SL Upgrade delay strategy...

naim_nymph posted:

A very simply solution here is to use Chord Sarum Super Aray XLR-DINs instead, these not only cost less but totally outclass Super Lumina, plus there is no weird bass lumpyness to contend with which gives the option to keep the naca5. What a wonderful saving that is for the active speaker folk! 

Debs 

 

I absolutely concur with Debs... this was exactly my experience during a four week audition of din to XLR S/L vs Sarum SA (albeit with S/L speaker cables already installed).

Those din-XLR Super Lumia cables are a very peculiar beast, flattening the whole performance, I found.  And this after 'burning in' the S/L for around 350 hours (2 weeks+ @ 24/7) plus whatever my dealer had put on them before lending them to me.   I'm afraid the Super Arrays just instantly added height and opened up the sound stage front to rear and added that 'musical enjoyment' you get from a great performance.

Roger

naim_nymph posted:

Darke Bear posted:

In my view the DR500 and SL speaker leads are both very worthwhile in different ways - but I would choose the SL speaker leads as the first priority over the DR500 into NAC A5.

But since this is not the answer you really want - obviously ignore!

My reason is that as superb as the DR upgrade is, I feel if you have already got the other SL cables - and very especially the DIN-XLR SL leads, then the SL speaker leads remove a horrible lump in the bass that these seem to push against that I didn't like at all - and I think the DR500 will only add to that problem.

But speakers are different, so it may not manifest in your system as it did in mine. Bass problems are things I can't abide, but people are different. I'm also not saying NAC A5 has that problem of itself, just in combination with the SL DIN XLR leads - and with full-range loudspeakers that let you hear it.

DB.

 

A very simply solution here is to use Chord Sarum Super Aray XLR-DINs instead, these not only cost less but totally outclass Super Lumina, plus there is no weird bass lumpyness to contend with which gives the option to keep the naca5. What a wonderful saving that is for the active speaker folk! 

Debs 

 

Actually Debs, if someone really wanted to pay as much as the SLs cost, they should also be considering ChordMusic.  As wonderful as the Super ARAYs are - and demonstrably vastly superior to SL - ChordMusic is ...well...

Chris Dolan posted:

naim_nymph posted:

A very simply solution here is to use Chord Sarum Super Aray XLR-DINs instead..........

I would agree Debs, but I'm not sure that Ken would favour the pick 'n' mix approach 

... and i any case, i dont have a bass 'lumpiness' issue anyhow. you are correct Chris -- if i ever try Chord (or any other brand) in my system -- there will be ni mix-and-match. it will be ALL one or the other, including snaxo 4-4DIN  SL.

enjoy

ken

Dave J posted: 

Actually Debs, if someone really wanted to pay as much as the SLs cost, they should also be considering ChordMusic.  As wonderful as the Super ARAYs are - and demonstrably vastly superior to SL - ChordMusic is ...well...

Oh, so there is already something better than "Super" ?

enjoy

ken

We can all pontificate, but you simply have to get your friendly neighbourhood purveyor of audio delights over for tea, to listen to the options. 

Apparently there's a dealer in Suffolk which is rather good. They could save you a fortune on Fraim by switching to those floor-standing vertical thingies. 

Good luck my friend. You just might need it!

John. 

ken c posted:

Dave J posted: 

Actually Debs, if someone really wanted to pay as much as the SLs cost, they should also be considering ChordMusic.  As wonderful as the Super ARAYs are - and demonstrably vastly superior to SL - ChordMusic is ...well...

Oh, so there is already something better than "Super" ?

enjoy

ken

Oh come on Ken, there's always something better!

J.N. posted:

We can all pontificate, but you simply have to get your friendly neighbourhood purveyor of audio delights over for tea, to listen to the options. 

Apparently there's a dealer in Suffolk which is rather good. They could save you a fortune on Fraim by switching to those floor-standing vertical thingies. 

Good luck my friend. You just might need it!

John. 

Good advice as usual John! i suspect said purveyor is already a bit tired of my numerous inquiries and prevarications now -- i doubt tea and scones would improve things. I could of course improve my street cred by ordering one (or more ) of those 'floor-standing vertical thingies' but there will be nowhere to put them in my office -- so this would probably not work.

depressing, isnt it? 

enjoy

ken

tonym posted:

ken c posted:

Dave J posted: 

Actually Debs, if someone really wanted to pay as much as the SLs cost, they should also be considering ChordMusic.  As wonderful as the Super ARAYs are - and demonstrably vastly superior to SL - ChordMusic is ...well...

