Super Lumina Speaker Cables (again)

Many thanks for your support Nigel and the other points which you have covered reinforcing not only my own postings but of others who actually know and have experienced Acoustica's excellent service and values.

After a conversation with Geoff at Acoustica over the 'phone earlier in the week we now have a  plan of action, so Pete will be returning to my home tomorrow morning (Friday) with two options for consideration in addressing the mains distribution problem and the SL cable loom to re-evaluate. I am feeling confident that the results of this second demo will prove to be far more successful having eventually identified the reason for the peculiar outcome on the first occasion.

Total success and satisfaction!!!

Pete arrived as planned on Friday morning with the demo SL cables and two options in resolving the mains distribution issue, one being a MusicWorks 6 way unit with a captive heavy gauge power cable and the other being a Wireworld Matrix 2 6 way unit with a Naim power cable at a much lower cost. After evaluating the merits of both, I opted for the Matrix 2 because it is just a straightforward but quality block containing no additional circuitry other than what is necessary to perform it's task with OFC star wiring and is far easier to physically accommodate than the MusicWorks device which is far more sophisticated in it's makeup. The difference between the two units proved to be very subtle indeed but the MusicWorks seemed to add a slight 'bloat' to the bass which was detrimental to the overall sound and with the Linn Majik Isobarik's any accentuation to low frequencies is really not desirable.

Now that we had the mains sorted out, the SL cables were installed and without going into great detail, the experience was revelatory and I knew within minutes if not seconds that their inclusion within my system was mandatory! There is just more of absolute everything in terms of sound quality while still preserving great rhythmic drive and flow (PRaT) and allowing the whole system to display it's full capabilities. As fortune would have it, Acoustica had received a fresh delivery from Naim the previous day and Pete had loaded a new set of SL cables into his car 'just in case' to compliment the new Matrix 2, thank goodness!

After Pete had left, I drove over to B & Q in Chester to buy two MK Unswitched Logic Plus double wall sockets to replace the RA 'Superscockets' (installed when I first moved into my bungalow), which were essentially the same thing but with 'Deoxit' applied but I wanted to remove all traces of any so called 'enhancements'. After which the rest of the day and evening was spent on the lengthy task of carefully installing everything to my satisfaction, finishing at around 10pm including a break to prepare and eat my evening meal followed by the washing up. I then powered up the system again and just switched to radio (via NAT05XS, obviously) while I cleared up and the difference was immediately apparent.

Since that momentous day, I have continued to be amazed and delighted by the results which will no doubt continue to please with the passage of time as the 'burning in' process progresses, so to say that I am happy with the outcome would be a serious understatement and the 'journey' has turned out to be a very fulfilling one with one or two lessons learned along the way, especially regarding mains power enhancements.

Fantastic news Derek! Enjoy!

Derek - so happy to read your post! Enjoy the music.

SuperLuminas will continue to improve over a course of 1-2 weeks.

Excellent news....good to hear such a successful conclusion to the episode..... As finkfan says 'Enjoy'

Many thanks to all who have supported me along the way and contributed with useful tips and suggestions (especially Adam, who was the first to identify the mains distribution issue).

Hi Derek,

So happy to read your post this morning, that everything has now been resolved, and that you are as impressed as most of the rest of us, by the benefits of introducing SL cables to your system.

Equally, those of us who are Acoustica regulars, and who have been following your tribulations, were always confident that Geoff and Pete would resolve things for you, they don't have such a loyal customer fanbase by accident.

If I understand correctly, you've now installed both SL speaker cables and the din/ din interconnect?

I hate to be spending even more of your hard earned, but the final piece of the jigsaw is replacing the stock din / XLRs on your 300.

I did this last of all, and, in spite of the not insignificant cost involved, have had no regrets, the whole is certainly greater than the sum of the parts in this case.

Seriously though, that final step can wait for a while, for now enjoy the awakening of your system.

It's all good,

Dave.

As a footnote, I loved your mention of stuff that Pete brings with him, "just in case". That's how I ended up with my 552! 

Thanks Dave and yes, I have both SL speaker cables and SL IC DIN/DIN cable to connect my nDAC to the NAC252.

Any further expense will have to wait for a while I'm afraid but Pete did indicate that it would be worthwhile investing in a Naim Powerline to connect the Matrix 2 to the mains wall socket in due course.

good to hear Derek. what i find interesting about all this is that if you hadn't persevered, you could have given up on the SL cables when in fact something else in the system was preventing the system from performing correctly at all. you also don't seem to have experienced any timing issues -- but that's probably a case of "one man's meat ..." etc

if i could afford SL speaker cables - i would go for them -- for me it will be 4 x 7m lengths!!! :-(

Good its all sorted out Derek and...

enjoy

ken

Derek - so pleased to learn that you've achieved a happy ending and that the SL cables are now meeting the originally promised performance uplift. A really good example of patience and open-mindedness to ideas paying off.

