I have used NACA5 with my Naim based system for 20+ years. I have flirted with other cables, occasionally, but the trusted A5 is the one that I return to. It has been moved from house to house, stored, moved etc on many occasions. Last year, I noticed that the banana plugs had oxidised badly, so replaced them. However, it got me wondering about the cable itself. Musically, it works, as in the sound gets from one end to the other. However, the years of moving and rebending A5, a task best suited to Arnie, might have caused some fracturing of the conductors. Therefore, perhaps the SQ has degraded.
Is this just my paranoia, or am I right to be thinking along these lines?
Posted on: 16 April 2016 by yeti42
Copper can work harden so it's possible but have you moved it that much? How much do you want to find out, enough to pay for a new set?
Where it's been heated to solder it the temper will have been changed but you'll see any fracturing there and that's probably the first place to go by a long way so reterminating is most likely enough.
Posted on: 16 April 2016 by bicela
I have cut recently a run of 12m into 2 set of NACA5 of 6 meters and re-terminated boths ends.
A very old cable, in the middle cut I've not found any fracturing or oxidations.
The only problem is that the printed labels (Naim and directional arrows) are disappearing due to aging!
Be sure to follow the soldering guide reported at FAQs!
Ciao, Maurizio
Posted on: 16 April 2016 by NJB
Hi,
My cables have large sections where the printing has completely gone. However, I can find the odd arrow, and have now put colour tape at the amplifier end as a more obvious mark.
Soldering? I have used banana plugs with 2 pinch screws in them. Have I been a bad boy?
