New to Naim (and Forum) and got gear coming... need some help.

From my own experience:

Din to Din is the best and also solves groundloop problems.

NACA5 is not required, but it is indeed a step up from Linn K20. I have them both and NACA5 gives me a bit better bass, less harsh treble. Might need to test this again, cause I have the impression that my speakers were not fully run in when I checked it.

About Naca5, there are some ex-Naimees around having sold all their gear, but still use the Naca5.

How do your speakers handle the big organpieces of the older JSB?

Hello JSB

The good news here is that at the CD3.5 and Nait 5i level it would be very wise to use the Naim cables that come supplied [free] in the box.

I found the Flashback DINs to be a different from naim interconnects but certainly not better. They tend to be slightly brighter and more detailed but at the detriment of musical flow. Keep the the naim interconnects and don't waste money is my advice. The old green coloured Chord Cobra [i think that's what you mean] can work very well in the RCA guise but the DIN version there can be the same results of gained detail at the loss of musical flow. As an enjoyer of Bach you will need that musical flow : )

NACA5 is well recommended, and a good idea to buy it from a naim audio dealer where a trained engineer can solder the naim connector plugs on correctly.

Instead of alternative cabling that will probably waste money it would be more beneficial to focus on condition of your CD3.5,  what kind of rack support you components are sat upon, position of speakers, etc. 

which speakers do you intend to use?

Personally, i by far prefer the kit to be room-positioned as far a way from the speakers as conveniently possible, so longer naca5 leads the better [within reason].

Debs

Regarding Linn K20, according to legend, Linn K20 and Exposure's speaker cable were 'remarkably similar' to Naim NACA4 - which did not impress Naim one little bit. Hence, NACA5 was created.

[@mention:69708705574513803] - your CD3.5  would have come with a Naim DIN-to-DIN cable, originally. Guess thats been lost along the way....?  I cannot say how ANOther cable compares to Naim's own - sorry - although Chord's are generally recommended. Chord Chrysalis did look 'remarkably similar' to Naim's grey/lavender cable.  

The Nait 5i doesn't require NAC A4 / NAC A4, but having said that those cables do suit it well.  The Mogami should also work fine.  In any case it's a good idea to use the Naim 4mm plugs at the amp end (or at a pinch use nickle plated Deltron plugs) and solder the plugs to the speaker cables.

In terms of interconnect cables, the grey (or slightly better, lavender) Naim DIN-DIN cable (which should have come with the CD player) is pretty good, and better than many of the less expensive aftermarket DIN-DIN cables.

If you have to buy a new cable, the Witch Hat Hatpin 5 cable does have a good reputation at a reasonable cost (but I've not heard one, only the reputation; I made my own interconnect cables).  However, if you can use a soldering iron, then in my opinion, a cable made from a pair of  Prehkeytec 180° 5 pin DINs and a length of Mogami W2549 is better than the Naim cable (even if it's mechanically difficult to insert the cable into the strain relief gland of the plugs).

The main thing with electrical compatibility for Naim amps is to avoid high capacitance speaker cables; particularly woven / hyperlitz designs such as (amongst others) Kimber cables.  Most "side by side" cables are fine with the Naim integrated amps.

Hi All, 

Thanks for all the info. See below for my personal response to each of you: 

ARDBEG10Y:  Back organ sounds pretty good on the Vandys. However, the best speakers I ever had that sound awesome for organ (IMHO) were a pair of Klipsch. KG5.5's from the mid-90's. Huge Tractrix horn tweeter and (2) 10" woofers. They rocked organ music like no other. They sucked for everything else.

