Chord Signature Reference Speaker Cable

nigelb posted:

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Nigel - no I haven't tried SL and probably won't as I think cable changes - Powerlines excepted - whilst bringing changes I can't come to a conclusion.  

So if there's cash to be invested then I'm minded towards some DR mods and possibly a SC for the 282.  

Regards,

Lindsay 

That makes sense Lindsay. It is what I did prior to SL, but you do know DRing and SuperCapping leads to the seductress that is the 252!

There's also the issue of Fraim

By 'issue' do you mean you don't have a decent (in hifi terms) rack or you don't like the look of Fraim?

Depending on what you are currently using as a rack, I would definitely get that sorted first. I went for Fraim several years ago and it made a considerable  difference to SQ. Of course it has 'supported' (sorry) all subsequent upgrades since.

But if you are already using a decent rack, I am not sure if 'upgrading' to Fraim is a priority. What do you currently use?

Quadraspire    

Nout wrong with Quadraspire, I use it myself. Yes, Fraim might give a little more but not a priority I would have thought. You'll get far more from DRing and SuperCapping your 282 IMHO. There will come a point however when a Fraim might be worth considering.

Have fun!

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Chaps,

Another speaker cable thread I'm afraid. 

I've been trying Signature TA interconnects in my system with I must say very encouraging results.  Next logical step would be to consider Signature Reference speaker cable.  Interested to hear if anyone has experience particularly in a Naim/Kudos configuration.  

Regards,

Lindsay

Hi I run the setup your asking about with my SN2 an kudos S20s really like the chord cables work well for me especially with voices 

tempted to demo the Sarum t version but are very expensive and see 555 ps as my next upgrade

best thing I would do is home demo them over a week if you can to help decide 

Finally you can have the cables in all black so no unsightly red to put up with 

analogmusic posted:

to my ears the SL speaker cable does time very well, and is much better than NACA 5 

I hope it is ok, to be in favour of a Naim speaker cable, on the Naim forum?

I mean whenever SL is discussed the Chord Sarum supporters come to say how much supposedly better it is (to their ears) , so hopefully it is acceptable to praise SL cables on a Chord cable thread....

What was the system in which you compared the NACA5 and SL?

I will audition Chord vs Naim cables this autumn, at my dealer. They run 272-xps-250, same as my setup, but Kudos S20a switch to Sopra 2. Have tried Epic Twin several times in different Naim setups, and even if it has their strengths, I have ended at NAca5 every time.

Naim SL, and Chord Signature and Sarum T will be available for audition. Quite a cost, but curious on the differences. I think there`s a cable cost limit for my setup, hoping that signature it is, costwise, we will se. I may well end up upgrading the turntable instead.

S

Audition the Epic Reference speaker cables. I went from NACA5 to these about a year ago and am very pleased with them. I did a fairly exhaustive comparison at the time using both my outgoing PMC GB1i’s and incoming Kef Ref 1’s.  I felt the Chord had more detail, a better sense of space and were generally more realistic (accurate?) sounding. This was particularly apparent on acoustic guitar - an instrument I play. The Kefs and the Chords have both been running for about a year now and sound sublime (and better than when first fired up) - though I cannot say which component has contributed the most. The Epic Reference are not too stiff and come in a gold/brown shade - so perhaps easier to install (fortunately mine run hidden in skirting ducts).

Muttonjef posted:

analogmusic posted:

to my ears the SL speaker cable does time very well, and is much better than NACA 5 

I hope it is ok, to be in favour of a Naim speaker cable, on the Naim forum?

I mean whenever SL is discussed the Chord Sarum supporters come to say how much supposedly better it is (to their ears) , so hopefully it is acceptable to praise SL cables on a Chord cable thread....

What was the system in which you compared the NACA5 and SL?

3 systems

282/HCDR/250DR with Dynaudio Focus 260

272/250DR with Proac D20

552/500 with Sonus Faber Stradivari

In all cases SL speaker cable keeps the engagement of NACA5 while eliminating all the weaknesses of NACA5.

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Nigel - no I haven't tried SL and probably won't as I think cable changes - Powerlines excepted - whilst bringing changes I can't come to a conclusion.  

So if there's cash to be invested then I'm minded towards some DR mods and possibly a SC for the 282.  

Regards,

Lindsay 

In my opinion, you need to get your black boxes sorted first before you consider cables or accessories.

Stover posted:

I will audition Chord vs Naim cables this autumn, at my dealer. They run 272-xps-250, same as my setup, but Kudos S20a switch to Sopra 2. Have tried Epic Twin several times in different Naim setups, and even if it has their strengths, I have ended at NAca5 every time.

Naim SL, and Chord Signature and Sarum T will be available for audition. Quite a cost, but curious on the differences. I think there`s a cable cost limit for my setup, hoping that signature it is, costwise, we will se. I may well end up upgrading the turntable instead.

S

SL cables are superb in my system, which is the same as yours. To me, they represent value for money for what they bring. They simply helped make the system disappear, leaving the music. That's the highest praise I can give, I suppose. 

Stover posted:

I will audition Chord vs Naim cables this autumn, at my dealer. They run 272-xps-250, same as my setup, but Kudos S20a switch to Sopra 2. Have tried Epic Twin several times in different Naim setups, and even if it has their strengths, I have ended at NAca5 every time.

