NACA 5 may well have been (and still is) a good speaker cable. Trouble is technology has moved on as you can see from the plethora of new Naim components appearing thes days. NACA 5 is in a time warp-in component terms Naim's top of the line amp now would be a "160". NACA 5 was developed in the days of QED79 and bell wire so against that line up, of course its going to shine. Roy Gregory's article on the 300 amp and the seemingly herculean improvements he achieved with a switch to Nordost, has to be given consideration. Come on Naim; exercise your privilege of developing new products without giving notice-it's time for a NACA 500!

quote:

---

Roy Gregory's article on the 300 amp

---

Where is the said article please Mr Mason?

I'm sure that Naim are 'messing' with different speaker cable. Have they discovered that it's the same same story as with their long established 'ordinary' interconnect cable - different ain't necessarily better?

Any comment from the horse's mouth?

quote:

---

Originally posted by J.N.:
[QUOTE] Roy Gregory's article on the 300 amp

---

Where is the said article please Mr Mason?

Issue 22 - Mar /Apr 2003

quote:

---

Originally posted by N. Mason:
Roy Gregory's article on the 300 amp and the seemingly herculean improvements he achieved with a switch to Nordost, has to be given consideration.

---

Why? Do you believe all that you read?

Well, I tried the Nordost and although I accept the improvements it brings, overall I'd stick with NACA5. Why? Because the Nordost highlights mid and treble, bass seems to languish somewhere behind and the music seems to limp along instead of have purpose.

I'd love a new Naim cable that did some of the stuff done by other cables such as Nordost, Chord Odyssey and Townshend Isolda, but not at the expense of involvement , nor by highlighting frequency ranges.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

quote:

---

Originally posted by reductionist:

quote:

---

Originally posted by N. Mason:
Roy Gregory's article on the 300 amp and the seemingly herculean improvements he achieved with a switch to Nordost, has to be given consideration.

---

Why? Do you believe all that you read?

---

A good dealer should be able to demonstrate the merits of both/any cables and as always you draw your own conclusions. Perhaps people with active systems wouldn't fancy a change of cable. Keep an open mind.....

The thing is that it would be a real snap to sell Nordost to an unsuspecting customer. The difference it makes in the mid and treble regions is remarkable. A salesperson could easily focus a demo situation on the positives, add the Roy Gregory angle and make significant sales. I couldn't do that in all conscience, but I imagine a lot of sales people would take advantage when there's the chance of selling £2000 worth of cable!

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Frank Abela:
Well, I tried the Nordost and although I accept the improvements it brings, overall I'd stick with NACA5. Why? Because the Nordost highlights mid and treble, bass seems to languish somewhere behind and the music seems to limp along instead of have purpose.

I'd love a new Naim cable that did some of the stuff done by other cables such as Nordost, Chord Odyssey and Townshend Isolda, but not at the expense of involvement , nor by highlighting frequency ranges.

Regards,
Frank.

---

Thanks Frank, you are a star!

I've just ordered NACA5 cable as part of my speaker upgrade after 10 years living with NACA4!

So as you can imagine your comments fill me with huge amounts of relief!!

Regards,

JonR

quote:

---

Originally posted by Frank Abela:
Well, I tried the Nordost and although I accept the improvements it brings, overall I'd stick with NACA5. Why? Because the Nordost highlights mid and treble, bass seems to languish somewhere behind and the music seems to limp along instead of have purpose.

---

Frank,

I agree. I am puzzled to why RG keeps praising Nordost. Yet again, it shows cabling is system dependent. I am not sure which system he tried the Nordost in. Even the Valhalla only 'sort of' worked in a system with warm, fat disposition. Still I agree that they put more emphasis in treble area which made the music somewhat artificial and fake. Quatrofil was the same way only worse.

I never had a good luck with Nordost. Once I was told that's because Nordost cables are revealing in that they only highlight a shortcoming of my system.

Oh dear, here we go again.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Frank Abela:
The thing is that it would be a real snap to sell Nordost to an unsuspecting customer. The difference it makes in the mid and treble regions is remarkable. A salesperson could easily focus a demo situation on the positives, add the Roy Gregory angle and make significant sales. I couldn't do that in all conscience, but I imagine a lot of sales people would take advantage when there's the chance of selling £2000 worth of cable!

Regards,
Frank.
_All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly._

---

£2,000 NACA5's OK by me!

This is an interesting debate and I'd like to add my two cents. Having just upgraded from NACA4 to Nordost Red Dawn I am surprised at some of the comments. I have definately seen improvement in the mid and trebble as described, but can't say I've noticed any loss of bass. I'm using a 300 to drive B&W 802's and have really enjoyed the new openness at the top. The real leap though has been through plugging in Red Dawns between Cd/Pre - Just stunning. I had wondered if the 300 was up to the 802's but that hasn't worried me since. Must say however, that I didn't get to hear NACA5 which is something I must make time to do!

Technology has indeed moved on, but it is my experience that quality of the technology has very little to do with percieved sound quality.

Regards Robert

Technology has brought us the CD but lots of people are still listening to vinyl, and saying CD is different and/or better to records. New don't always mean better IMO. For me if I had £2k to spend on speaker cable I would buy an 82/250 instead.

One of the things I like about Naim is that you don't need to spend a small fortune on cables to convince yourself you've brought the best product for the job.

I'm sceptical of most hi-fi companies, and if Naim will sell you £25k or whatever it costs worth of 552/500 and suggest the same cables they'd sell you with a Nait 5i/CD5i I'd trust their judgement and honesty.

Paul

cables and interconnects is one of the last great areas of opportunity for charlatans in audio. I've been at demos where some of that thick as a python (and I don't mean Monty) speaker cable made with exotic metallurgy and coated in Yak feces or something was up against some gray stuff that looked liked lamp cord. The cost difference was $10,000 for the python cable and about $5/ft for the gray cable from Supra. The lamp cord kicked the arse of the python in every possible musical parameter.
The lesson? You've got to listen first, and cables should be treated as part of a holistic system. AND, there is absolutely ZERO connection between cost and musicality.
I've heard tests with cables from Naim, DNM/Reson, Supra and even Mapleshade where all of these affordable wires and interconnects did better than much more expensive stuff so I've come to view the cable and interconnect part of this business with a great deal of skepticism. Go for sound, match the system, and don't get ripped off.

BBBobby, please check your private topics.

Graham

Speaking of insanely priced cables, I recently heard a setup where the speaker cables outpriced the speakers. $8,000 B&W 802's with $10,000 Transparent cables. Idiocy!

Across the room was Meridian/Halcro/Wilson Audio with $25,000 Transparent speaker cables into $40,000 speakers, and that system was among the worst I've ever heard, regardless of price. Bleh. It's amazing what people will buy when they have too much money.

Of course, I now remember all the strange looks I got when I told my friends that I was buying a Supercap2 and XPS2 and how much they cost... for two power supplies?

Graham

Compared to what I used (Siltech), i am still a satisfied user of the Naca 5. Until two years ago all my cables where labeled "high end", and now with el cheapo cables my Naim set up sounds terrific!!! I think you will have to hear it, to be satisfied with it. With the budget that I have today, i will rather spend some money on a new hi- cap.

René

quote:

---

Originally posted by N. Mason:

£2,000 NACA5's OK by me!

---

Yeah, and take pity on us Active users - three pairs required!

cheers, Martin

E-mail:- MartinPayne (at) Dial.Pipex.com. Put "Naim" in the title.