NAC A5 compared to Odyssey

I'll happily wait for more replies on this as it could go both ways... but for the time being Mr Blackman has hit the nail on the head in describing my problems.

The Odyssey was great in my old system. It is a good cable. I upgraded from Rumour infact as I thought the performance was good!

Mr Paulo, as much as I welcome your input. Which I have read through a few times, I do have to say I HATE bowers and wilkins with a passion not explainable in words. Not meaning to cause offence! I suspect the frequency response of our ears is a little different! :P

But forgetting the technical aspects of the cables electrical properties, the proof is in the sound! I'm mostly hoping someone with some Kan Mk1s will offer voice an opinion. Even so, on these grounds I think I'll trundle down to Oldham next friday. Clearly there is competition in this!

Andrew

there are 10 types of people in this world... those who can read binary, and those who can't...

Ross

Odyssey

quote:

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In Naim systems it sounds awful. NACA5 works perfectly in Naim systems.

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I'm at a loss to understand how you feel qualified to make such a categorical statement as the above, unless of course you've been uniquely privileged to hear all combinations of Naim amplifiers with every make/model of speaker.

In the experience of many people (myself included), A5 does NOT work with all speakers, most seem happy with it, but there are several exceptions that have been subject of coverage in this forum.

I believe people should try A5 first, but if it doesn't work for them it would be senseless not to try alternatives. In some situations, Odyssey may provide a solution that users are happy with.

Perhaps you should just content yourself with saying that you don't like the sound of Odyssey and leave it at that!

David

I am happy with my A5 and have no desire to change it, however I ask the question...

Has anyone ever used A5 without Naim amps?

And if so with what results?

The only reason I ask, is because it is so cheap, and if it keeps us Naimees happy, maybe people with other kit could save some money (and the increased sales for Naim would help keep the price down).

Just a thought

Simon

A friend of mine uses A5 between his Audioflab 8000 and Castle Cowards. It sounds fine. He didn't even realise it was Naim cable until I pointed it out to him - he just bought it on the basis it was big and fat and should therefore offer less resistance to the music

David

I have both A5 and Odyssey. Both are clearly excellent cables, but do have varying results depending on the speakers involved.

The A5 worked extremely well with the B&W speakers I used to have, but were outmatched by the Odyssey with the Living Voice speakers I've upgraded to. It's not that they sounded bad with the A5, quite the contrary! It was just that with the Odyssey they sounded that subjective bit better. In my case it was enought to justify the expense. For other's it might not be. The listening is clearly individual.

What I am curious about, and seem unlikely to have an answer any time soon on, is to what extent the room acoustics influenced the cable choice. I have my A5 lovingly packed away, with a view to trying a battle of the cables once again if I ever move.

As an amusing aside, one of my colleagues recently purchased a Musical Fidelity system (don't know the models) with Sonus Faber speakers. While trying to decide on what cable to use, I offered to lend him my idle A5 in the meantime. He happily accepted. Unfortunately the WAF was so low, he didn't even get a chance to plut it in.

As for interconnects, Living Voice sent me 2 to experiment with when I purchased the speakers. The Chord interconnect was over the top expensive, and did little -- if anything -- to justify or encourage the expense. The proprietary LV interconnect was pleasing to listen to, but again, imho, did not match the Naim interconnects. Consequently, to paraphrase what was said earlier in the thread, I would guess that as a rule of thumb, any Naim into another Naim product is best served by Naim in between. A Naim product into a non-Naim product or vice versa, however, may be worth some experimentation. Consequently, if you can get a loan from your dealer, it is worth having a play.

I tried A5 between a Musical Fidelity A1 (Class A solid-state integrated) and Tannoy monitors, years back. In that particular application, Analysis Plus Oval 12 was far better, and homemade CAT5 cable was far worse. Still, the Naim wires were acceptable, if a bit dull sounding.

With my Nait3, NACA5 is substantially better than anything else I've tried; good enough to mke me stop trying other cables.

Jay

just a question, how does a cable have sound ?
do electrons sound different if they travel though copper or silver ?
My take on this is....a lenght of wire has an inductance, capacitance , and resistance...and it has some form of plug at the end ( most times )which must be included (All plugs add to the total value, some more then others).The amp and wire must be looked as a circuit and the wire and the speakers must be looked at as a circuit...both circuits must be of the right value to allow the amp to work to its' design perameter,......but the wire does not have any sound.....now you can have many takes on this like
1. the speaker is not good enought to show the difference...( all wire performes the same )
2. the wire and the speakers used are a bad match (amp sound dull or harsh )
3. the wire used and the speakers used are masking the problem that is else ware in the system... and when the problem is found or an up grade is made that makes the system more revealing it shows up as harshness ( or what ever you want to call it)
So if the system sound bad it is the set up person.
Why do i write this ? I have never found a better wire for a Naim sytem then Naim Nac A 5....but if you put a B&W or a Triangle speaker at the other end of a Naim amp I guess it would be better to try to correct the circuit with a different wire then admit you made a mistake . Two wrongs can , (if you are lucky) make a right.
Steve

P.S. this post is not intended to piss anyone off. All view points welcome.

Steve - "do electrons sound different if they travel though copper or silver ?"

(Electrons do not have sound, by the way.)

Look at some electron micrographs of copper from different sources and you'll see there are tremendous differences in the crystalline structure; all copper is not created equal. For this reason and many more, different cables impart different sound to a system. If you haven't experienced this, you aren't listening.

There are many holes in your oversimplified analysis; I don't know where to begin, so I'll just recommend a book - Transition Metals, by J.E. Huheey. It will take you a long way toward a more complete understanding of the properties of metals.

However, as for this:
"....but if you put a B&W or a Triangle speaker at the other end of a Naim amp I guess it would be better to try to correct the circuit with a different wire then admit you made a mistake ."

If my purchasing Shahinians over Naim speakers was a mistake, it's one I'm extremely happy to live with.

Jay

[This message was edited by jayd on THURSDAY 22 May 2003 at 06:26.]

I'll find the book, thanks but read the post again...if you change the structure of the copper you must change some other properties that will in turn change the circuit.
As far as your speakers ,come on, they are great. Remember there are many things in audio that are not scientific. Oh by the way ,ever tried Triangle on Naim ?