Chord Sarum T

I heard Sarum T at the Bristol show and commented on it at the time. In my opinion it could be a significant improvement over the Super Aray. Obviously you'd need to hear it for yourself in your own system. I think I recall reading on here that Debbie updated the interconnects on her LP12 from Super Aray to Sarum T recently. Hopefully she will add her thoughts in this thread now that she's had the opportunity to live with it for some time.

Comments below only refer to interconnections - i've neither heard or seen Sarum T power cables or Speaker cables!

The Chord analogue Sarum T is the new upgraded replacement for the Sarum Super Aray. It is ranked within the Chord cable range: above Signature, and below Music.

Sarum Aray and Sarum T are also the Chord cables that are priced closest to Super Lumia.

This new improved Sarum is very different in feel, noticeably lighter in weight and less bulky, and comes wrapped in light blueish-grey mesh with the all important Taylon®Insulation, and with the most noticeable change of all being the absence of DIN lock rings. 

The new Sarum T cables also have a flatter two sided feel along with the lightness, which is more akin to the Music cables. The DIN to DIN [ CDS3 to 552 ] employs 5 pin connections, from the Sarum Aray that uses 3 pins.

The absence of DIN lock-rings is a superb improvement for fitting ease [probably sonic benefits too] but it's has to be said those lock-rings can get in the way making connections darn fiddly when at full arm stretch behind the fraim rack. Once connected the new [two sided] cables give out a dependable way of alignment that is very helpful with cable dressing, the Super Aray dressing is easy but this is even easier!

Musically the Sarum T builds on the strength of Super Aray, again more realism, more engagement and musical involvement for the listen, it maybe a halfway house between Sarum Aray and Music but this wonderful clear transparency requires a well set up system with good components conveying what is coming from upstream with little or no interference, a poor digital remaster will be exposed for the crap quality on offer, a good CD master will benefit from the wide window that allows a clear focus to produce a very satisfactory sonic quality.

I've refrained from referring to my LP12 for the Super Aray to Sarum T upgrade due to simultaneously having a Tranquility fitted. Fortunately Chord offer a 1 meter or 1.2 meter length of Sarum T cable with 2 x RSA to DIN for Urika to 552, and along with a Tranquillity i can confirm this has widened the boundaries on the superiority of LP12 Analogue source even further from digital. The good news here though is that i've been using my CDS3 player more so in order to gain some cable burn-in, and enjoying the music which has never sounded better from my CDS3, and all this with no nasty burn-in issues to report : )

Thanks to Peter at Cymbiosis for the fitting of the two Ts to my LP12  [Sarum T and Tranquility] and 3 new springs and fettling! ; )

Debs

I'm using Sarum T between NDS/552. It has replaced Naim SL. The Chord Sarum TA I had before the upgrade always sounded dull in comparison to the SL so the SL stayed.  However the Sarum T sounds like a totally different cable compared with the TA.

What is immediately apparent is that it makes the music more engaging and gives a much greater emotional connection. Having heard the Chord Music in comparison I'd say the T was around 90% there at half the cost. It's certainly closer in sound to the Music than to the Sarum TA.

About two weeks ago I upgraded my Sarum Super  Din to Din i.c.  between my NDS and 552 and the Din/Xlr cables for my 300  to the new Sarum T. Unfortunately the upgrade requires that the cables need to once again be burned in to sound their best. 

I was running my stock Lavender and Din/Xlr cables while the Sarum S cables were being upgraded. I live in the States, so I didn't  have a opportunity try the T cables before getting the upgrade. i have compared the previous Sarum Super  cables with Superlumina and in my system I preferred the Sarum S.A.. Based on what little I had read about the Sarum T I thought I would give them a try. 

While I could not do a back to back comparison between the Sarum S and the Sarum T, it was  immediately obvious, that the new cables are much better in terms of detail,clarity and PRAT than the Sarum S. . Once it had burned  in for 100 plus hours all the attributes that are important to me came clearly into  focus in a way that I have never heard before. I can only imagine what the Chord Music must sound like.

Interestingly, I added Sl speaker cables, which were fully burned in by my dealer, the day before I shipped my Sarum S cables back to Chord for the upgrade. Certainly not a definitive test,but I  thought the Sarum S cables with my trusty Naca 5 sounded much better to me than stock Naim i.c., Din/XLR cables with Superlumina speaker cables.  Not really drawing any conclusion from this just found it interesting. 

Jonn posted:

I'm using Sarum T between NDS/552. It has replaced Naim SL. The Chord Sarum TA I had before the upgrade always sounded dull in comparison to the SL so the SL stayed.  However the Sarum T sounds like a totally different cable compared with the TA.

What is immediately apparent is that it makes the music more engaging and gives a much greater emotional connection. Having heard the Chord Music in comparison I'd say the T was around 90% there at half the cost. It's certainly closer in sound to the Music than to the Sarum TA.

Hi Jonn

how does the Sarum T compare to the SL interconnect? 

