Super Lumina trial

Sounds Broken : the other hifi thing sounds A little bit better that most probaly we might tell the difference in a blind test at 70% level, at least we hope so, we ought to for that kind money..... 

Only time i heard that something sound broken was my 272 when i disconnect 555

I don't know what all the fuss is about.... if your interested try it. I was very sceptical... it made big difference in my system. I know it is expensive but in terms of what it did and the enjoyment it has given it has been worth it. Interestingly  I tried sl  between 272 and 250dr and I could not really difference so sold it.

Only try these things if you really think you're prepared to buy them. Or just enjoy your system as it is.

Yep ... I totally agree .... I just did not expect such a difference!

Richieroo posted:

I don't know what all the fuss is about.... if your interested try it. I was very sceptical... it made big difference in my system. I know it is expensive but in terms of what it did and the enjoyment it has given it has been worth it. Interestingly  I tried sl  between 272 and 250dr and I could not really difference so sold it.

Totally agree. Whatever the product this is the thing to do - it seems rather obvious.

But for some odd reason I have never understood there is this reaction around trying SL cables that would not exist if other popular brands were being discussed. Almost as if there is a fear you might like what you hear!

No need to beg forgiveness for trying and liking the SL cable. I've tried an alternative brand and did not rate it, but don't spend my time bemoaning that others tried and like it on the threads praising it - what is the point?

Enjoy and report what you hear and don't be concerned about the being told you have the wrong perceptions, deluding yourself or should have gone for 'brand X' instead. I prefer the SL cables in what they elegantly deliver over and above the standard Naim cables and found they give more musical detail and coherence than the praised alternative I'm meant to prefer...but don't.

DB.

Richieroo posted:

Yep ... I totally agree .... I just did not expect such a difference!

Maybe ten years ago, when Naim unleashed it's Hi-Line, one may not have noticed a drastic difference!

But Today:

"The Chord Company has been designing and hand-building cables for hi-fi and home cinema in England since 1985.  We know just how important cables are and how the correct interconnect, HDMI, power and speaker cable can transform the experience and pleasure of listening to your favourite pieces of music or watching your favourite movies.

Cables are not and never have been, an accessory. They are a vital part of your system and choosing the right cable is more important {TODAY}, than it ever has been."

=====================================

"The Chord Company was formed in 1984. It all started over dinner one night in Salisbury, when a group of visiting Naim Audio USA retailers asked Naim Audio UK for a good-quality DIN-to-RCA interconnect.  At the table, was one Sally Gibb, then married to a Naim Audio executive, who made the (historic) suggestion that she make the cables and start a business. With the blessing of Naim Audio, the journey to make cables for America began with USA referring to cables as ‘{cords}’, the name The Chord Company, with its obvious musical connotations, seemed perfect and it quickly stuck. Sally drew a logo, designed the packaging and started testing prototypes. Completely British design and construction, although difficult to source at the time, was paramount and days of searching eventually led to suppliers of sufficient quality. {Friends at Naim Audio provided expertise and advice, with many of them helping to build the cables.}

The first prototype was named “Chrysalis Cable” and the Americans swiftly returned with an initial order of 250! Cables were built, tested, packed and taken along to the Post Office.  Invoices were typed on a typewriter! After two steady years, The Chord Company got its first press review (by Malcolm Steward) and then the phone started to ring…""

An interesting relationship between Naim, and Cords!

Allante93!

PS. Just an interesting read.

Allante - again you are repeating things without actual experience

The HI-line makes a big improvement on the standard Naim Din interconnect.

The Superlumina is a massive jump from the Hi-line.

Is there a need to copy and paste yet once more again the Chord cable company history? 

If you prefer SL cables (like me) even after hearing what supposedly better cables from elsewhere do in a home-demo, then being reminded that others think you made the wrong choice is amusing and irritating.

I suppose we are not getting the message - you are not actually supposed to prefer SL cables let alone tell anyone!

DB.

