NAC A5 life

MAT,

for the cost of two runs of new cable I think I would replace them.

Regards

NB

Well I'm no chemist, but I would suspect that the copper is good for a few thousand years. Any surface oxidation probably takes place very quickly and must remain at micron thickness indefinitely. The only conceivable "wear" would be due to mechanical stress, and you would have to be a real speaker repositioning junkie for that to be relevant. I would just chop off the end couple of centimeters and re-solder your plugs. No point in wasting money that could go towards a real upgrade.

malcolm

Cut off about an inch on each side and resolder or have your dealer do that for you. Put new plugs on. They will sound as new afterwards.

willem

Life expectancy of 4mm banana plugs

Thanks guys!

Have chopped and resoldered ampside but I noticed the bananas at the speaker end have also disintegrated (brittle) but no cause for panic right?!

Mat

I would advise using Naim brand plugs

malcolm

Mat,

The new cable is supposed to be a good bit better than the old stuff, and black is supposed to be better than white!

Take your cable along to your dealer and try, it may be an inexpensive and worthwhile improvement.

I have not changed out my cable as it involves lifting carpets, floorboards and buying 6 x 7meter runs so price does come into it, but I do have this on good authority.

Have fun.

sean.

Sean,

I believe the A5 is superior over the A4 in sonics but how does one quantify black vs white A5?

quote:

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Originally posted by sean:
Mat,

The new cable is supposed to be a good bit better than the old stuff, and black is supposed to be better than white!

sean.

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Having thought more about your crumbling plugs, I wonder if the solder was at fault.
I use "Wonder" brand solder, and have found it excellent for all high quality audio electronics. It is available by post from Russ Andrews, subject to his usual imaginative pricing, but at least this stuff actually works.

malcolm

Wonder Brand is great to work with too!

I'm no scientist either but on close inspection brittleness akin to humidity causing oxidation of copper at exposed points, banana plugs the same(gold plating flaked off leaving brittle base metal). Downside of living in the tropics I guess i.e. fluctuating temperature and humidity. Splicing the cable reveals the elements encased still intact, no cracks on bent areas even.

As for the A5/A4 issue!! I've abandoned the A4 since Naim came up with the A5, about the time I upgraded from a Nait2 to 72/Hi/140. As for which is better white or black, I seriously have no idea.

Taking leads from you Malcolm, thanks!!!

Mat

P.s. Naim plugs don't spread wide enough for my Epos

Anyone that hears a difference between black and white cable is a muppet of the highest order.

Make sure you are handy with a large soldering iron, I completly knackered mine when I done them!

Gary,

Out of topic! Which for you is value for money the 12",15" or 17" G4 powerbook? 15" titanium right, I knew it.

Thanks for the soldering tip

Mat

Mat you appear to have made your mind up!

I'll be honest I don't keep up with the powerbooks because I have no need of one (well I want one but you know what I mean!)

But I do want the following:

Adobe Illustrator.
ipod
More ram.

I managed to borrow a 150 Watt iron it had a seriously large tip on it and put a lot heat very quickly into the cable and plugs exellent solder flow without damage to sheath or plug it would seem. All I need to do now is get the bloody stuff dressed so that the plugs don't keep creeping out of the amp!

Howard

Naimed,

I should have quantified that new A5 sounds better than old A5, I have old A5. I believe the cable was changed about two years ago aprox.

I have never done the black/white dem but as i have found in the world of Hi-Fi anything can make a difference.

Kermit!