord for Sarum also.

ChrisSU posted:

Although 3.5m is the recommended minimum, Naim also suggest that the optimum length is more, from memory I think 5 to 7 metres might have been the optimum. 

I also remember 5m being touted as the ideal length

5.5m is optimum for NACA5.

By the way 'SuperLumina' is not considered a 3rd party caeble - it's Naim's own.

[@mention:1566878603876139] : I adore your negative responses to mosts posts 

analogmusic posted:

About that inductance issue.

Superlumina inductance (and this is on the hi-fi critic review on the Naim superlumina website) is 0.08 UH/m

https://www.naimaudio.com/site...%202_July%202015.pdf

So 3.0m of SL is 0.24 UH, not the 3.5 UH of NACA5

capacitance of SL is around 75 PF/M.

I don't understand what all this means, but would be useful to get the numbers from Chord for Sarum also. 

I would not trust the HiFiCritic numbers,  in fact I am inclined to not believe them,  the inductance is extremely low.   All power amps need an inductance load to stabilize the output stages, this is either done with an internal inductor in the amp itself + whatever extra the speaker cable adds; or as Naim do it, with the speaker cable only.          For Naim to have a cable that more or less goes against this considering the years that Naim have banged on about this 3.5uH (3.5m) minimum with the NACA5 (& A4)  speaker cable philosophy is very questionable. It would be good if Naim could clarify this - & dare I suggest to publish the SL numbers.

   My disbelief is further borne out with the HiFiCritic SL IC numbers showing C at 346pF for 1.5m length followed by the comment 'moderate'. & the less important (for an IC) inductance at <1.5uH  'very low',  & the 'comments' re the results are strange to say the least.

Adam Zielinski posted:

By the way 'SuperLumina' is not considered a 3rd party caeble - it's Naim's own.

Some might disagree with you on that one 

I've compared the vertere Pulse X cable to the SL cable, and they do not sound the same..

It is a matter of taste, which one one would prefer, both very good speaker cables.

All Vertere cables (interconnects and Speaker cables) have superb Vocals, (and midrange), I thought the SL was slightly more tonally neutral without that emphasis on vocals.

When I tried Pulse X mini, it seemed to have even more PRAT than NACA5 to my ears.

But after hearing Pulse X, one would save up for that cable instead of Pulse X mini.

Sloop John B posted:

How I miss the days when there was but one cable and that was the reasonably priced NACA5. 

 I can't help but think Naim's new approach in updating this was an "everyone else is doing it so why can't we?" strategy. 

There's something about  £1800pm that just seems wrong to me. But hey ho I don't have to buy it and each to their own. I'll probably end up eating my words someday. 

.sjb

 

So right Sloop John B,

There was a post that was deleted recently about this very same subject where I basically said the same as you.

No mention of why this previous post was deleted by the moderators, I believe an explanation is in order!!!!!

glevethan posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

By the way 'SuperLumina' is not considered a 3rd party caeble - it's Naim's own.

Some might disagree with you on that one 

Definitely!!!!

Come On guys get realistic,  Naim might or might not assemble the SL,  so what,  they don't make NACA5 either.   

Mike-B posted:

Come On guys get realistic,  Naim might or might not assemble the SL,  so what,  they don't make NACA5 either.   

NACA was made specifically for Naim amps, save Statement series.

S3 posted:

5.5m is optimum for NACA5.

Internet conjecture.

Naim has never stated what length is ideal in print, just what the minimum length is recommended, which is 3.5 meters by the way.  One of the moderators made reference to what length sounded ideal, but I'm pretty sure Naim has never publically made claim which length was ideal.

actually, the problem with SL speaker wire is that its not expensive enough.

so i think i will go for Nordost Valhala 2 at c. £19,700 for a 6m pair. That is c. £1640/m

any one got any other suggestions for stratospheric speaker cables?

mind you £32/m is not exactly a give away price...

enjoy

ken