Oh, so there is already something better than "Super" ?

enjoy

ken

Oh come on Ken, there's always something better!

ha ha... yes i suspect i know Tony -- the problem is when discussions slide into a 'A is more better than B' corner... sorry, horrible broken English there

enjoy

ken

ken c posted:

... if i ever try Chord (or any other brand) in my system -- there will be no mix-and-match. it will be ALL one or the other, including snaxo 4-4DIN  SL.

Don't worry Ken, Chord do make those  

As Naim don't do a 4/5 DIN SL interconnect for the Superline that would mean you would need to change to an Urika to get an SL phonostage to 552 interconnect into the system? 

eureka!! 

enjoy...

ken

ken c posted:

Chris Dolan posted:

naim_nymph posted:

A very simply solution here is to use Chord Sarum Super Aray XLR-DINs instead..........

I would agree Debs, but I'm not sure that Ken would favour the pick 'n' mix approach 

... and i any case, i dont have a bass 'lumpiness' issue anyhow. you are correct Chris -- if i ever try Chord (or any other brand) in my system -- there will be ni mix-and-match. it will be ALL one or the other, including snaxo 4-4DIN  SL.

enjoy

ken

I am sorry but I am struggling to see the benefit from going from SL to chord cable. If you have started down the SL path then continue to the end. The financial cost of switching from SL to chord in your system Ken would be ludicrous, spend it on a holiday, more music or something else that would get you more personal satisfaction.

Polarbear posted:

ken c posted:

Chris Dolan posted:

naim_nymph posted:

A very simply solution here is to use Chord Sarum Super Aray XLR-DINs instead..........

I would agree Debs, but I'm not sure that Ken would favour the pick 'n' mix approach 

... and i any case, i dont have a bass 'lumpiness' issue anyhow. you are correct Chris -- if i ever try Chord (or any other brand) in my system -- there will be ni mix-and-match. it will be ALL one or the other, including snaxo 4-4DIN  SL.

enjoy

ken

I am sorry but I am struggling to see the benefit from going from SL to chord cable. If you have started down the SL path then continue to the end. The financial cost of switching from SL to chord in your system Ken would be ludicrous, spend it on a holiday, more music or something else that would get you more personal satisfaction.

all pay attention now, the polarbear hath spoken 

thanks for chiming in sir! it is still fascinating how folks (myself included) get attached to their personal preferences though -- all good fun i guess.

enjoy

ken

Polarbear posted:

ken c posted:

Chris Dolan posted:

naim_nymph posted:

A very simply solution here is to use Chord Sarum Super Aray XLR-DINs instead..........

I would agree Debs, but I'm not sure that Ken would favour the pick 'n' mix approach 

... and i any case, i dont have a bass 'lumpiness' issue anyhow. you are correct Chris -- if i ever try Chord (or any other brand) in my system -- there will be ni mix-and-match. it will be ALL one or the other, including snaxo 4-4DIN  SL.

enjoy

ken

I am sorry but I am struggling to see the benefit from going from SL to chord cable. If you have started down the SL path then continue to the end. The financial cost of switching from SL to chord in your system Ken would be ludicrous, spend it on a holiday, more music or something else that would get you more personal satisfaction.

Well apart from it sounding better, if you had yet to acquire a set of Din XLRs you'd possibly be quids in. 

Define better Dave and at what cost?  If Ken is already going down the SL route then I really don't see the point of switching to any chord cables for the costs involved.

howeverits all personal choice and it's not up to me to tell Ken what he can and can't do, he's grown up enough to make those decisions himself.

Ken, carry on enjoying, I love reading your threads ��

Polarbear posted:

Define better Dave and at what cost?  If Ken is already going down the SL route then I really don't see the point of switching to any chord cables for the costs involved.

howeverits all personal choice and it's not up to me to tell Ken what he can and can't do, he's grown up enough to make those decisions himself.

 

Ken, carry on enjoying, I love reading your threads ��

probably a bit too 'grown up' PB -- my daughter keeps hinting about 'retirement home'

good to hear you love reading my threads -- all in the name of hobby banter, ... as always.

enjoy

ken

As always Ken, it's always been good fun, perhaps we should be talking gold watches soon lol

regards

PB

Polarbear posted:

Define better Dave and at what cost?  If Ken is already going down the SL route then I really don't see the point of switching to any chord cables for the costs involved.

howeverits all personal choice and it's not up to me to tell Ken what he can and can't do, he's grown up enough to make those decisions himself.

 

Ken, carry on enjoying, I love reading your threads ��

Let's go for superior to that which preceded it. 

