SuperLumina VS Hi-Line VS Chord Music - Interconnects

Posted by: BPhotographer on 22 January 2018

I rarely listen to other (non-naim) interconnects in my system; I find that other cables are anemic and create severe balance problems in an all-naim system context, but Chord cables are known for their synergy with naim.

I got the Chord Music din-din interconnect for a home demo and compared it to my SuperLumina and Hi-Line cables.

To make a long story short, I prefer the naim interconnects. 
The Chord is a very capable cable, but it's not the sound for me. Willful and too many 'ideas'.
Naim's sound is almost gone and I lose connection with the music sometimes.

I ranked all cables (including naim Lavender IC), in a score from 1 to 10.

Naturalness
SuperLumina - 9
Hi-Line            - 9
Music              - 6
Lavender        - 7

Details
SuperLumina - 8
Hi-Line            - 7
Music              - 10
Lavender        - 3

Transperancy
SuperLumina - 8
Hi-Line           - 7
Music             - 10
Lavender      - 5

Prestige Sounding
SuperLumina - 10
Hi-Line            - 4
Music              - 9
Lavender        - 1

Involving with the music
SuperLumina - 10 (with NDS)
Hi-Line             - 10 (with CDS2)
Music               - 7
Lavender         - 7

Soundstage and 3D
SuperLumina - 8
Hi-Line             - 7
Music               - 9
Lavender         - 6

Focus
SuperLumina - 8
Hi-Line            - 10
Music              - 9
Lavender        - 6

Dynamics
SuperLumina - 10
Hi-Line             - 6
Music               - 10
Lavender         - 4

Black background
SuperLumina - 9
Hi-Line            - 7
Music              - 3
Lavender        - 5

Size of instruments in the presentation (higher score doesn't necessarily mean better)
SuperLumina - 9
Hi-Line            - 5
Music              - 10
Lavender        - 6

"naim sound"
SuperLumina - 10
Hi-Line            - 10
Music              - 3
Lavender        - 10

The System:
NAP 500 non-DR
NAC 552 DR
NDS + 555PS DR
NDS + 2x555PS DR
UnitiCore (Chord Sarum & Chord Signature ethernet cables & Netgear GS105 switch)
CDS-2 + 555PS DR
Kudos 707
Full Loom (speaker cables, DIN-XLR), Powerlines
Fraim

BP.

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by analogmusic
Rui Marques posted:

I think it is a great effort sharing the conclusions.

Like Hungryhalibut i don't understand de Prestige category. Is it refinement?

Does the Superlumina control the bass better than Hiline?

I think he might mean the hi end sound with particular reference to high frequency refinement.

It's a tricky one as everyone will have their own idea of this.

 

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by Perol
analogmusic posted:
Nick Lees posted:
analogmusic posted:
Chris Bell posted:

While I prefered Chord Music to Super Lumina (by a wide margin) I totally respect BP's opinion.  He took the time, did the listening and made his judgements.  Folks tend to make so many generalizations and assumptions about cables without actually doing the work.  Glad you are enjoying your system and those new Titan 707's.  

CB

I do respect your opinion and findings, and thought about it a long while since your post, the wildcard  here is that you were using a Sarum DIN/XLR during your audition whereas BP photographer is using all Superlumina DIN/XLR and Speaker cables?

Not sure if Chord DIN/DIN Cables sound better with their own DIN/XLR...

Anyway - I find the old DIN/XLR and NACA5 surprisingly capable and is the Naim sound - Naim intended performance or designed in Salisbury original sound.

No doubt Dave J and Nick Lees will be here to contradict me, but a variety of opinions is what makes the forum interesting.

 

Why would I want to single you out for contradiction Ali? The OP has his ears, his opinions as you are to yours. There is no right way to hear.

In fact it's quite bizarre that you make a stand for opinions when you are all over any cable thread telling all and sundry that only Naim cables are right for Naim systems.

It's not really what I mean - I mean if anyone wants to preserve the Naim intended performance.

If a change from that is desirable, well it's down to taste and preference and ears and interpretation.

But to my ears what I don't hear is that Chord Cables do Naim better than Naim.

However I do hear that Chord Digital cables like Indigo walks all over the DC1 

Anyway it doesn't really matter, it's down to personal preferences.

Naim hardly predicted somebody used Chord Dac's and Dynaudio loudspeakers to create "intended" performance

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by Nick Lees
analogmusic posted:
Nick Lees posted:
analogmusic posted:
Chris Bell posted:

While I prefered Chord Music to Super Lumina (by a wide margin) I totally respect BP's opinion.  He took the time, did the listening and made his judgements.  Folks tend to make so many generalizations and assumptions about cables without actually doing the work.  Glad you are enjoying your system and those new Titan 707's.  

CB

I do respect your opinion and findings, and thought about it a long while since your post, the wildcard  here is that you were using a Sarum DIN/XLR during your audition whereas BP photographer is using all Superlumina DIN/XLR and Speaker cables?

Not sure if Chord DIN/DIN Cables sound better with their own DIN/XLR...

Anyway - I find the old DIN/XLR and NACA5 surprisingly capable and is the Naim sound - Naim intended performance or designed in Salisbury original sound.

