The difference between NA4 and NA5 cables? Worth upgrading
Posted by: naimtheday on 16 June 2002
I am using approx 1987 vintage Naim cables which I assume are NA4. The current ones are NA5, is this worth changing to or is it just a new naim?
I am now using LP12/Ittok/CDX/(old)Hicap/250 and Isobariks and it is sounding pretty damn good.
Any help/info gratefully received
Naimtheday
Posted on: 16 June 2002 by garyi
Its possible you have answered your own question.
The naca5 is stiffer, as to it sounding better, well I am a cynic and would say how can it?
As its all sounding pretty damn good I would use the money to buy music, I suggest 'Late Night Blues' by Big Bud.
Posted on: 16 June 2002 by Phil Barry
When I boought my NAC62 and 140. I got both A4 and A5 with it, and I used A5.
I tried an upgrade to the 72, but it was too harsh without a hicap, and I took the 72 back. Still wanting a change (but not believing a PS made a difference), I tried out the A5. The A5 mad my system sound almost as if I had put in a 72, but without the harshness.
YMMV.
Phil
Posted on: 16 June 2002 by Paul B
Yes. Definitely.
Paul
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by seagull
I recently replaced my NacA4 with A5 (the old cables had been "hamstered") the A5 cables do sound better now they've run in.
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by Bosh
How long to break in NACA5 and in what way does it improve?
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by garyi
I forgot to mention, the naca5 is newer thicker and more expensive, there fore it must be better.
To break it in, you have to take it into a back room, shine a real bright light on it and kick it to within an inch of its life. It sounds sooooo much better then.
Posted on: 17 June 2002 by Phil Barry
Thank you for that insight, Garyi. I personally would argue against the kicking. NACA5 is so cantankerous that if you don't kick it just right, it'll rear back and bite you on the bum (is that the English term?).
Phil
Posted on: 12 July 2002 by naimtheday
Thanks to all for your help. I am picking up a couple of 10 metre lengths tonight so will have a good listen over the next week or so.
I only need 5metre lengths, anyone know if 10 metres loses detail, I could cut them but once I have there is no going back
Posted on: 12 July 2002 by Don Atkinson
I only need 5metre lengths, anyone know if 10 metres loses detail,
Within the past two weeks, Paul Stephenson posted details about the IDEAL lebgth od speaker cable. IIRC, I think he implied 6m was ideal, with a gradual loss of detail out to 10m. He didn't say what happened after 10m. Probably worth a search.
Far more importantly, IMHO, would be to get the cables properly terminated by your dealer, UNLESS of course, you are an expert. But then, with all due respect, if you were that kind of expert, you probably wouldn't be asking about the ideal length of cables or whether A5 sounded better than A4.
To summarise, buy A5 at the length recommended by Paul and get them properly terminated.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Don