NAIM_NYMPH:  I bought both pieces used... neither previous owner had the original DIN cables. At least none that they were going to include. Yes, I like musical flow, so I guess I'm going to be getting the authentic naim DIN's. Anyone know the cheapest price for 5 pin DIN to DIN? Audio Analogue is the only place I can find. My speakers are Vandersteen 2c's. My rack support is hard to explain. It is a three tier rack, and each tier has a triangular leg pattern (vs. traditional four). Each leg has a screw on spike that rest in a slight notch on corresponding rack beneath it. The rack that touches the floor (carpet) also have 3 speaker-type spikes. Clear as mud? Anyway, I think vibration is at a minimal. Rack sits in-between speakers and speakers are measured to the room per Vandersteen specs (in this case, approx 6 ft apart). Since I have this 12ft NACA5 cable on the way, I may see if I can move the system to the other side of the room--when I sit

IANROBERTM:  No, the original DIN cable that came with the 3.5 is long gone. I had heard too that Chord was the preferred company outside Naim's own. However, I don't think Chord makes a DIN to DIN do they? I see various Din to RCA though. Hawthorne Stereo in Oregon (big Naim lovers) said the Chord Clearway DIN to RCA and Clearway speaker cables would sound best with my set-up.... when I had the Creek integrated.

HUGE:  Sounds like I may have bought the NACA5's prematurely, but then again... I'll compare with my Mogami's and go from there. The Mogami speaker cable is made from W3082 and the RCA to RCA interconnects I have are W2549 too. I can use a soldering iron, but would need to devise a way to hold the cable and connector while soldering.   

[@mention:69708705574513803] - Chord most certainly do make DIN-to-DIN cables. No idea about prices, but Chord Clearway DIN-DIN exists - 'from GB£125....' - gulp.....  At that price, you might look on that 'well known auction site' for some older, used Chord cables, such as Chrysalis or Cobra.

IANROBERTM:  My bad... I did find Chord DIN to DIN. I've been looking around on that "well known auction site" and generally speaking, how do you determine a genuine Naim interconnect from an aftermarket? I found a couple that I think are genuine Naim, but need confirmation. Do the genuine cables have a number on one end, with a clear, plastic wrap over it? I found one that is gray colored and has a "22" on the cable. The listing title is Naim NA-22. Then I just read that the number on the cable is the Naim employee number that made the cable? Is this true? Also, assume power cables and interconnect cables are NOT interchangeable, correct?  (i.e. using a SNAIC 5 as a signal cable?)

Yes, it relates to who made it. And yes, snaics and interconnects are not interchangeable. The one you have seen for sale sounds fine to me, as imitations are highly unlikely to have the employee number. 

Using a proper Naim interconnect, and NACA5 is a great place to start. Do get a decent stand, as you'll probably be surprised by the difference. 

Hi JSB,

My opinion is get naim wires throughout, properly terminated. There's a bit on F-connectors in FAQs on this site for your speakers.

Have you used the Vandersteens in that room before? I wondered if they might be too big...

Chris

jsbach1685 posted:

I can use a soldering iron, but would need to devise a way to hold the cable and connector while soldering.  

From :

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...r-naim-speaker-plugs

JAN-ERIK NORDOEN:  Thanks for the pic! 

Just for grins & giggles, here are the specs on my other two sets of cables vs. the NACA5:

1. Mogami W3082: CAP: 254pF/m (77pF/ft),  IND: 0.4uh/m (0.12uh/ft),  RES: 0.009 ohms/m (0.0027ohms/ft)  Mogami resistance matches the NACA5, but Capacitance is really high.

2. DH Labs Q-10: CAP: 99pF/m (30pF/ft),  IND: 0.66uh/m (0.2uh/ft),  RES: 0.0066uh/m (0.002ohms/m) 

3. NACA5 CAP: 16pF/m (4.84pF/ft),  IND: 1uh/m (0.303uh/ft),  RES: 9 milliohms/m (2.73 milliohms/ft) 

If you can use the NAC A5 (i.e. the cables are long enough), go with it.

I didn't realise which Mogami speaker cable you had, I hadn't realised it was the coax (I didn't know anyone actually used that one in a domestic setting!).  The capacitance on that cable is rather too high for a Naim amp; although a Nait 5i won't be damaged by it, the amp won't give its best performance though.

[@mention:69708705574513803] - as HH said above. He knows.... The number is just who made it - no other English Magick is involved. 

Most (ordinary) Naim cables are Grey in colour - except Black SNAIC's, which are...... as expected. SNAICs were originally Grey though..... SNAICS can be 4 pin or 5 pin - 5 pin ones connect HiCaps and other similar things to Pre Amps, 4 pin ones connect Power Amps to HiCaps, or Power Amps direct to Pre Amps. 

You might/should find this usesyul - https://www.naimaudio.com/site...Eng%20Issue%202i.pdf

If in doubt, read the instructions....

Note also that SNAICs (4 or 5 pin) go between preamps, power supplies and/or powerams not between source components and preamps; and cannot be plugged into the output of a source components or a preamp input as even on the 5 pin plug the pins are in a different arrangement.

HUGE:  The W3082 is a very nice sounding cable... very smooth and very neutral. Give it a try sometime if you feel inclined... just not on a Naim system ) Bulk can be had at Redco.com for $1.24/ft. Which Mogami cable were you referring to? 

IANROBERTM:  Thanks for the link. Is the grey cable the one that people often refer to as a slight lavender as well? I did find (and bought) a genuine naim interconnect cable. Made by NA-22 (whoever you are). It's a 5 pin and it has that grey/slight lavender-ish hue to it?? It coming from the UK so now all I have to do is wait for everything to arrive--hopefully in one piece. 

Btw... I leave my 3.5 on all the time. I've read that naim gear is designed to be left on all the time? I'm planning on doing that with the 5i as well. I also read somewhere that the 5i sounds much better after it has been on for 100 hrs? 

Hi Mr Bach,

I was thinking you'd either have one of 310x series or possibly 2972; my poweramp is a NAP300(DR) so I really don't want to use that Mogami!

I use DNM Reason as I use a sub, so I actively don't want bass performance from my main speakers!

[@mention:69708705574513803] - Grey/Gray - Lavender - same thing. Colo(u)rs do vary....   If yours has NA-22 on it, it should be a genuine Naim cable. About 1 week, plus US Customs - so who knows....?

Does anyone have the complete technical specs for the Nait 5i (non italic)? 

I think they're in the manual.

C.

jsbach1685 posted:

Does anyone have the complete technical specs for the Nait 5i (non italic)? 

NAIM rarely publish COMPLETE specs for their amps or components... Which bit are you interested in?

Adam Zielinski posted:

NAIM rarely publish COMPLETE specs for their amps or components...

I've always enjoyed the brevity (if you like, incompletness) of Naim's specs, Adam. I've always taken them as an implicit reminder of the importance of the flappy things on the side of our heads.

Chris

I would suggest that a Flatcap would be a worthwhile addition to the 3.5. The olive version nicely matches the CDP, and you could pick one up for a very reasonable price on a certain infamous site.............

Christopher_M posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

NAIM rarely publish COMPLETE specs for their amps or components...

I've always enjoyed the brevity (if you like, incompletness) of Naim's specs, Adam. I've always taken them as an implicit reminder of the importance of the flappy things on the side of our heads.

Chris

Your cheeks?

Naim has a series of whitepapers which I consider more interesting than spec sheets. These whitepapers shed a ray of light on the design considerations which helps to understand the Naim philosophy (if any).

I think linking to naimaudio is allowed, so here is the link: https://www.naimaudio.com/downloads/white-papers

SUZY WONG:  Yes! I do keep my eye out for the matching flatcap for the 3.5. What's the value of them these days? Would $200 get me one?

ALL: As for specs, I was curious as to the THD and S/N ratio? I checked my manual and it doesn't give that info. I did Google "naim nait 5i specs" and it brought up a PDF for a Naim 5i (italic) series brochure. Here is what is listed:

Distortion: <0.02% 20Hz - 20kHz     S/N: >80db, A-weighted Ref IW

So I wonder how different this is to the 5i (non-italic)? Wasn't the biggest change between the 5i and 5i (italic) the addition of an iPod input on the front, and the internals needed to support it?