Witch hat cables

Yep, Chord cables do become expensive going up the range above the Shawline. That said, I think the WitchHat interconnect is around the same level (price-wise actually somewhat below) as the Shawline, so will not necessarily be an improvement - perhaps just different. Anyway, I look forward to hearing about your experience with them. 

as any one compared phantom against tellurium Q black

Jonners posted:

ryder. posted:

Apart from speaker cables, look at the interconnects too.

Also have a Source interconnect on order to run between my phono stage and TT. That will replace a Chord Shawline. I am interested to see if these WH products make a positive difference. Also considering AR as well so a case of "wait and see".

Did you go with the standard or KLE phono plugs?  I have been thinking about giving the KLE version a try on my TT source.

daren_p posted:

Jonners posted:

ryder. posted:

Apart from speaker cables, look at the interconnects too.

Also have a Source interconnect on order to run between my phono stage and TT. That will replace a Chord Shawline. I am interested to see if these WH products make a positive difference. Also considering AR as well so a case of "wait and see".

Did you go with the standard or KLE phono plugs?  I have been thinking about giving the KLE version a try on my TT source.

I thought "sod it" and blew an extra £40 on the KLE's. Not sure what difference they'll make but I figured an LP12/Aria combo is probably worth it! Even then, it's still cheaper than the Shawline but not much.

as any one compared phantom against tellurium Q black

Jonners posted:

daren_p posted:

Jonners posted:

ryder. posted:

Apart from speaker cables, look at the interconnects too.

Also have a Source interconnect on order to run between my phono stage and TT. That will replace a Chord Shawline. I am interested to see if these WH products make a positive difference. Also considering AR as well so a case of "wait and see".

Did you go with the standard or KLE phono plugs?  I have been thinking about giving the KLE version a try on my TT source.

I thought "sod it" and blew an extra £40 on the KLE's. Not sure what difference they'll make but I figured an LP12/Aria combo is probably worth it! Even then, it's still cheaper than the Shawline but not much.

Great, will be interested in your thoughts.  While I'm using a Hi Line for my digital front, just have the standard lead on my analog front so was thinking about trying this cable/configuration in that location. 

Greetings Forum colleagues. As promised, these are my first impressions of the WH BNC-DIN cable with KLEs from their "source" range having received it today and plugged in tonight.

I will caveat this by saying firstly, as with all opinions, they're personal and in my case, I always try to speak as I find but try to be as neutral as possible.

I'm using a Rega Aria feeding an LP12 going through a 200/282 combo into a pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.3 Mk 2's. The WH cable has been bought to replace a Chord Shawline, which costs about £45 more.

First impressions are that none of the dynamics have been lost, in fact there is a touch more balance in the overall performance, by this I mean midrange is a little less pronounced and treble smoother. Vocals are conveyed every bit as well as with the Shawline which was one of my concerns as I've always found this a characteristic strength of Chord cables. I only listened to a couple of LP's (Black's Wonderful Life and Blow Monkeys Best of), but even without being run in and cold, it's impressing me already. I will give it another week or so and report back if there's been any further improvements (or not as the case may be).

Cheers,

Jon

Got my Phantom cables approx. 2 weeks ago.. initially put them on the SCM50's that I had on home demo....softened/tightened the bass a little (that was good), didn't affect the mid and treble...so far so good...then put them on the SL2's...too lean..didn't work...  ran them for approx a week, 24 hrs a day to run them in....then put NACA5 back on..

Since then, have SCM40's on home demo, for approx 5 days with NACA5...then this evening put the Phantom cables on...WOW !!!

Very nice...bass is very good, controlled, not forced (the NACA5 has  a 'loudness' effect), mid and treble good, very good level of detail and a good level of energy...liking them very much !!

Will leave them on and see how they develop further...

BR

as any one comparied  tellurium Q black against phantom 

Hi everyone, as promised this is an update on the WH Source interconnect bought a little over a week ago to replace a Chord Shawline between Rega Aria Phono Stage and LP12.

Now the WH has had a chance to burn in I do believe it to be better suited to the way I like the music I play to be presented. By this I mean the Chord was very good but I felt the midrange was overly-pronounced and treble a little harsh. That was a well run-in loaner from my Linn dealer BTW.

The WH cable still conveys dynamics but to my ears, in a more balanced and refined fashioned. The overall "feeling" is one of greater transparency and openness. I like it a great deal and it represents excellent value for money IMO.

I'm also considering the Witch Hat S3P RCA-DIN interconnect vs Chord Shawline(Red) ones. I think the Shawline is around twice the price of the Witch Hat. I'm currently using a normal flashback sales RCA-DIN. What would I get from upgrading to witch hat or should I put in more to get the Chord Shawline?

Kent3888 posted:

I'm also considering the Witch Hat S3P RCA-DIN interconnect vs Chord Shawline(Red) ones. I think the Shawline is around twice the price of the Witch Hat. I'm currently using a normal flashback sales RCA-DIN. What would I get from upgrading to witch hat or should I put in more to get the Chord Shawline?

Tricky to answer that as every set-up is different, a bit like buying speakers. Can you get a Shawline for home demo from a Chord dealer? WH offer a money-back 30 day guarantee so there's peace of mind there. You do need to allow for a 2 week build time though during which time you could test drive the Chord. I think you will see greater dollops of everything, they're great cables. The WH is no less dynamic but I prefer its more refined, balanced  presentation. That's my opinion of course, you may love the Shawline and if you do, the extra £100 is easily justifiable.