Anyway, you, Ken, I and many others here have spent frankly absurd amounts of money on getting to "where we are", why on earth would you now consider there being no point in switching cables? It's not a legally binding contract. But you might, just might, find something that'll improve the pleasure you get from listening to your music. If you did, and you decided that it was worth changing - not that I'm sure you would ��- I'm sure you'd find it relatively easy to exchange the SLs without taking too great a financial hit.

Cheers

Dave

i am very happy with the naim cables that i have. i am not claiming that they are 'the best' -- as this is in fact quite meaningless.  i could in fact 'try' different cables -- but i would need to establish some kind of feasible shortlist. this would have to include several alternatives to 9xpowerlines, 2x-5DIN IC, 4-4 snaxo, 4x7m lengths of speaker cables, 4xDIN-XLRs. Then i would have to consider that there may be an optimal mix-and-match combinations from the various alternatives.while i am at it, i might as well consider potentially better alternatives to my black boxes as certain amplification and power supply components may work better with some cables. Oh, i forgot possibility to compare my speakers with other alternatives also -- as this might suit different cables.

the combinations and the time plications completely overwhelm me. life's too short. seems simpler to stick with Naim as i have been a very happy user since the early 80's. Thats not to say they are the 'best' -- its just the combination of company philosophy, their products, relationship with their customers -- etc -- has worked very well for me.

Now, if you are suggesting i should not bother with trying different alternatives and just stick to trying Chord, then you are being an extremely good salesperson for them and i commend your enthusiasm for this historically very good brand.

and all this is probably academic anyhow as i may not be able to afford any further upgrades. Fortunately, i am very happy with my system as it is -- which is a mixture of Linn, Naim, Dynavector.

what other cables have you tried/compared with Chord? (I am not suggesting you should, just curious...)

enjoy

ken

Dave J posted:

Polarbear posted:

Define better Dave and at what cost?  If Ken is already going down the SL route then I really don't see the point of switching to any chord cables for the costs involved.

howeverits all personal choice and it's not up to me to tell Ken what he can and can't do, he's grown up enough to make those decisions himself.

 

Ken, carry on enjoying, I love reading your threads ��

Let's go for superior to that which preceded it. 

Anyway, you, Ken, I and many others here have spent frankly absurd amounts of money on getting to "where we are", why on earth would you now consider there being no point in switching cables? It's not a legally binding contract. But you might, just might, find something that'll improve the pleasure you get from listening to your music. If you did, and you decided that it was worth changing - not that I'm sure you would ��- I'm sure you'd find it relatively easy to exchange the SLs without taking too great a financial hit.

Cheers

Dave

 

I am kind of guessing that Ken's already compared the SL to Chord before going for the SL Dave, I know Ken like to consider all the alternatives. Its not a small investment as we all know, I really don't see the point of now changing course and going to Chord Cables and I seriously doubt its not going to cost him small change. 

However its a free market and we're all allowed to do what we want and its only my opinion. I would personally consider moving up the ladder with cables but it would have to be noticeably better, I wouldn't consider switching to something thats on the same level but just may sound a little different.

Regards

PB

ken c posted:

... Fortunately, I am very happy with my system as it is.

This is a shocking comment Ken! ...and I was thinking you wanted to plan an upgrade.

DB.

Darke Bear posted:

ken c posted:

... Fortunately, I am very happy with my system as it is.

This is a shocking comment Ken! ...and I was thinking you wanted to plan an upgrade.

DB.

ha ha... naughty boy DB 

remember what i said earlier -- i was very happy, in fact delirious, with my first system: NAC32.5/Hicap/NAP250CB  LP12/Ittok/Asak and Linn Kans.

Now put that in your pipe and smoke it 

enjoy

ken

I'm just thinking what would be better than delirious happiness...

Darke Bear posted:

I'm just thinking what would be better than delirious happiness...

keep thinking about that statement and you will get to the answer soon 

enjoy

ken

Polarbear posted:t. 

I am kind of guessing that Ken's already compared the SL to Chord before going for the SL  

Not from what Ken has previously said - unless I have misunderstood. 

Ok Ken, the ultimate delay strategy!

Re-rack, and adjust Fraim. Dust off, and pack up Snaxo, meticulous pick, and 're-wire system with the addition of the following:

1 pair of SL Speaker Cable, not 2 pair

1 pair of SL XLR, not 2 pair

1 Dred 500, not 2 DRed Amps

Wow! The Full Loom, all Fraimed Naim, just the way you like it!

A Dred front and rear end, 500 series!

Full Loom, PL's, all Fraimed!

Fronted with 2 x 555PS Dred, into a Super NDS!

And next year, Re-Activate the SBL's!!!!!!!!!

Hell of a passive system,think you could gut it out for a year?????

Allante93!