Naim SL, and Chord Signature and Sarum T will be available for audition. Quite a cost, but curious on the differences. I think there`s a cable cost limit for my setup, hoping that signature it is, costwise, we will se. I may well end up upgrading the turntable instead.

S

I auditioned SL and Chord Epic Reference at length on similar system (555PS instead of XPS).

Whilst SL sounded nice, they were overshadowed by the Chord quite comprehensively, both in the dealer demo room and at home. 

Cost had nothing to do with my choice, as I was fully prepared to stump up the extra. Yet another example of how subjective this hifi game really is! Let your ears, not those of others, do the choosing. Good luck.

After all the experimenting with Chord Signature inter-connects I've now gone back to the standard Naim stuff and frankly I prefer it.   I think visceral was the word once used to describe it and I think I understand that.   Next I'm going to try some Naca 5 instead of the Odyssey.  SL is not on the agenda - I know it's very good but I can put that kind of money elsewhere.   

Regards,

Lindsay

Nice one Lindsay, you will enjoy NACA 5 a lot 

The Strat (Fender) posted:

..............    Next I'm going to try some Naca 5 instead of the Odyssey..............

Lindsay

This will be interesting.     Odyssey is a nice cable & it seems we might be the only two who admit to using it.    I tried NACA5 some years back & couldn't use it simply because I could not get it into the conduit around/under the fire place & trailing it around the front stirred the wrath of the domestic tidy monster & that forced me to seek a smaller profile & far more flexible.   But I did try it over a 3 days & yes it was nice & if it could have been installed I would have bought it.    Then just a year ago I soldered up a 4m pair for a friend & strung them around for a listen,  yes nice & it confirmed my previous impression.     So (cards to chest) & waiting to read how they are for you.

Odyssey is perfect if you like your music neat, tidy and uninvolving. I tried some for a good few months, precisely because it was small, and after a while found I was listening to music less. When the A5 returned, so did the musical enjoyment. 

Cards still to my chest & waiting for Lindsay's report,  but I don't agree  

Now, there's a surprise!

Both NACA5 and Odyssey are great cables. I use the latter because I feel the greater detail and clarity it gives is better for listening to my main loves, Classical music and acoustic based music. NACA5 however, really boogies more   and is better for Rock and Pop music.

Simples 

I suspect the differences are going to be in the margins.  We'll know a little more next week.  

Regards,

Lindsay

Naca vs Odyssey is far from clear cut. 

Whereas NAC A5 vs SL SC is very clear cut. So is the price unfortunately.

Just saying. 

Lindsay, I consider me to belong to the naca camp. I listened to signature reference and SL in my system before I serviced and DRed my boxes. SL is easely the best speaker cable of the two, and the best I heard in a naim system. However, at that point I wrote both of based on cost (I need 8-9m) and concluded that interconects make a bigger difference/bang for the buck to these ears. Also I went for DR...

Now to the twist,  a month ago I spotted a used set of Epic reference in suitable length, and desided to go for them, thinking I can always sell them on if I don’t like them. As much as I like Naca5 I am convinced this cable stay. To me it is more articulte in the whay it presents voices and instruments, a bitt more “live” than what I get with Naca5. I belive it’s a bit lighter in its tonal balance compared to signature ref, but othervise pritty similar I think, have not compared side by side though.  Wort a try at least at used prices if you ask me.

(Oh, Remember trying the original Signature SC ~10 years ago, I clearly preferred Naca5 at that time!?)

Perhaps not as subtle.   But frankly I found the Naca aggressive.  Getting a 2nd opinion at the weekend.  

Joppe posted:

Lindsay, I consider me to belong to the naca camp. I listened to signature reference and SL in my system before I serviced and DRed my boxes. SL is easely the best speaker cable of the two, and the best I heard in a naim system. However, at that point I wrote both of based on cost (I need 8-9m) and concluded that interconects make a bigger difference/bang for the buck to these ears. Also I went for DR...

Now to the twist,  a month ago I spotted a used set of Epic reference in suitable length, and desided to go for them, thinking I can always sell them on if I don’t like them. As much as I like Naca5 I am convinced this cable stay. To me it is more articulte in the whay it presents voices and instruments, a bitt more “live” than what I get with Naca5. I belive it’s a bit lighter in its tonal balance compared to signature ref, but othervise pritty similar I think, have not compared side by side though.  Wort a try at least at used prices if you ask me.

(Oh, Remember trying the original Signature SC ~10 years ago, I clearly preferred Naca5 at that time!?)

I share the same experience when I compared both NAC A5 and Chord Epic, though in my case it's the Epic Twin and not Epic Reference. Subtle differences between the two speaker cables but the Epic showed a level of refinement that was missing with the NAC A5. The NAC A5 sounded slightly crude in comparison and lacking a bit of air and detail. The sound is bunched up together and less separated or expressive when compared to the Chord Epic. Not a significant difference but noticeable enough to my ears. I have swapped between the NAC A5 and Chord Epic Twin many times before I came to a conclusion with my Harbeth SHL5 Plus speakers.

Make no mistake, both NAC A5 and Chord Epic Twin are good cables and I could surely live with both. However, the better sounding cable gets to stay with the main system. The NAC A5 is currently in my 2nd system (202/200) and music sounds good too.