Davie R posted:

as any one comparied  tellurium Q black against phantom 

The Q black have the mid  slightly  forward  and the bass sometimes without grip , tha phantom are very controlled with the mid exactly how they should be

Received my Phantom speaker cables two weeks ago and honestly can't tell any difference from Linn K20. But they haven't had many hours burning in, so I'll probably keep them in the hope that they will eventually sound better. Even so, £320 is a lot to spend 'in hope'. Will report back if they suddenly sound better!

Any cable on this planet looks better than Linn K20 anyhow.

Ardbeg10y posted:

Any cable on this planet looks better than Linn K20 anyhow.

Except A5 sadly.

feeling_zen posted:

Ardbeg10y posted:

Any cable on this planet looks better than Linn K20 anyhow.

Except A5 sadly.

NacA5 gets less harmed in my kids-all-over-the-place household versus K20.

The A5 stays where it is put, whilst the K20 was moved all the time. Imagine kids hiding for each other behind the sofa where the cable runs - they pull at it they jump on it they almost p* on it. A5 resists it all. I had a spare few metres for a while and the cleaning lady used it to unclog the vacuumcleaner ... and it still looks the same.

tonybabawalla posted:

Received my Phantom speaker cables two weeks ago and honestly can't tell any difference from Linn K20. But they haven't had many hours burning in, so I'll probably keep them in the hope that they will eventually sound better. Even so, £320 is a lot to spend 'in hope'. Will report back if they suddenly sound better!

Cables are a funny thing for sure but the K20 is not exactly a sophisticated product and should be outclassed by newer, fancier products very easily IMHO. If it's not a burn-in thing then it'll simply be a matter of personal taste in which case send it back and save your money. 

Dear Naim and Naimists

Some comments from me.

Haven't been around for a while, but have been here from day one, JV etc,  as a naim user and forum member. This thread caught my eye due to the mention of another manufacturers cables. I won't bore everyone to death, but topics like this in the past were vehemently and relentlessly censored and I myself with other ID"s was banned a few times on similar topics.

BTW

Im 100% not for discussing mods, removing components, etc, there are places to do that elsewhere.   

So..............

I find it refreshing that its here TBH and so it should be, people discuss tyres, wheels and components for sports cars for example. Its interesting to experience peoples journeys whatever the outcome as Naim hasn't got the monopoly on anything.

My interest? I went around the houses with cables myself, Nordost, Chord, DIY for a good couple of years, plus a northerners PSU units. After some strange sonic and emotional itching I put the HiCap, i was considering selling, back in >> Boom! Things became so RIGHT. Next back went the grey (I think they are called violet or something) interconnects >> same. Finally a few years ago back went new NAC speaker cable. Order, rhythm, communication restored.

Just my 2p worth but good to discuss. Perhaps the most interesting one was the PSU on my, by then serviced BTW, 82. For weeks I was convinced it was better, but after a while realised it was "better" not better, impressive sure, not better. 

Pleased to see a topic like this and long may it continue

Martin

Jonners posted:

Hi everyone, as promised this is an update on the WH Source interconnect bought a little over a week ago to replace a Chord Shawline between Rega Aria Phono Stage and LP12.

Now the WH has had a chance to burn in I do believe it to be better suited to the way I like the music I play to be presented. By this I mean the Chord was very good but I felt the midrange was overly-pronounced and treble a little harsh. That was a well run-in loaner from my Linn dealer BTW.

The WH cable still conveys dynamics but to my ears, in a more balanced and refined fashioned. The overall "feeling" is one of greater transparency and openness. I like it a great deal and it represents excellent value for money IMO.

Also breaking in a WH Source KLE-DIN and comparing it to a Chord RCA-DIN. But mine is a Clearway.

What I find most interesting, is how each one focuses on different details. The Chord really shows off the space and air around instruments and the soundstage extends further above and out of the speakers.

The WH Source focuses on the drive and beat. It allows you to follow the tune of each instrument. It also focuses more on the micro rhythms and just grabs you by the neck and pulls you in.

I can see how one would like the aspects of the Chord better but for me the Witch Hat is a much better fit.

Michael Mccullough posted:

I can see how one would like the aspects of the Chord better but for me the Witch Hat is a much better fit.

Cables are a polarising subject, I've got into a few heated debates on a Facebook LP12 group where a few members labelled me a "snake oil salesman" for even suggesting cables might benefit from burning-in and that different materials affected the sound. I am quite sceptical of expensive isolation products and there are obviously people who feel the same about cables. All I'll say is that if someone is in the camp that supports cable experimentation then WH is a good brand to look at as I think they punch above their weight for the price. I heard some positive differences with interconnects but the differences moving from Chord Epic speaker cable to WH Phantom was less obvious. and probably not worthwhile in hindsight. 

Cables are the hifi equivalent of Brexit.  Discuss at your peril!

Oh no! that's done it, you used the 'B' word! 

What is Brexit 

HiFiman posted:

What is Brexit 

Apparently, planes will fall out of the sky, children will be denied medical treatment, the Donald and his minions will force-feed Brits chlorinated chicken, everyone will turn into a Nazi stormtrooper, football teams will have to repatriate all foreign players, the Sun will explode, the Moon will fall to earth and Guardian journalists won't be able to buy quinoa anywhere.