Richieroo posted:

I don't know what all the fuss is about.... if your interested try it. I was very sceptical... it made big difference in my system. I know it is expensive but in terms of what it did and the enjoyment it has given it has been worth it. Interestingly  I tried sl  between 272 and 250dr and I could not really difference so sold it.

hey Richieroo,

if i follow you well, the big upgrade was between your nds and the 552, not between 272 and 250.  The effect is bigger between source and preamp than amp and preamp ?

analogmusic posted:

And indeed the chord chrysalis sounds and looks almost identical to the naim standard RCA to Din !

Sorry Analog!

But now I understand why, Cord's chrysalis sounds and looks looks almost like naim's standard cords.

Allante93!

PS. You have a lot of hands on experience, that you share with the Forum.

Hi line, SL, and even Chords Chrysalis, Wow!

Chrysalis, Cord's first prototype!

Keep up the good work!

Darke Bear posted:

If you prefer SL cables (like me) even after hearing what supposedly better cables from elsewhere do in a home-demo, then being reminded that others think you made the wrong choice is amusing and irritating.

I suppose we are not getting the message - you are not actually supposed to prefer SL cables let alone tell anyone!

DB.

But that is why Bears go into Hibernation!

The Forum!

Not perfect, but entertaining!

Allante983!

PS. The Dark Bear!

Even I; as a dyed-in-the-wool, enthusiastically bleating Naim sheep thought 'That's just silly' when I first learned the prices of Super Lumina. No one likes having their leg lifted. Well actually, it can be quite pleasant - but that's another matter.

Anyroad; I have been a full-loom advocate for some time now because it works superbly for me. One should think of SL not as outrageous prices for wires, but as a system component which wrings the absolute best from all those expensive Naim black boxes and loudspeakers.

T&C's apply. Other makes of wires are also available.

John.

The thing about SL which isn't often mentioned is that for decades (yes, decades !!!), Naim dealers and customers have been asking Naim for a better speaker cable than NACA5, a better DIN/XLR interconnect for NAP 250/300/500 and also a better interconnect than the Lavender one.

So in response to all this overwhelming customer and dealer demand - we got the HI-Line, that too because of the CD555, and while the NDS still ships with the Lavender interconnect !

The Hi-line very engaging cable, and is good. But other companies cables are very good and competitive to the Hi-Line.

So what else could customers do - there was of course all the excitement about Sarum cables, and then Vertere came on the market with their fantastic and even better (in my opinion) interconnects and speaker cables, but still no Naim cable. Ah yes and not to forget Tellurium, Witch Hat cables, and a number of others.

So finally, thanks to the statement, we got a Naim official speaker cable, but Naim pissed off a huge amount of customers with the prices. It is priced at Chord Sarum levels.

Nevertheless, these are proper, real Naim cables, and keep all the qualities of the Naim sound we love and cherish.

as J.N says, though, there are other companies that make hi-end cables.

Naim for instance, when they supplied the then flagship NAC 552 for review to stereophile, supplied 4 pin DIN to RCA cables and 2 RCA to 5 PIN DIN cables with the Preamp, not made by Naim, but made by Chord Cables. Clearly mentioned in the stereophile review of NAC 552 available by google searching

 However, going back to that original customer and dealer demand for speaker cable, and DIN/XLR cable for NAP 250 onwards, the issue with these is how to increase resolution while maintaining the timing and Naim PRAT qualities.

in particular the DIN/XLR cable. It seems for decades, no better cable was available in timing than the 6amp mains cable that Naim use, so it is quite a overwhelming option to now have a Superlumina DIN/XLR cable that is able to maintain timing, while massively increasing soundstage resolution and dynamics

Now that we have the Naim cables, since timing is such a elusive thing, it is good to have the option of a Naim designed and Naim made cable, and I certainly don't understand why this is a bad thing, well other than the stupid pricing.

However, over time these should be viewed as the same level of upgrades as a Hi-Cap and Supercap, XPS or PS555DR, damn expensive, but similar or better level of upgrades 

 In fact every single Naim upgrade I made, I always kicked myself, why didn't I do this earlier.

