Super Lumina IC

Lindsay, have you replaced the Hiline?

No the Hiline is away for repair, but having tried the SL I get what guys are saying!

Hmmn.....yet to try, was hoping the Hiline I got with the ND555 was a keeper. Oh dear I might have to try later in the year.

Sorry Gazza, but I did tell you!

Took me all of about 20 secs of listening to realise that the SL interconnect was head & shoulders better than the Hi-line it replaced.

nigelb posted:

Sorry Gazza, but I did tell you!

I know, but I feel better buying a black box....I know it’s stupid.????

Better not try the SL speaker cable, it'll cost you if you do

Gazza posted:

nigelb posted:

Sorry Gazza, but I did tell you!

I know, but I feel better buying a black box....I know it’s stupid.???? 

I accept that black boxes are the foundation of the SQ we can expect from our systems but the tough truth is that to get the best from top notch classic and 500 series kit, you need a little more than stock (and HiLine) cables from my experience.

I noticed the benefit of the SL interconnect with a NDS feeding a 282/SuperCapDR. The ND555 feeding a 252 would certainly benefit from a SL I/C. I simply don't understand why the ND555 comes bundled with a HiLine, good though that interconnect is. If you are going to spend £13k on a (world-beating?) streamer, then why hold it back for the want of a £2k interconnect?

Answers on a postcard.

They are rather good Especially when the entire loom is used (ouch.... better hide now...)

When I originally purchased my Black Box system (252/Supercapdr/250dr) I was using a NDX/XPSdr as a source with a Hi Line Interconnect.

I decided to demo some S/L speaker cables they were good but after trying them for a couple of weeks I asked the dealer to change the HI Line for a S/L interconnect what a difference.

You think the Hi line is good but I found in my system that the S/L Interconnect really brought home how good the S/L speaker cables can be.

Fortunatly I managed to be able to purchase both together thinking back if I could not have afforded both I would opt for the S/L Interconnect first it is that good.

Now running a full S/L loom expensive but worth it.

Well now having my second ND555 burning in, I will wait for a couple of months to let it burn in and get back to where the other unit left off. By then the Bristol show will have been and gone and the Naim rumours will have probably come home to roost....a 372, or something totally different. I have heard SL but not A/B, and not at home. I will bide my time, just in case a new preamp pops up, and opportunities appear......I know unlikely????

Gazza posted:

Well now having my second ND555 burning in, I will wait for a couple of months to let it burn in and get back to where the other unit left off. By then the Bristol show will have been and gone and the Naim rumours will have probably come home to roost....a 372, or something totally different. I have heard SL but not A/B, and not at home. I will bide my time, just in case a new preamp pops up, and opportunities appear......I know unlikely????

Well Gazza, you are not going to buy a new model streamer/pre, even I’d one were to appear as you already have the very best streamer and if a new pre amp does make an appearance (it  won’t) you are still going to need a better I/C to get the best from your ‘investment’ so far IMHO.

Probably best though to wait for your second ND555 to burn in so you can properly assess the benefit of the SL interconnect, but as others have said, the further addition of SL speaker cables and SL DIN/XLR provide way more.

Just saying.

nigelb posted:

Gazza posted:

Well now having my second ND555 burning in, I will wait for a couple of months to let it burn in and get back to where the other unit left off. By then the Bristol show will have been and gone and the Naim rumours will have probably come home to roost....a 372, or something totally different. I have heard SL but not A/B, and not at home. I will bide my time, just in case a new preamp pops up, and opportunities appear......I know unlikely????

Well Gazza, you are not going to buy a new model streamer/pre, even I’d one were to appear as you already have the very best streamer and if a new pre amp does make an appearance (it  won’t) you are still going to need a better I/C to get the best from your ‘investment’ so far IMHO.

Probably best though to wait for your second ND555 to burn in so you can properly assess the benefit of the SL interconnect, but as others have said, the further addition of SL speaker cables and SL DIN/XLR provide way more.

Just saying.

I know I just hate the bill of materials for a silly bit of copper and silver vs a black box......I know we are opening up the old can of worms. What I will do is get a home demo of SL versus the True Signal audio equivalents.....they do sound good, but again never tried at home. Interesting that when I took my ND555 back, a naimite was returning a SL interconnect that did not work for them.....so it’s not black and white for everyone.

Gazza posted:

nigelb posted:

Gazza posted:

Well now having my second ND555 burning in, I will wait for a couple of months to let it burn in and get back to where the other unit left off. By then the Bristol show will have been and gone and the Naim rumours will have probably come home to roost....a 372, or something totally different. I have heard SL but not A/B, and not at home. I will bide my time, just in case a new preamp pops up, and opportunities appear......I know unlikely????

Well Gazza, you are not going to buy a new model streamer/pre, even I’d one were to appear as you already have the very best streamer and if a new pre amp does make an appearance (it  won’t) you are still going to need a better I/C to get the best from your ‘investment’ so far IMHO.

Probably best though to wait for your second ND555 to burn in so you can properly assess the benefit of the SL interconnect, but as others have said, the further addition of SL speaker cables and SL DIN/XLR provide way more.

Just saying.

I know I just hate the bill of materials for a silly bit of copper and silver vs a black box......I know we are opening up the old can of worms. What I will do is get a home demo of SL versus the True Signal audio equivalents.....they do sound good, but again never tried at home. Interesting that when I took my ND555 back, a naimite was returning a SL interconnect that did not work for them.....so it’s not black and white for everyone.

 

Think positively, you should be able to pick up that returned SL interconnect for a nice price!

I hear you about the apparent poor VFM for bits of wire. You just need to demo SL cables at home to overcome such feelings.

Tomorrow I’m going to try it on my Nat 05.  

And far from certain I’m actually going to buy.  I could go back to the Hiline or Chord Sig TA with no misgivings.   In the overall scheme of things..............

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Tomorrow I’m going to try it on my Nat 05.  

Won’t you need a SuperLumina aerial for that?

Don’t joke Nigel - a little while ago the TV aerial man came round to carry out some adjustments.  He looked up at the roof and said “I’ll take that old FM stick down you won’t need that anymore”.   

Well, do give them a fair listen when the ND555 has burned in. I preferred the Hiline.

I feel very close to Norah Jones. 

The Strat (Fender) posted:

I feel very close to Norah Jones. 

I'd like to be 

My dealer has lent me his ex dem SL interconnect to try with my NDS and 252 in place of the stock NDS Din to Din.

Is it right that you need to insert the plugs and then withdraw them both by 1mm? 

Any advice on installation of the SL would be welcome so I can ensure it’s set up correctly for my week long demo.

Cheers all

David

Exactly as you say.  Also note it’s directional the rings at the end are colour coded.  

Enjoy. 

Lindsay

Thanks Lindsay. Are there any tips as to how I most efficiently do the comparison between the SL and Stock?

For example do members have the first lead plugged in to,say, the CD input on the preamp and the second lead plugged into another input (e.g. HDD) so that the only thing one needs to swap between demo tracks is the lead going into the source (NDS in my case)? 

Also, is it necessary to power everything down as interconnect leads are changed? I’ve never been sure on that.

Thanks

David

I would just use in the NDS but it will take a few days to settle in I did the S/L upgrade from a Hi Line when I had some S/L speaker cables on demo and found the S/L interconnect with S/L speaker cables a superb combination.

Enjoy your demo.