SuperLine Loading Thread.

quote:

Originally posted by Julian H:
Thats sad news Jon; what's wrong with have some icing on the cake?

Nothing wrong at all. I just had Jeremy (cafez27 I think?) in earlier listening to a Superline being fed by his LP12 Ekos2 DV17/3 and Lingo. He was rather taken aback on the differences I showed him between the standard 500R and the 453R using the standard metal body plug.

So don't get too sad about the Airplug just yet Julian....

Kind regards,

Peter

Hi All,
After a slow process of elimination I decided on a Naim Superline which should arrive within days. My LP dealer is now retired and I look for advice on what plug ratings to use on a Linn LP/Lingo with Ittok VII arm and an Micro Benz LP Ebony cartridge.The SL will be powered from a HiCap (Olive). The system - CDS2/XPS2/52/SC/2x250/active SBL's
Kind Regards

eurofan

eurofan

I once had an LP, long before my Superline arrived. I can only say that it preferred Prefix K over Prefix S by some margin. Using that logic, getting/making some plugs with 549, 560, 576, 590 and 620 resistors would be your best option. They are really easy to make once you have the components.

Of course, if you are doubtful of your soldering ability you could have Naim/your dealer make them all up but this would cost a lot! Perhaps get them to make the one you choose based on your homebrew plug tests?

I would expect that "no capaitance" or "1nF" plugs supplied as standard to suffice.

Best wishes, Julian

This could be a silly question but I'm gonna ask it.

Do you swap out the plugs with the Superline on? If it has to be switched off to change plugs surely the unit(s) affected will need to stabilize for a few hours before critical review can take place?

Tim

Well, after listening to a just arrived SuperLine for about 45 minutes, I can say that it has truly taken the vinyl side of my system to a new level in terms of punch, detail, coherence and just about everything else that I look for in musical reproduction. Truly an exceptional product that has justified my expectations in every way - and this is with the 500R plug instead of the 453R that seems to be best suited for Dynavector cartridges (mine is the XX-2 Mk2).


Michael

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Trotz:
Truly an exceptional product that has justified my expectations in every way - and this is with the 500R plug instead of the 453R that seems to be best suited for Dynavector cartridges (mine is the XX-2 Mk2).


Michael

Leaving the issue of load plugs aside for a moment, just wait until it's fully warmed up and burned in.

However, the IMHO 453R is the right one to use with the XX2 - enjoy!

Kind regards,

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by Timbo:
This could be a silly question but I'm gonna ask it.

Do you swap out the plugs with the Superline on? If it has to be switched off to change plugs surely the unit(s) affected will need to stabilize for a few hours before critical review can take place?

Tim

Not a silly question at all. I switch it off to remove the loading plug.

quote:

Originally posted by count.d:

quote:

Originally posted by Timbo:
This could be a silly question but I'm gonna ask it.

Do you swap out the plugs with the Superline on? If it has to be switched off to change plugs surely the unit(s) affected will need to stabilize for a few hours before critical review can take place?

Tim

Not a silly question at all. I switch it off to remove the loading plug.

noneed to do that -- just mute the input

quote:

noneed to do that -- just mute the input

But doesn't muting the input only isolate the circuit at the pre-amp, (which is after the phonostage), still leaving the phonostage with an internal load, meaning removing the loading plug whilst still on is not advisable?

its only loading resistors on a circuit which has virtually no current or voltage - the output of a moving coil cartridge is sqrt(damnall)

neither pauls nor royg shrieked when i was doing it here on my 52/superline, showing them different loading plugs.

HOWEVER I am *not* going to take responsibility for your expensive cartridge. So if you feel uncomfortable hot plugging the plugs, please do not do so -- turn off the psu (or preamp if you are direct powering), wait for the supplies to fully discharge, and then make the change.

I have checked the online pdf copy of the superline manual, and nothing is mentioned on this point -- there is no instruction that the unit must be powered down, or conversely can be left running.

quote:

I have checked the online pdf copy of the superline manual, and nothing is mentioned on this point -- there is no instruction that the unit must be powered down, or conversely can be left running

I looked a couple of months ago and found no instruction, so I just play safe and switch it off. I suppose the only person with a definitive answer would be Steve Tefal Sells.

I always play safe with products. Some people say you don't need to break in speakers with low volume, but I do.

quote:

Originally posted by count.d:


I looked a couple of months ago and found no instruction, so I just play safe and switch it off. I suppose the only person with a definitive answer would be Steve Tefal Sells.

Yes, so I've mailed him and asked the question for you.

Must fess up here - I just mute the preamp

Kind regards,

Peter

Cheers Peter.

So did I -

Hi Peter,

It's no problem to hot 'plug n play' load plugs.

Just be very careful if your not muting the pre-amplifier just in case the wrong lead is pulled out or plugged in to it.
e.g. pulling the PSU lead instead of a load plug or plugging a HDX into the load plug DIN socket etc.

Notes:
1. Both the cartridge and load plug are AC coupled so no pops and and DC clicks.
2. With both the cartridge and the load plug removed the background noise level will be very audible - The SuperLine will amplify the internal 10k resistor load resistor.
3. I'd recommend muting the pre-amplifier when changing any connections to a pre-amplifier.

