Nice one Bob :-)

Excellent Bob.  Although I prefer Odyssey with my S20s Naim cabling with the electronics seems to work best.   

I can understand this scenario. When I tried TQ black between 2 different amps and my Quad S5's it really acted as a high pass filter, losing a noticeable amount of low bass compared to the other cables I've tried (vdh magnum, naca5 and Mogami's thickest cable 3104 I think).

I felt this is one of the reasons why many people perceive enhanced mid or treble detail with tqb. I guess with some speakers it wouldn't be noticeable but they really weren't my cup of tea. Very system dependent of course and this is part of why so many of us roll cables to get the sound just how we want it with our own systems.

Great to hear you're getting a good result!

Bob the Builder posted:

I have just replaced my Tellurium Q Black Mk1 with 5m set of Nac a5 and am very, very pleased I did,  ...

@Bob the Builder: Your experience aligns with my own preferences. I'm currently running a 3.5m long NAC A5 pair and heard a marked difference using a recently borrowed 7m length. Although I'm considering a longer length, 7m may be too much, both sonically and physically. Did you do any experimentation on NAC A5 length?  

I very recently asked Naim support if the 5m recommendation mentioned as the optimum length on the Wikipedia webpage for Naim Audio amplification is still valid. I'm aware of the 5-10m guideline, many prior forum posts on the topic and variables such as room and preferences of course.

I'd say 5-10m of NACA5 per channel is about right, with perhaps 7-10m optimum.  The change from 3.5m to 5.5m was quite apparent.  From 5 to 10m less so. I could tell very little, if any, difference between 10m and 12m.

Thanks Richard, that helps a lot. I was afraid that the change between 3.5m and 5.5m might not be apparent but you've reassured me. I'll think very hard and make a choice between 5.5 and 7m. 

Richard, do you see any issue using the Naim SA8 connector on the 'gold' looking plating on the ATC SCM19 speaker binding posts? They fit perfectly and cable dressing is neater too. 

The Naim speaker connector will work OK with the "gold" binding post/4mm socket, however, for best performance I tend to think it's best to get the closest metal to metal match between socket and plug - it certainly makes a difference with the Naim plug and socket combination, so I would imagine it's the same with others - so in this case I would defer to ATC's advice on what that might be.

I'm inclined to say +1 to Richards line about getting the closest metal to metal match between socket and plug:      I used the Naim plugs with 'gold' binding posts on angled speaker terminal plates that look very similar to the ATC terminals.   I have to agree the plate angle & resultant cable entry was ideal with the Naim plugs.       However when cleaning I found a grey dust deposit in the binding posts, despite a good clean & some valiant attempts prevention,  it kept coming back.  Coming from an electrical engineering background I suspected it was a dissimilar metal problem - nickel on gold.    I eventually replaced the Naim plugs with regular Deltron gold banana's & renewed the terminal plates,  its not had the problem since.   

Thanks Richard and Mike both. Although your answers weren't what I wanted to hear, I'm not in the least surprised and have taken note. As it happens I did ask ATC late last week but in fairness they wouldn't have had an opportunity to respond yet. However, I now have my answer from you both. I'm not planning on spraying the rear of my speakers with salt water but it reminds me of my sailing days  - dissimilar metals and all that.

Now to practice my cracker-jack style folding skills. I read your post on the Radius of NAC A5 if bent thread Mike.

I have had and used, in the same set and the same room, NAC A5, TQBlack and Vertere Pulse X Mini. I am now using NAC A5, but my dream wire would be a mix of some specific qualities of the three: the NAC A5 has a much more even bottom to top range than most people believe, but its extreme treble is little refined and sometimes a tad raw; TQB is lucid and doesn't lack the occasional deep bass but gives a little voice of its own to electronics and recordings; and the Vertere, albeit more structured, nuanced and refined than the other two, had added a perceived lower octave to my N-Sats, which was not bad but would be less desirable with my current Ovators. Wires are a necessary compromise. None is perfect, none is really bad. My Chord Campana (£4/mt. or so, 1,5 mm2 in polyethylene sheath, for installation mainly) of which I still have some lengths, has a wonderfully homogeneous and coherent range from top to end safe for a mild attenuation of the extremes, and is probably the only one whose cost and performance have a relationship of sort. Yet, when I happen to have to use it, it has nothing wrong but I think of the NAC A5. The unavoidable compromises of wires mix with the unavoidable conditioning of the Naim name.

We all tend to go back to the NAC A5 after experiments, because it is an objective part of the amp design and we feel 'safe' psychologically. It's not a perfect wire, but since most Naim users seem to prefer contemporary pop/rock/indie and jazz rather than classical, it's as close to perfect as can be in a Naim system. But as far as cost/performance are in the equation, IMO Chord Campana (at 1/8th or so of the NAC A) has no rivals.

NewNaim16 posted:

 I'm not planning on spraying the rear of my speakers with salt water but it reminds me of my sailing days  - dissimilar metals and all that. 

Sorry its not what you wanted to hear NewNaim,  I said in my post thats my background was electrical engineering, I should add my early days were marine electrics & in my later years I had moved to another industry but it included temp controlled sea container electrics & that included electronics - control & communications,  so I am rather familiar with salt atmosphere.

Getting back to the terminal corrosion,  I'm not at all sure what started it & if it was indeed just a reaction of nickel on gold alone.  It showed as a dark metallic grey stain on a cotton bud & it could be seen reoccurring at 3 month cleaning intervals.  It took around 6 years in all before I made the decision to replace it all,  but I have to say it did not cause any issues with the  connection quality & affect SQ.      

Richard Dane posted:

I'd say 5-10m of NACA5 per channel is about right, with perhaps 7-10m optimum.  The change from 3.5m to 5.5m was quite apparent.  From 5 to 10m less so. I could tell very little, if any, difference between 10m and 12m.

Richard, was just wondering if you could describe what differences you have heard going from the different lengths?  I don't recall my current specific length, believe I'm somewhere around 5m, but have always been curious if its worth going with a 7-10m pair.

Daren, it was over 10 years ago when we did the listening test at the factory, so my ability to describe any differences is somewhat diminished - I just recall the conclusions. I'd probably advise you stick at 5m unless you need more length in which case go for it. Always better to have more than you need rather than less...

Bob, did I correctly spot you - especially you - quoting Star Wars?

On topic: totally agree on your opinion on the Nac A5. 60 meters in total in my house now (and 20 meters Linn K20, but dont tell the Naim folks).

Probably not me quoting Star Wars I am of that era but not a fan. 60 meters wow that is a whole lot of cable are they single runs or bi/tri wire active runs?

'Return of the Jedi' was the third Star Wars movie from 1983. 'Return of the Nac A5' sounds very similar. I'm not a big SW fan too, but my kids are so I have no choice.

Yes, 48 meters is used for an active setup, next to that I have about 10 meters spare cable which is going to be used in the to-be-build vintage setup. And some short ends which are used by the cleaning lady to fix the constipation of the vacuum cleaner. The stiffness is of a degree so that she can push strongly and it is just flexible (if this is the right word) enough to follow the curve of the vacuum cleaners tube.

There is no kidding here.

Like the contipated vacuum line very funny.  I have to say again these old Nac a5's are great I was considering a change of speaker but the Nac A5 have tamed all that boomy bass and just pull everything together so well.