Mike  

Derek, well done for persevering and good shout from Adam re the mains block issue. You got there in the end and it shows that sticking with it, following (some) advice on here and trusting your dealer pays off in the end.

Like you I have the SL speaker cables and DIN to DIN interconnect with the DIN to XLR (to a 250DR in my case) to follow in time. I think this is the right order to do things in and I am sure my life won't end if I can't stretch to the SL DIN to XLR (although I am sure a full loom would complete the wonderful uplift in SQ SL's bring).

Now you can sit back and enjoy the music rather than fret about the kit the reproduces it.

I've had the SL speaker cables on demo for the best part of three weeks they are superb and a worthwhile upgrade, up till a few days ago I was using a Hi Line interconnect between the NDX and 252 with the intention to upgrade to a SL lead  at a later date.

My dealer popped a SL interconnect into the system a few days ago as I wanted to hear what the improvement would be with this in place I knew this would improve things but was absolutely staggered at the difference.

I won't be waiting for the SL interconnect as I have just ordered one along with a pair of 6 metre SL speaker cables words fail to describe the all round improvements but it's quite unbelievable that a few bits of cable can make such a difference.

A broke but happy Naim user.

I too am still amazed at what a difference 3 bits of wire can make.

The improvement is indeed on par with a black box upgrade IMO and so it should be as the price is on par with a black box. Some however can't get over the cost for mere bits of wire, often those that have not demoed these at home. I must admit without an extended home demo directly comparing the SL interconnect with the Hiline and SL speaker cables with NACA5, I too would have fallen into the '....how much for bits of wire!?!?.....' camp.

Enjoy.

I got the SL interconnect before the SL speaker cables. So all of my home demo of the SL speaker cables was carried out with the SL interconnect in place but I would agree that there is (as you would expect) great synergy between SL interconnect and SL speaker cables. And I am sure this phenomenon would continue with the addition on the SL DIN to XLR but I cannot do that yet.

I once emailed Geoff from Tellurium Q asking for some interconnet recommendation. His answer: get the best ones you can afford. 
Of course he would say that, but if you think about it, there is a degree of truth in it 

nigelb posted:

I got the SL interconnect before the SL speaker cables. So all of my home demo of the SL speaker cables was carried out with the SL interconnect in place but I would agree that there is (as you would expect) great synergy between SL interconnect and SL speaker cables. And I am sure this phenomenon would continue with the addition on the SL DIN to XLR but I cannot do that yet.

Nigel - I will let you know. Apparently there is a SL DIN-XLR heading my way for an extended home demo.
Now - how did that happen????

Adam Zielinski posted:

nigelb posted:

I got the SL interconnect before the SL speaker cables. So all of my home demo of the SL speaker cables was carried out with the SL interconnect in place but I would agree that there is (as you would expect) great synergy between SL interconnect and SL speaker cables. And I am sure this phenomenon would continue with the addition on the SL DIN to XLR but I cannot do that yet.

Nigel - I will let you know. Apparently there is a SL DIN-XLR heading my way for an extended home demo.
Now - how did that happen????

Fingers in ears '…..LA LA LA, CAN'T HEAR, CAN'T HEAR, LA LA LA…..'.

By the way Adam, which organ did you decide to flog on the black market?

Pcd posted:

Adam, please refrain from any comments on the SL DIN-XLR lead until my
Santander 123 card has fully cooled and returned to its original shape as I
am quite sure the next meltdown could be the card's last??

Been their...done that,  card is in A&E 

Pcd posted:

Just been told my card will be out of intensive care shortly.

Thank God... I've been so worried..... I just hope and pray my card will have the same happy outcome 

nigelb posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

nigelb posted:

I got the SL interconnect before the SL speaker cables. So all of my home demo of the SL speaker cables was carried out with the SL interconnect in place but I would agree that there is (as you would expect) great synergy between SL interconnect and SL speaker cables. And I am sure this phenomenon would continue with the addition on the SL DIN to XLR but I cannot do that yet.

Nigel - I will let you know. Apparently there is a SL DIN-XLR heading my way for an extended home demo.
Now - how did that happen????

Fingers in ears '…..LA LA LA, CAN'T HEAR, CAN'T HEAR, LA LA LA…..'.

By the way Adam, which organ did you decide to flog on the black market?

Obviously my third (or perhaps fourth by now) kidney....