Best regards
Steve

Exactly as expected

However, could we make this an FAQ entry please, as an addendum to the manual?

jon

quote:

Originally posted by jon honeyball:
Exactly as expected

jon

What? Adam receiving my emails!

That's fine and thanks for posting Adam

Amused regards,

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by Cymbiosis:
What? Adam receiving my emails!

And I can see through walls - so long as there's a window.

Or a door, or other opening, or I use my X-ray vision.

quote:

Exactly as expected

I say the same thing when my shares go up, but tend to be silent when they drop.

Thanks again Peter and thanks for the inside information Adam.

quote:

Originally posted by jon honeyball:
Ah, I'd managed to lose this thread. Now I have found it again, its worth me posting a comment from Steve Harris, who does Naim's PR, just to round out the airplug issue:

"There is no plan to make these available and while we obviously cannot stop Naim owners buying Hi-Line cables to get the plugs we would not support them if they somehow broke them if they were using them in this non supported way etc. We would rather focus
owners' attention on good system setup, good turntable, arm and cartridge setup as these will deliver significantly greater benefits."

Unsurprising. If Naim started selling Airplugs on their own, I'm sure some enterprising soul would fit them to some cable and see what part of the improvement in going from standard interconnect to Highline (assuming there is one, I haven't done the comparison) is down to the plugs, and what part to the cable as such.

You know, I sometimes feel for Naim. I know of no other company whose products are so thoroughly scrutinzed and reverse-engineered.

Back on topic. Is there a post somewhere that lists the recommendations for different cartridges) Having loosely followed this thread, it seems to concentrate on finding the magic lodading for an XV1-S somewhere between 562.9 and 563.1 ohms. Any experimentation done on, say, a Lyra Skala or an Ortofon Rondo Bronze?

quote:

Originally posted by Markus S:
Unsurprising. If Naim started selling Airplugs on their own, I'm sure some enterprising soul would fit them to some cable and see what part of the improvement in going from standard interconnect to Highline (assuming there is one, I haven't done the comparison) is down to the plugs, and what part to the cable as such.

Except the idea is that the airplug for superline will have a quite different tail end, to seal it off properly. Thus making it less than optimal for a cable.

quote:

Originally posted by Markus S:
You know, I sometimes feel for Naim. I know of no other company whose products are so thoroughly scrutinzed and reverse-engineered.

Microsoft? Apple? IBM?

quote:

Originally posted by Markus S:
Back on topic. Is there a post somewhere that lists the recommendations for different cartridges) Having loosely followed this thread, it seems to concentrate on finding the magic lodading for an XV1-S somewhere between 562.9 and 563.1 ohms. Any experimentation done on, say, a Lyra Skala or an Ortofon Rondo Bronze?

453 for xv1s on aro on bnc plugs

As for skala or rondo -- send me one, I'll be happy to try for you :-)

Nothing to tell you from personal experience Marcus. However, one of my customers using a Helikon reports the 470R proved the best for him (I had lent him 453R, 470R, 560R and 576R in addition to the normal selection in the box). He uses an Olive system 52/SC/135's from memory.

It was interesting that he did not like the 576R (Linn type load) which one might have expected.

Regards,

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by jon honeyball:


Except the idea is that the airplug for superline will have a quite different tail end, to seal it off properly. Thus making it less than optimal for a cable.

In which case you'd need a new moulding? Not sure the numbers would work out.

quote:

Microsoft? Apple? IBM?

Okay, no audio company.

quote:

As for skala or rondo -- send me one, I'll be happy to try for you :-)

I may get back to you on that. I love to outsource such stuff

quote:

Originally posted by Cymbiosis:
Nothing to tell you from personal experience Marcus. However, one of my customers using a Helikon reports the 470R proved the best for him (I had lent him 453R, 470R, 560R and 576R in addition to the normal selection in the box). He uses an Olive system 52/SC/135's from memory.

It was interesting that he did not like the 576R (Linn type load) which one might have expected.

Regards,

Peter

Thanks, Peter.

I received the 590 plug from the good Dr P. the other day for a second go.

I must admit I am quite taken back how different it is to the 576.

The 590 has a lovely quality with stringed instruments. Unfortunately, everything else is quite detrimental. All naturalness is gone in favour of a rigid hifi presentation which is very orderly, controlled but ultimately dull. Putting the 576 back in afterwards is something of a shock. Initially, everything sounds wrong. Then, after a few moments it clicks. The music is back. Full of body*, flow etc...,

All of this is with 1nf, Akiva, Linn SE, T-Kable, BNC's

Julian

* maybe a bit too much body, even a little bit phat perhaps so now to try something really special, hopefully sometime soon.

The more you fiddle around with loadings, the more you realise that whatever you use it'll improve certain aspects to the detriment of others.

My 453 is definitely the best compromise for the Dynavector TKR but I noticed when playing "Nude" (!) the sound is slightly livelier but introduces some sibilance on certain female voices.

I've now dressed it! Slightly duller but smoother.