NACA5 cable mix

As long as they are both run in should be fine. But are you suggesting that one cable is 3' longer than the other and you're using one for LH and the other for RH? This is not a balanced load for the amp and could lead to timing issues. Best to use same lengths.

I wasn't aware that a difference of 3' between cable lengths in a pair could be significant. I was wondering if the characteristics of the NACA5 cable had changed significantly in the past ten years so as to make the mixing unwise from that perspective. Thanks for the advice.

Interesting... I remember reading somewhere that human brain can dedect some micro/nano(?) seconds of delay, thats why loudspeaker manufacturers go into trouble of time-aligned drivers or x-overs. Anyone with better tech knowledge maybe knows the exact nano-seconds detectable? To see how it relates to the speed of sound over 3 extra feet of wire. 

It's about the capacitive and inductive loading of the cable on the amplifier, not the delay in delivering the signal to the loudspeaker.

best

David

probably fine if you make sure the plugs are good

This site is a blessing. The question started because I started wondering if having the electronics to the side, rather than between the speakers, would make a difference as to how the music is "seen" in space without a stack of boxes in the middle (more common placement). Probably a psychological question rather than a technical one. At the very least, to experiment would require a purchase of a new NACA speaker cable to go with a shorter 2008 cable or a complete new matched set. A significant investment either way. Am welcome to any more technical responses AND your opinion of having blank space in the center for the stereo imagining experience or just continue with the stack in place as is (ten years running).

You don't need a blank space in the middle from a technical point of view. If you are happy with the look of having the electronics in the middle, then save your money to pay for more music.

You can look at the system pictures threads and see what other people have chosen to do. That's free!

best

David

All of us have our own opinions but also our Gods. Mine is John Schwartz of Chicago Pro Musica: he introduced me to Naim sound (and opened my wallet, as my Boss says) and in none of his demo rooms he had/has TV or anything as disgusting between the speakers. I just folliw the scriptures! ;-) 

The NACA5 cables to my left-hand speaker are black, those to the right-hand one white. Surprisingly, there's no audible difference between the two. Well, except when the music's in stereo.

Incidentally, I did  read the other day that with a 10M (30') length discrepancy between loudspeaker cabling the timing difference was 33 nanoseconds, the same difference as having one speaker less than a human hair's thickness away from the other one. Likewise differences in capacitance and inductance will be imperceptible over a couple of extra metres. Oh, and not forgetting, when you coil up excess cable you'll be adding to its resistance.

Hi,

I too currently run NACA 5 that differ with age (5yrs) from back in my active days, when I upgraded to active, this required another set of NACA 5 cables, hence the age gap.

Somehow I got these cables mixed up (old & new) when rigging my current system after soldering new plugs on.

After three years in with my newer system I can honestly say that there is no difference at all between my old and older NACA 5 cables, none, ZILCH.

cheers

tonym posted:

......Oh, and not forgetting, when you coil up excess cable you'll be adding to its resistance.

Actually Tony, coiling up excess cable adds to the inductance, not the resistance. This is why Naim recommend that you fold excess cable into a zigzag rather than coil it, because that way the added inductance of each "loop" cancels out with the previous one.

Whether any of this really makes a difference, personally I doubt, but many forum members say it does.

best

David

David Hendon posted:

tonym posted:

......Oh, and not forgetting, when you coil up excess cable you'll be adding to its resistance.

Actually Tony, coiling up excess cable adds to the inductance, not the resistance. best

David

That depends how tight you coil it David! 

It doesn't matter how tight you curl it, it doesn't add to the resistance......

best

David

oh i dunno -- think of all those cornering forces on the poor electrons if you wind it very tight :-)

Quite difficult to wind NAC-A5 up tight anyway!

best

David