Kimper cable instead of Naca5...

Posted by: Alco on 07 April 2002

Hi guys,

As some af you may have read... I sold my Nait-2 about a couple of weeks ago to the same guy who introduced me to Naim years ago.
He sold his beloved Naim years back and always regretted it. Now he's one happy camper and enjoys his Nait-2 with a Rega P3 every day.

Now, I also sold him my (hated) Naca5 cable.
He tried it, but didn't like it.
He also had some left over Kimber Cable
(I think it's the 4pr, black/blue twisted stuff)

He said the Nait-2 sounds much better with the Kimber cable.
More open and more detailed, in his opinion more musical.

He's even using it with only 2 x 2,5 meters instead of the minimum advised 2x 3,5 meters.

He said:"It has never sounded as good as it does now!"

Now, since 99% of the Naimies use and recommended Naim's nac-a5 cable... Has anyone ever tried Kimber cable on his Nait ?

Greetings,
Alco

[This message was edited by Alco on SUNDAY 07 April 2002 at 11:22.]

Posted on: 09 April 2002 by Rico

Richard

I enjoyed your post immensly. Great stuff. I'd like to respond to a couple of your points, if I might:

quote:
And when the same old list of crap "technical arguments" gets thrown in again I get a little irritated. People who are not interested in or understand the technical aspects involved are being scared with doom-quotes from the Naim inquisition.

Err, sometimes the technical arguments are rock-solid and imponderable. They are within physical constants and not really open to argument. This can be somewhat boring, and understandably frustrating. I studied electronics and telecommunications theory some years ago - and while not an expert, have the fundamentals well within my grasp. It all makes sense to me. You will find, in fact, that these technical arguments are not from the "baffle with bullshit" camp. Andy's explaination of the Zobel network should make it quite clear in a plain english way (nice work, Andy).

As for your riotous Seagull reference (bloody hell, I'm lucky mine is still going with the amount of seagulls around here... now where's my surf-caster?) - I did specify posts/info "from Naim", in which case you would find concise accurate information from the source! Who wants seagul shit in the mix anyway!

Still, for those with the necessary patience I'll give some anecdotal evidence of my own. A few years ago, was setting up my 72/Hi/250 system with the ES11's after returning to NZ. My slightly round-earth with flat-focus audiobuddy was there to help... and before I could introduce A5, he insisted we try other cables, such was his distaste for that dreaded Salisbury lightening-rod. We listened to my good old TPS 3-phase 1.2mm solid-core cable (I'd used this with a couple of other systems previously with good success, esp at the price) and I think we tried some flash AQ cable. "Hmm, all a bit thin, not working too well. And where's the timing?" said my friend. "Ha ha - we'll fix that! Not sounding like my system at all" said I, switching in A5. Whaddya know - big smiles all round. "hmmm - perhaps there is a place in the world for A5 after all"! Same man found his 62/90 absolutely transformed with addition of NACA5 last year, also. Just my 2p worth of religious conversion stories.

Thanks for setting me straight on the SF's load - I certainly have not heard all of them, just some on Naim equipment, and a few more on the slightly rounder-earth varieties (MF, and Meridian, for example).

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

Posted on: 10 April 2002 by Eric Barry

I once emailed Kimber and got their specs. My memory is dim but I the differences were not as great as I expected for 4VS--not that I have any way to judge how significant they would be electrically. Unlike many companies, Kimber seems to know what they are trying to achieve and why.

However, Kimber is bright and hard with Naim--which is likely due to the amp oscillating--bad for it.

As to amps blowing up, there apparently was some Polk cable in the early daze of the cable wars that was wickedly capacitive and took out numerous amps (don't know if Naim was one). As to Naim blowups in the last, say, dozen years, I'm a bit skeptical, and it certainly doesn't seem to be frequent.

--Eric

Posted on: 12 April 2002 by David Sutton

I once made the mistake of speaking to someone at Russ Andrews about Kimber cable. They (of course) said they were great and that all Naim cable was "crap". This and other overwhelming arrogance persuaded me to avoid any further contemplation of a purchase. So I have stuck with my "crap" Naim cable!

David

Posted on: 13 April 2002 by Craig B

As far as I am concerned, not using A5 with a Naim amp is not hearing a Naim amp. As has been rightly pointed out (ad nauseum) it is part of the amp circuit by design. Using anything else is akin to substituting other unspecified parts within the amp itself.

I believe that the underlying qusition here is... Do you like the sound of Naim amps or not?.

If the answer to the above is Yes I do then why bother with jerking your wire when there is so much music and so little time?

If the sound is off with the A5 in then look elsewhere for the cause.

Craig

Posted on: 13 April 2002 by Rico

quote:
BTW, Glad to see you’re still posting James.

Ditto.

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio