Naim mains bloc

Arie

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This requires 8 mains connections. Does any of the mains Blocs mentioned already accomodate this number?

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Can't speak for the Blocs you mention, but the Russ Andrews powerblocks seem to have 8 sockets on two slightly inclined sides). I've some of the Kimber powerchords, so I imagine the block might be similar (i.e. a useful improvement in the sound quality but a bit overpriced IMHO).

John

Brian

It involved just buying a special mains plug from Maplin Electronics for £10. This plug can accomodate 4 mains cables.

It is said to be far superior to all other types of mains blocks as the others tend to include a run of cable from mains outlet to block.

The Maplin unit has no need for such a cable, has a low number of mechanical contacts and is cheap to buy.

I don't have the URL to hand, but there is an interesting article on the web about this. I'll update you with the URL when I get home.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

quote:

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This requires 8 mains connections. Does any of the mains Blocs mentioned already accomodate this number?

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You could try two of these multi-plugs:

They are available from www.maplin.co.uk and cost about a tenner each. I use one with the original Naim mains leads, its a neat, simple, and cheap solution which maintains the star earthing that Naim kit likes. Sounds great.

As I have mentioned before, I have found all Kimber products I have heard destroy timing information, and yes this includes the mains leads.

For me the jury is still out on the Audio Counsel leads, they are certainly very different (tonally much smoother) to the standard leads, though I am not yet convinced they are better. They definitely are not disastrous the way many audiophile leads are though, which is a very good start... Expensive though.

Tony.

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As I have mentioned before, I have found all Kimber products I have heard destroy timing information, and yes this includes the mains leads

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Hmmm... interesting. I found exactly the opposite - it improved the timing. Must vary from home to home. I can't see them being any worse than the standard leads, although cables are funny beasts...

John

Guys, this plug is precisely what I was talking about, cool eh?

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

Brian

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I found exactly the opposite - it improved the timing. Must vary from home to home.

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With a system that can truly do timing, and I am afraid that limits things a bit as there are IMHO very, very few capable of this - I'm thinking a top notch source, one of the bigger Naim amps, and very, very fast and agile speakers (Kan, SBL, DBL, Petite, etc), the effect is very obvious. In a well set up system of components similar to the above the insertion of any Kimber, Straight Wire, XLO, or any other similar interconnect, speaker cable, or mains wire has in my experience been a total disaster.

A record that what was previously a revealed to contain an excellent rhythm section, with great interplay between bass, drums etc is often reduced to the shambling blandness of a third rate cabaret band with one crap cable. It often feels like the tempo has actually dropped down quite a few BPM - a very bizarre feeling to witness, the first time I heard this it changed the way I auditioned hi-fi cable and accessories completely - who cares if something is "smoother" or "more liquid" if the music is knocked dead. The problem is that to audition this effect, the system in question has to work in this area first (TC, I'm not implying your system doesn't do this, I don't even know what kit you run).

This is to me as significant as the first time I heard a Naim amp (a 42/110) make all its competition sound stodgy, slow, and uncoordinated. I now know all that is needed to kill the flat earth groove is one crap cable.

Tony.

I tried it (for a 1yr), but actually preffered the addition of the MWorks block.

Agreed the Stands Unique plug (4-in-1) is better in terms of a simpler path, but the MWorks is better.

naheed...

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Depends what you mean by ‘timing’. With my new Kimber speaker cable, I can hear the gaps in between the notes, the different rates of attack and decay, etc etc.

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That is about 25% of what I am talking about, the easiest way I can describe what I mean is probably the relationship between different frequencies against absolute time. A good cable etc makes the whole music work as one, a bad cable can sound exactly as you state, but lose the relationship between treble and bass, which to my ears means the hi-hats and top end loose sync a little with the kick drum and bass, and loose the groove.

I am finding this concept a very, very hard thing to try and put into words, but if I were to replace my Naim Aro interconnect that links my CD player to my amp with a length of Kimber PBJ that I happen to have lying around you would hear instantly what I mean. Dodgy audiophile mains leads have done the same to my system in the past (one of my friends deals in US "high-end" kit, so I have tried loads of crap!).

Tony.

What you may have been remembering was reference to a Tice mains conditioner of which you disapprove. All I can say is that I have experimented with and without, and have always found it an improvement, but as always I'm open to suggestions. The Tice incidentally has 10 UK style outlets, so It's very practical for me.

One of my first ever dems at the original Sound Org (in the smaller of the then 2 dem rooms) was the first time I came across this and I thought Hamish was 'barking'. I was listening to a Creek amp compared to the original A60, and although they were different I wasn't sure. Hamish put on the first David Sylvian LP, choosing a track with one of those rhythms where everyone seems to be playing a different song and told me to try to tap my foot along with the music. On the Creek I had to concentrate, with the A60 it was easy. I went home with the A60. This is the essence of getting the timing right.

Phil