Super Lumina for SN2

Don't know the prices over at your place, but here in The Netherlands,  a 3 meter pair of Super Lumina costs EUR 2.650 which is about 60% of the price of a new SuperNait 2 or 80% of the speakers you use ...

It would seem to me that that amount of money is better spent elsewhere in your system ...

Many regards, Michel

If it were me, I'd use the money towards an XPSDR. 

Hmm interesting! I have the same feeling about the cost over the value of my system. For the SL they come in 1.5M right? I'm just assuming that u don't need to run 3M for the SL as Naim offer then in 1.5M . The deal I get is HKD $15K and that's GBP £1320 for the 1.5M SL

I would love to spend the money on the XPS but I read some reviews and looks like it won't bring big SQ to the NDX? Maybe adding a Ndac first then XPS in the future to the Ndac? Will this be a better option?

An XPSDR on a NDX makes a marked inprovement I've had the demo and ordered one, waiting for delivery.

Shortest length here in The Netherlands  - but that's only from the pricelist - is a 3 meter pair... However, I still think an improvement higher-up in the chain would bring you more benefit  

The XPS will give far more benefit than SL speaker leads, after all, posh leads can only let through what's there in the first place. The shortest SL speaker lead is 3m. 

I think an XPS is also a worthwhile upgrade to consider, but it all depends where you want to take your system. If that means an extra box, Fraim shelf, power lead and interconnect, it may be more stuff than you want to clutter up your living room with. In which case, SL speaker cable, while still expensive in the context of your system, will bring quite an improvement with no extra clutter. I haven't heard it with a Supernait, but I have heard SL with a NAP200, and the difference was substantial. 

THanks for all the suggestions. Can't find much reviews regarding the SL would really love to know what can I expect from them in terms of SQ improvement. 

Will definitely give XPS a try!

Think HH is right here, typically I have gone the other way and just testing SL speaker cable on 272/250DR system. For me it made a difference on the bass, tighter and fuller, and the higher frequency response (vocals, cymbals etc) were very marked in sounding more noticeable, sparkly I guess, perhaps a little too much sparkle at that high end. Can't say anything more is being dug out of the mids, perhaps that what the XPSDR can do more of, opening the taps more while SL sprinkles its magic dust over the results?  

As Dan knows, he and I describe changes in very different ways, both equally valid. When I added SL speaker cables and the din to XLR, the main thing I noticed was how the system now gets out of the way and lets the music communicate much more directly. I find the improvement very beguiling. The problem, though, is that the cables take ages and ages to run in. When Dan visited me, some music was sounding great, and other stuff. A bit dodgy. I only know this in hindsight of course, and things now sound very different to how ey did when the cables were first installed. 

It's my belief, though, that the cables have only made the huge difference they have because the rest of the system is optimised with XPS, Powerlines and dedicated mains. I very much think that they are the icing on the cake, rather than a substitute for the eggs or flour. 

Not sure,

Nic Chan posted:

Anyone have experience with the SL speaker cables on the SN2 what can I expect in terms of SQ. (No demo or home audition here in HK.) I am planning to upgrade my NACA5 with SL or TQ ultra black or diamond.  Just want to find out if anyone has experience on this.

No I haven't had the experience of any SL Technology at all,  interesting to see what the outcome would be! 

""During the development of Statement, our flagship amplification system, our engineers realised that they would need to design a whole new range of high-performance cables for it to reach its true potential.  

With this in mind they began a development project to design interconnects and speaker cable that would meet Statement standards of performance. Through a deep understanding of material science and after thousands of hours testing in the listening room, the Super Lumina range was born.

Designed to maximise the performance of Statement but equally at home in 500 Series and Classic Series systems, Super Lumina speaker cables are available with 4mm or spade connectors.""

Msrp

INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS                                      £

SUPERNAIT 2*                                                        2,965

Super Lumina speaker cables per 3m                1,800

Hi Nic

you may wish to read a thread I posted last year: 

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...a-for-classic-system

At the time I trialled the SL speaker cables and Interconnect I had an NDX/SN2 combination like you, with Neat Motive 2's.

As you can see from the replies, there was a mixed reaction to what I had posted, but I can honestly say it did make a huge difference, as one might expect for that kind of money.

But it suited me to upgrade cables first before adding the XPS (which I did in the end a couple of months ago too), but in the context of my system at the time I could and did justify it to myself.

My initial post answers your original question I guess, and I still stick to what I said. Only point I would reiterate is regarding the vocals - definitely cleaner and pulled out of the mix a lot, though the whole mix is cleaned up. 

My upgrade was speaker cable & IC at the same time, so slightly different to the upgrade you are lining up, just need to bear this in mind.

Hope this helps anyway.

Chris

Nic

I tried SL with my SuperNait2 for a few weeks - warming up my Ovators S400. it certainly does sound very good. But... at this level of amplification NACA5 is equally good. That's what I use now on this system.

SuperLumina is now used with my other system.

So - use your money somewhere else....

Adam

I notice you're running a sub: given that connecting this to the speaker terminals generally gives the best results, you need to give careful consideration to how this ties in with the SL connections if you get them. 

Yeah thanks for the advice I connect my Rel with high level connections from the speakers side so it shouldn't be a problem.

Took HH's advice and ordered the XPS today awaiting for delivery. 

Planning to have all the box upgrades before considering cables. That includes power lines as well. Will get the powerlines one by one when funds are available.

Nic Chan posted:

Yeah thanks for the advice I connect my Rel with high level connections from the speakers side so it shouldn't be a problem.

Took HH's advice and ordered the XPS today awaiting for delivery. 

Excellent. That will give a really firm foundation should you decide to build further. Remember that you need to install it so that the Burndy cable does not touch the wall or floor.

Hmm that will be hard to not touching the wall but I'll try to work it out! Thanks for the info. 

Btw I do have some spare money for one or two powerlines. I'm using the wiredworld matrix2 power strip. Where should the one or two powerline goes first? Just get one for wall to power strip first? Or 2 from wall to strip and the second one for SN2?

What can I expect from a powerline upgrade? 

Thanks again!

Put them on the amp and the source. 

For wall to Wireworld - just use the standard Naim cable. 

What to expect: improvement in sound.

How about the Hicap? If I only have 2 powerlines?

Just test and see what you like - that's the general rule.

You can stary with the following:

If you are putting a PowerLine on your SN2 and you have a HiCap to power the SN then put the second PowerLine on the HiCap. 

Nic Chan posted:

Yeah thanks for the advice I connect my Rel with high level connections from the speakers side so it shouldn't be a problem.

My point is that the high level sub connection has to go from the same speaker terminals that the posh SL plugs are going to use. There are probably several ways of doing this, (spades, stackable banana plugs etc.) but it would be a shame to do it in a way that compromised the SL performance. 

Been with the XPS for a week still waiting for it to bed in but I have to say it's a great improvement on SQ. Trebles are much smoother, blacker black, bass dive much deeper, piano sounds a lot more realistic. After all it's more analog! Much easier to listen to music! 

Thank you so much for the advise HH. A really good call. I'm going  for a pre loved nDac to add to it and looking forward to see what it brings to the party!

Nic - if you do get an nDAC, the XPS goes on the nDAC. You will also have to keep the nDAC powered from its internal transformer - in essence to power supplies for a DAC.

Nic, till you hear for yourself what a XPS power supply can do for a NDX and 272 for that matter it is quite difficult to explain how better it is and as you say music is much easier to listen to.