NAC A5 speaker cable

The 14 metres arrived within 2 days of purchase and was brand new as described. Duly cut into 2 7 mtr lengths and terminated with Naim plugs at the amplifier ends and XLR at the Speakers I commenced to listen. Given that the cable had'nt been run in I was struck first by how much cleaner the sound was compared to the previous 3.5 metre lengths. Treble was much better controlled and Bass seemed a bit tighter. I've seen other threads about NAC A5 length and i'm in no doubt that 3.5 is a bare mininmum and possibly 5 or more is the way to go. Amp is a Nap 90.3 and speakers are original Linn Saras. Perhaps not the best match available but one I'm really enjoying. at some time in the future will be upgrading to 180 or preferably 250. BTW did anybody else take advantage of this ebay offer. I would like to know if you had the same trouble free transaction as I had.

Yours in Music

Syd

Mearly cosmetic, although I have no doubt someone will say one sounds better

I have found after much experimentation that for lenghts up to 6m, the black A5 provides more dynamic, tighter mid range, over this distance I would stick with the white stuff.

The second aspect you must consider when choosing A5 colour is the number of corners that the cable is bent around between amplifier and speaker.

Due to a higher concentration of Diethyl(iv)chromo-methylide used to get the deep black colour in the black A5, I would suggest that you go through no more than 3 sharp 90 degree bends (the type you need the hairdryer for).

The reason for this is quite complicated, and is to do with the uneven tension in the insulator where there is a high concentration of Diethy(iv). I wont go in to it unless anyone realy wants to know.

I hope this is of help.


Simon

Black will absorb the full visible light spectrum while white will reflect it. Depending on your mood you may try either black or white.

The Tropical Audiophile

Victor V. Diaz-Diaz

I give up I really do, however I am prepared simon to believe you were taking the piss...

In an attempt to make a hifi post as absurd as my DIN thread, I wrote the above.

It, as I hope you are all aware is B*llsh*t.

Simon

Paul

Did you use gloss or matt finish ?

Regards

Mick

Well, as we are on to painting speaker cables now, has anybody found sonic differences using colours beyond the boring black and white ? How about blue cables ?

Also I think that we need to discuss the relative merits of Dulux paint versus Do it all's own brand and all the other paint manufacturers out there.

will help dissapate the heat generated in the cable better than gloss -

A white cable may need to be submerged in a water bath to maximise cooling. Another reason to chose black

Oh and be sure to have it pointing the right way won't you....

Gary,

What is the right way to have strawberry jam pointing ?

Of all the cables that our mad houserabbits have chewed (i.e. power chords, tv ariel, phone line, etc.) they've never touched the NAC-A5 - which is white in our case.

I guess they've got taste, and would rather eat their own poo than NAC-A5 (this bit, however bizarre it may seem, is entirely true - just goes to show that even the animal kingdom is clued up about recycling...)

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

having had my (white) NACA4 chewed by the hamster (r.i.p.) I would be very loath to allow any rodent loose in the same room as the hi-fi.

It didn't go for the (black) mains cables though - pity

Seagull,

Next time paint your cables orange , then maybe the rodent will mistake them for carrots. Plus you never know , may make the system sound better !!

Well I've had the cable in the system now for 9-10 days and it's had roughly 2-3 hours play a day and it's really coming on song now. Strangely enough it started fine and then some nights would sound rougher than the previous day and then the next day again it would appear to have improved again. Can anyone say how long till i'ts really run in?. Also I'm planning to buy some better XLRs for the SARA end and will resoldering them change the sound again and mean that it will add further time to the run in period?

Cheers

Syd

It finally happened and the speaker cable appears to have finally broken in. I've not noticed any change over the last week and estimate that it took about 90 to 100 hours to get to this stage. Over the first few weeks the differing sound quality was at times quite dramatic with days where you really didn't want to listen at all as it was so harsh and unpleasent and next day sounding wonderful on all sorts of music. I usually start a session with the last record or Cd played at the same volume just to detect any differences. Also if anybody were to evalute the cable on it's off days i'm sure they would be really disappointed. Sometimes it sounded really slow and undynamic. Well enough of my blethering I'm off to listen to the Cosmic Rough Riders again.

Yours in music and a very content dude.

Syd

I might just stick them outside in the garden from december to march. That should do the trick.

Syd

I am still wondering do you paint in the same direction as the arrows? If you use camouflage paint will all your problems disappear?

Howard

whoops got crossed with black and white thread!