There and back again – NACA5 to SuperLumina and back to NACA5

I have asked my dealer to send a set of TQ black diamond's to try after the SL's, so I'm looking forward to the comparisons ....

As you say, obviously more time is needed.....in order for me  to come to any real conclusions....

TQ Black Diamond - THAT is going to be interesting. I did not dare to try them yet.... do post your impressions, please.

Adam Zielinski posted:

TQ Black Diamond - THAT is going to be interesting. I did not dare to try them yet.... do post your impressions, please.

Absolutely...... I've been wanting to try them for sometime,  fortunately I have a dealer who goes the extra mile....im hopeful I can possibly have them in the next couple of weeks.....  

wenger2015 posted:

I've just been given a set of SL speaker cables  to try via my dealer, these are new out of the box and on first listen have been somewhat underwhelming ...

The bass is very muddy, highs are very bright, very clinical in places, somewhat of an uncomfortable listen.

Maybe after reading all the threads on these cables my expectations are to high or possibly everything will settle down and start to come on song with time..?

I was expecting a very positive listen and then to be more impressed as time goes by, as others have experienced..... 

By way of comparison my TQ Ultra blacks, we're very impressive from the off ( new out of the box) and kept improving.... 

Maybe its that silver coating on the SL's that's causing the problem or is it just a case of burn in process syndrome? 

Having recently had a dedicated supply installed, the SL's I would of thought,  be able to perform a little better from the off....

 

Ah, the age-old interesting question: do cables really change with time, or is it people getting used to something that maybe sounds different, either learning to like it, even if it sounds worse, or justifying the expenditure, regardless of whether the difference is neutral or negative......

Innocent Bystander posted:

wenger2015 posted:

I've just been given a set of SL speaker cables  to try via my dealer, these are new out of the box and on first listen have been somewhat underwhelming ...

The bass is very muddy, highs are very bright, very clinical in places, somewhat of an uncomfortable listen.

Maybe after reading all the threads on these cables my expectations are to high or possibly everything will settle down and start to come on song with time..?

I was expecting a very positive listen and then to be more impressed as time goes by, as others have experienced..... 

By way of comparison my TQ Ultra blacks, we're very impressive from the off ( new out of the box) and kept improving.... 

Maybe its that silver coating on the SL's that's causing the problem or is it just a case of burn in process syndrome? 

Having recently had a dedicated supply installed, the SL's I would of thought,  be able to perform a little better from the off....

 

Ah, the age-old interesting question: do cables really change with time, or is it people getting used to something that maybe sounds different, either learning to like it, even if it sounds worse, or justifying the expenditure, regardless of whether the difference is neutral or negative......

IB .....couldn't agree more.... I tend to work on the policy,  is what I'm hearing going to justify the cost, hence the need to dem everything at home for as long as possible.... 

yeti42 posted:

Here's one for Phil, is there any way of connecting SL speaker cable to input of a NBL crossover the NBLs themselves being only 5.5cm from the wall behind without the cable touching the wall or speaker? I can only just manage this with A5. The Ovators had a spade adaptor that might have done the job but the materials are likely wrong for NBLs and posdibly the spacing too.

The spacing on the Ovator plug adapters would be wrong - not sure if they could be doctored like regular Naim plugs can. There are other makes of adapter too (Cardas, Audioquest) which are single, so no spacing issues to worry about. Then you would need to order SL cables with spades.

yeti42 posted:

Here's one for Phil, is there any way of connecting SL speaker cable to input of a NBL crossover the NBLs themselves being only 5.5cm from the wall behind without the cable touching the wall or speaker? I can only just manage this with A5. The Ovators had a spade adaptor that might have done the job but the materials are likely wrong for NBLs and posdibly the spacing too.

There are no right-angle 4mm plugs available for the SuperLumina speaker cables so you're not going to be able to get them into the NBLs with the NBLs that close to the back wall - you may be able to find some "spade to 4mm" adapters but it's not really practical to modify the Ovator spade to pin adapters to use them in this instance...

Cheers

Phil

Innocent Bystander posted:

wenger2015 posted:

I've just been given a set of SL speaker cables  to try via my dealer, these are new out of the box and on first listen have been somewhat underwhelming ...

The bass is very muddy, highs are very bright, very clinical in places, somewhat of an uncomfortable listen.

Maybe after reading all the threads on these cables my expectations are to high or possibly everything will settle down and start to come on song with time..?........

Ah, the age-old interesting question: do cables really change with time, or is it people getting used to something that maybe sounds different, either learning to like it, even if it sounds worse, or justifying the expenditure, regardless of whether the difference is neutral or negative......