I am as others a real advocate of the cables. Yes the prices are high, but you get an amazing upgrade. For me it just was an unpleasant experience as the expected retail prices quoted in the factory tour have doubled in real prices. So at the time I Impuls wise ordered them I thought they have been an amazing deal given the uplift. When I then got the speaker cables for real it was still a great upgrade but less of a great deal. I wouldn't at any price want to go back to my original speaker cables and interconnects.

Wow allot of interest in SL...... bottom line is their good but expensive....

My daughter has a "house" bunny rabbit, who if left unsupervised try's to sneak into our living room. He could teach people a thing or two about cable dressing. Although one of the drawbacks of NACA5 is it's hard and inflexible, it does make it bunny proof. Super lumina would make enjoyable al la carter dining for the rabbit.

And no the rabbit has to stay, tried that one.....

I find rat bait works very well....

I am sure it would, though there would be consequences for me. I will bide my time,plan on outliving bunny and then upgrading

Just replaced Hiline from CDS3 into 252/300 on demo with a Super Lumina and the results are pretty gobsmacking !

Told you ....... I found hi line bright and grainy - but with good timing .... the super lumina seems to add much more detail give base definition and reduce glare win win except for the expense .... :-(   Maybe hi line would be good with a different speaker combination .....

I keep asking this and no one can explain.   I buy a Naim SL to go between my CDP and 282, SL XLR to go between HC and 250, and SL cable between 250 and speaks but isn't the whole thing compromised by the bog standard SNAIC between 282 and HC. Discuss.   It could be that other SNAICs are available but even if they are quite understandably it is an out of bounds topic on the Forum. 

Regards,

Lindsay

Bob_B posted:

Just replaced Hiline from CDS3 into 252/300 on demo with a Super Lumina and the results are pretty gobsmacking !

The Strat (Fender) posted:

I keep asking this and no one can explain.   I buy a Naim SL to go between my CDP and 282, SL XLR to go between HC and 250, and SL cable between 250 and speaks but isn't the whole thing compromised by the bog standard SNAIC between 282 and HC. Discuss.   It could be that other SNAICs are available but even if they are quite understandably it is an out of bounds topic on the Forum. 

Regards,

Lindsay

I hear you Lindsay, but what if the Snaic damages Naim's Pre-Amp!

Naim is doing what any reputable Company would do, warn their customer base to use the proper Cabling & ICs!

It would have to be a Company that was familiar with Naim:

""The Chord Company was formed in 1984. It all started over dinner one night in Salisbury, when a group of visiting Naim Audio USA retailers asked Naim Audio UK for a good-quality DIN-to-RCA interconnect.  At the table, was one Sally Gibb, then married to a Naim Audio executive, who made the (historic) suggestion that she make the cables and start a business. With the blessing of Naim Audio, the journey to make cables for America began.... ""

Just saying!

Allante93!

I also doubt that Vertere actually 'makes' cables but I'm willing to be proven wrong. They could both be sourcing different 'brews' from the same specialist cable manufacturer. For years BICC made speaker cable for Linn and I think Naim. Again happy to be corrected!

Allante93 posted:

The Strat (Fender) posted:

I keep asking this and no one can explain.   I buy a Naim SL to go between my CDP and 282, SL XLR to go between HC and 250, and SL cable between 250 and speaks but isn't the whole thing compromised by the bog standard SNAIC between 282 and HC. Discuss.   It could be that other SNAICs are available but even if they are quite understandably it is an out of bounds topic on the Forum. 

Regards,

Lindsay

I hear you Lindsay, but what if the Snaic damages Naim's Pre-Amp!

Naim is doing what any reputable Company would do, warn their customer base to use the proper Cabling & ICs!

It would have to be a Company that was familiar with Naim:

""The Chord Company was formed in 1984. It all started over dinner one night in Salisbury, when a group of visiting Naim Audio USA retailers asked Naim Audio UK for a good-quality DIN-to-RCA interconnect.  At the table, was one Sally Gibb, then married to a Naim Audio executive, who made the (historic) suggestion that she make the cables and start a business. With the blessing of Naim Audio, the journey to make cables for America began.... ""

Just saying!

Allante93!

 

No I get that but why haven't they produced a hi-SNAIC or SLAIC??!!