No doubt Dave J and Nick Lees will be here to contradict me, but a variety of opinions is what makes the forum interesting.

 

Why would I want to single you out for contradiction Ali? The OP has his ears, his opinions as you are to yours. There is no right way to hear.

In fact it's quite bizarre that you make a stand for opinions when you are all over any cable thread telling all and sundry that only Naim cables are right for Naim systems.

It's not really what I mean - I mean if anyone wants to preserve the Naim intended performance.

If a change from that is desirable, well it's down to taste and preference and ears and interpretation.

But to my ears what I don't hear is that Chord Cables do Naim better than Naim.

However I do hear that Chord Digital cables like Indigo walks all over the DC1 

Anyway it doesn't really matter, it's down to personal preferences.

All perfectly reasonable. 

Why don't you try being more reasonable up front instead of making it personal, not just at individuals, but to people who prefer non-Naim solutions as a whole?

It makes for friendlier, less confrontational and partisan debate and much better input for those who want to explore.

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by FangfossFlyer

For what it is worth, so far in my system I have preferred  Naim SL to Chord STA but I have preferred Chord Music over Naim SL.

Richard

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by analogmusic

what do you prefer about ChordMusic over SL? Not a challenge just curious.

Curiosity is expensive in the Naim world 

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by Huge
analogmusic posted:

what do you prefer about ChordMusic over SL? Not a challenge just curious.

Curiosity is expensive in the Naim world 

Could be worse, curiosity is supposedly fatal in the feline world!

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by FangfossFlyer
analogmusic posted:

what do you prefer about ChordMusic over SL? Not a challenge just curious.

Curiosity is expensive in the Naim world 

This may sound strange but the Chord Music to me sounds like it is building on the SL and has a similar footprint, whereas the STA seems to be going in a different direction. The Chord Music on my system sounds fuller and rounder with a level of detail that does not become Hi-Fi but more like a live performance.

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by French Rooster
FangfossFlyer posted:
analogmusic posted:

what do you prefer about ChordMusic over SL? Not a challenge just curious.

Curiosity is expensive in the Naim world 

This may sound strange but the Chord Music to me sounds like it is building on the SL and has a similar footprint, whereas the STA seems to be going in a different direction. The Chord Music on my system sounds fuller and rounder with a level of detail that does not become Hi-Fi but more like a live performance.

STA is signature or sarum tuned array ?   why it seems to go in a different direction ?

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by FangfossFlyer

I am referring to Sarum Tuned Array (STA) compared to Chord Music and Naim SL.

I have also heard the new Chord Sarum Taylon which I felt moved things forward compared to STA but not in the same direction as Chord Music.

I emphasise that this is in my system and environment and not across all permutations  of cables and interconnects so is in effect a small selective sample. But significant enough for me to make decisions for my system. I would expect others to have different views and experiences especially as I have a specific sound and groove that I have been building upon over the decades which I often think is different to that many, or at least some others, are striving for.

Richard

 

 

 

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by hungryhalibut
FangfossFlyer posted:

I have also heard the new Chord Sarum Taylor which I felt moved things forward compared to STA but not in the same direction as Chord Music.

Richard

Just wait for the next iteration - the Taylor Swift. 

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by FangfossFlyer
Hungryhalibut posted:
FangfossFlyer posted:

I have also heard the new Chord Sarum Taylor which I felt moved things forward compared to STA but not in the same direction as Chord Music.

Richard

Just wait for the next iteration - the Taylor Swift. 

???? yeah, a bit of a typo on my part which I have now corrected ????

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by hungryhalibut

I bet the Taylor Swift would be good at the P of PRaT though....

Posted on: 23 January 2018 by nigelb

Where can I buy this super fast Taylor Swift cable then? Can't see it on the Chord website!

Sorry - must have way too much time on my hands this evening.

Posted on: 24 January 2018 by GraemeH
Hungryhalibut posted:

I bet the Taylor Swift would be good at the P of PRaT though....

Directionality is a problem though - it changes at random and not all fans approve.

G

Posted on: 24 January 2018 by Joppe

BP, I came to similar conclusion but without our your scoring system. For fun I added the different scores for SL and music, 99 to 86 in SLs favor. Seems about right to me! 

Posted on: 24 January 2018 by frotter16

I have had the good fortune to mirror CB's observations, in both his system, and my own.  The Naim 'effect', to which used to be referred in flat/round verbiage, in addition to PRAT, is accentuated with each SL step, and MORE is added to the presentation of information present from the source.  What the step course of HiLine-Sl-Chord Music does is release a tremendous amount of harmonics and spacial, almost 3D effects of all the recordings to which I've listened to in my NDS/2 555/552/500/Titans system.  I would invite anyone, first to not knock other's opinions/experience, but to focus on the simple AMOUNT of data flooding over one with Chord vs Naim products, and then share.  When I bring others to compare...no one walks aways with much question.  Chord Music interconnects release subtleties and nuances on which the SL touch slightly, but not nearly as pronounced.  Kudos (no pun) to anyone who invests the time and energy to focus like DP did.  Nice post.