Perhaps the only Reptile that can adapt to the Naim's ecosystem, is the King Snaic.

That being said, the Reptiles that belong to the SL Family, can only perform at it's best in a familiar environment.

 That being the Full Loom!

Loom River, drifting from Statement Hills!

Just some Thoughts.

Allante93!

Allante93 posted

 

 

Perhaps the only Reptile that can adapt to the Naim's ecosystem, is the King Snaic.

That being said, the Reptiles that belong to the SL Family, can only perform at it's best in a familiar environment.

 That being the Full Loom!

 

Hardly! Only dragons can afford this stuff. Here's a picture of the OP saving up for his full loom...

ChrisSU posted:

Allante93 posted

 

 

Perhaps the only Reptile that can adapt to the Naim's ecosystem, is the King Snaic.

That being said, the Reptiles that belong to the SL Family, can only perform at it's best in a familiar environment.

 That being the Full Loom!

 

Hardly! Only dragons can afford this stuff. Here's a picture of the OP saving up for his full loom...

 

 

Wasn't this book about Mr Bargains?

ChrisSU posted:

Allante93 posted

 

 

Perhaps the only Reptile that can adapt to the Naim's ecosystem, is the King Snaic.

That being said, the Reptiles that belong to the SL Family, can only perform at it's best in a familiar environment.

 That being the Full Loom!

 

Hardly! Only dragons can afford this stuff. Here's a picture of the OP saving up for his full loom...

 

 

But I don't live in that part of Endor. More to the east of Mordor....

No you don't! (The thread title is a giveaway;-)

My dealer has given me a set of Superlumina speaker cables to try. I'm not even thinking about buying them if I'm honest, but It will be interesting to compare them to my TQ blacks and [@mention:50422349809511500] s TQ Ultra blacks.  

Finkfan,

my humble advice: don't do A/B comparisons if you have already decided that you won't buy B, whatever the result of the comparison... You may not get direct interest in B, but you may lose in A.

Max

I could be wrong but I think it's possibly an A, B, and C comparison?  SL's , TQ Ultra blacks and TQ blacks....

wenger2015 posted:

 , TQ Ultra blacks and TQ blacks....

Presumably the Ultra is really inky

The Strat (Fender) posted:

wenger2015 posted:

 , TQ Ultra blacks and TQ blacks....

Presumably the Ultra is really inky

Is their a TQ inky black cable? Could be a winner!!! 

Their what? I think there must be a word missing. 

Thank you Professor B

Massimo Bertola posted:

Finkfan,

my humble advice: don't do A/B comparisons if you have already decided that you won't buy B, whatever the result of the comparison... You may not get direct interest in B, but you may lose in A.

Max

Hi Max

im sure you're right. But the only reason I won't be buying the SL cables is the cost. Already spent a lot this year. I'm delightsed with my black cables. I've heard the ultra blacks in my system and they are much better. What the SLs will sound like I don't know, but I'm intrigued. 

Clive B posted:

Their what? I think there must be a word missing. 

The problem is predictive bexting....

wenger2015 posted:

Clive B posted:

Their what? I think there must be a word missing. 

The problem is predictive bexting....

Finkfan,

I have heard the SL interconnect and speaker cables well on last Sunday, in a system consisting of CDX2–XPSDR–SL–282–SuperCapDR–NAP300DR–SL–Harbeth M40.1s. I found them great under every aspect: richness, integrity, dynamics, balance. Very assertive but with class, no trace of aggressiveness (but then, Harbeths would filter aggressiveness from a machine gun...). I am sure you will find them excellent.

On the other hand, I too am using TQ Blacks now, and am very happy with them. I have no difficulty acknowledging that cables can act as filters, and they seem to help keeping my room's 'fullness' in control. I have had Vertere Pulse X minis, they seem to have some family relationship with the SL; they were very very good, but also had a bottom octave of some weight and importance, and not everyone love it. If you love the TQ Blacks, stay with them happily, until the day you'll be able, or willing, to buy SL...

Max

nigelb posted:

During a factory tour earlier this year I saw a very skilled lady in the production department assembling SL cables. I can tell you the construction of SL cables is complex and termination of these cables is an intricate process requiring much skill and hence training. For sure much of the cost we pay is to recoup the investment in R&D and testing that went into the final design of these cables as Jon mentions, together with the high cost of the materials used. But be assured there is considerable cost in just putting the things together.

But I just don't buy it!!!!!!!