Have not listened to the Sarum T - only Super which I "had" on my system

Not to sidetrack however some advice to all - don't listen to Chord MUSIC!

analogmusic posted:

Jonn posted:

I'm using Sarum T between NDS/552. It has replaced Naim SL. The Chord Sarum TA I had before the upgrade always sounded dull in comparison to the SL so the SL stayed.  However the Sarum T sounds like a totally different cable compared with the TA.

What is immediately apparent is that it makes the music more engaging and gives a much greater emotional connection. Having heard the Chord Music in comparison I'd say the T was around 90% there at half the cost. It's certainly closer in sound to the Music than to the Sarum TA.

Hi Jonn

 

how does the Sarum T compare to the SL interconnect? 

SL cable is very good in terms of clarity, spaciousness, tight bass , prat, but the words I'd use to describe the Sarum T are more to do with connecting to the music, engaging, lifelike, emotional. SL is the science,Sarum T is the art.

Well said. I would agree with John.

I suppose it is great to be able to upgrade both IC and DIN/XLR to Sarum T, but according to some old forum posts, it seems one should upgrade the DIN-XLR first?

It doesn't seem logical though, as how could the DIN-XLR make up for information loss between the Source and Preamp?

I do not know why however I am definitely in the minority and find that the interconnects provided a much better upgrade than the XLR's.

For an informational standpoint I have had Sarum TA, Super, and now Music - however my XLR's have remained TA

And display?

Ok and display 

so with that in mind surely the best we could hope for is a smoother up and down of the volume control and perhaps brighter colours on the display 

lyndon

Not quite

Perhaps instead of speculating a listening demo might be more in order?

My initial thoughts were skeptical - a demo quickly corrected that

My understanding is that the incidental power requirements are significant.  Have you ever turned off the display on a 552 and then compared?  It might surprise you

glevethan posted:

I do not know why however I am definitely in the minority and find that the interconnects provided a much better upgrade than the XLR's.

For an informational standpoint I have had Sarum TA, Super, and now Music - however my XLR's have remained TA

And on that side note...

this is something that I'm doing at this very moment; comparing Super Sarum to Sarum T. Even fresh out of the bag (actually fresh out of the bag, out of another bag, out of a box, out of a sleeve, out of a box... pretty well-packaged!) it's quite something. It's certainly closer to Music than Sarum, as described elsewhere, and almost makes me want to find out precisely how much better a Music version might be. Also, as Jonn describes, the improvements are in terms of musical connection; that wonderful sense of engagement and insight into why, not just what.  It's also a bit weird, to be honest, given the purpose of the cable.

lyndon posted:

Ok and display 

so with that in mind surely the best we could hope for is a smoother up and down of the volume control and perhaps brighter colours on the display 

 

lyndon

 

Until you've seen the Naim logo glowing against the inky blackness, you've not really experienced contrast.

Dave

Is Chord also making Sarum T available for speaker cable or do the choices remain  simply Sarum or Music?

Best

Gregg

PS did you receive my email from the weekend?

Chord is making Sarum T speaker cable [replacing Sarum]

Also Sarum T power cables 

And all with Taylon® insulation : )

Info and pricing is on the Chord web site

Debs

Thanks for the information Debs

Even though I run Chord Music between my 552 and KDS and LP12 I will not spend what is required to put Music on my Titan's - it is simply too expensive

I just had a look at Chord's website.  Quite interesting as the price is listed as 1800 gbp per meter yet they have a link to this months HiFi+ review which lists a 3 meter run at 3600 gbp i.e. 1200 per meter.  

They need to do some proof reading of the reviews they link to - or hopefully it is Chord's own website which is wrong - (Although I doubt it )

I will be spending the next few days with Chord Sarum T IC & DIN-XLR.  My current setup is Super Lumina IC & Sarum TA DIN-XLR.

I'll report back.  

glevethan posted:

Dave

Is Chord also making Sarum T available for speaker cable or do the choices remain  simply Sarum or Music?

Best

Gregg

PS did you receive my email from the weekend?

Hi Gregg

New email server over the weekend - just replied.

Cheers

Dave

Chris Bell posted:

I will be spending the next few days with Chord Sarum T IC & DIN-XLR.  My current setup is Super Lumina IC & Sarum TA DIN-XLR.

I'll report back.  

Keen to hear your report. Although I am expecting Sarum T to win the fight 

Maybe SL vs Sarum Super Array was a matter of taste, but Sarum T is (supposedly) a game changer.

I'd be interested too in your findings Mr. Bell as I also have Super Lumina IC & Sarum TA DIN-XLR.

Keep up the good work!

well there is a Sarum T review (May 2017) on the chord cable website.

Even compared to Chord Signature tuned aray, according to the review, the Sarum T blows that one away.

Chris Bell posted:

I will be spending the next few days with Chord Sarum T IC & DIN-XLR.  My current setup is Super Lumina IC & Sarum TA DIN-XLR.

I'll report back.  

Like others I am awaiting your feedback!!

Claus