Hi there to everyone,New to this forum so here goes,At present I have 2 Rel subs the 7ti.Ihave a 2 ch and home theater setup which I believe is okay.Present Naim goodies are Nac200,Nap 200,Headline and Hicap.Denon and pioneer cover the avr/cd side of things.I,m keen on changing the sub hi level cable to basslineblue,there will be 2 off them.Trouble is I cannot get a firm answer on whether to connect directly to the amp or to the speaker termonals.Surely there must be a preferred connection on this cable.Any ideas please,
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I have two REL S/510 and I have always connected high level cables to speaker terminals.
I don’t use Baseline Blue. I just cut the standard REL cable down to 2m lengths and terminated them with bananas. I have short banana/spade adapters for attaching to the speakers. I personally don’t really see getting enough benefit from Baseline Blue cables to make it worth spending $1000+.
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You just need cheap and cheerful speaker cable eg chord leyline, and connect to the terminals on the speakers themselves; not the amps.
The whole point of the Naim version of the Bassline Blue is that it allows you to connect the sub to a Naim power amp without the risk of affecting its stability and performance.
Another option is to buy a far cheaper version of the Bassline Blue from Designacable. If you plan to run two subs you could ask designacable to make up two leads for that purpose, as the regular versions allow you to connect both channels to a single sub.
You should first establish the correct position for your sub(s). If you find that you get the best performance by putting the sub closer to the loudspeaker rather than the amp you can use any cheap, basic speaker cable to connect from the loudspeaker to the sub.
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@ChrisSU The cable that comes with the REL subs is perfectly suitable for use. It’s not terminated anyway, so it’s easy enough to cut down to size and terminate with spades or bananas. And it’s no extra cost (well, except for the bananas). That’s what I use. No need to spend even a little money with Designacable.
I terminated mine with BFA bananas since that’s very easy to do, and got a pair of banana/spade adapters for a few bucks from Amazon. I’m already using the banana connectors on my speakers and have the spade connectors available.
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Yes, the Rel supplied cable is fine for connecting at the loudspeaker end, and speakers that use combined banana/spade terminals make it neat and easy.
Couldn’t you have just put spades on the cable instead of using adapters?
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Hi, i have 2 REL T9s. I use the supplied cable, cut them shorter to suit my needs, added spades, and then attached them to the speakers.
I’m sceptical the BaselineBlue are going to make a difference. I guess you could try them and report back.
REL themselves have a post on YouTube that suggests speaker end to high level has the advantage that the signal has been through the speaker cables and so should be similar to what the speakers are ‘seeing’.
Elsewhere on the forum you will see reports of successful use of the amp end to high level and even the low level input using one of the unused outputs from a Supercap that powers a SNAXO, which suggests there are successful alternatives.
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Yes, I could have put spades on the cable, but the cable is so thin it’s harder to get them crimped down tightly enough for the size spades I need at the speaker terminal. My dealer could have done that for me – with a special tool he has for those spades – but thinks my solution is a pretty good one.
The added benefit is if I need to remove the cable for some reason then I don’t have to deal with getting the spades to slide back in correctly (it’s a little awkward to do). I just disconnect at the banana adapter.
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Many years ago, I tried connecting a single REL low-level to a spare output on a HiCap (with 282). I could never get it to sound right – no matter how much I fiddled with gain/phase/xover – and went back to connecting high-level at the speaker.
To expand this out a little I’ve been advised NOT to connect the sub low level to the SC because of the potential sensitivity of my SNAXO so have heeded that advice but following the REL 25 thread last year, that approach has worked for the OP on that thread.
I’m currently using a sub hooked up to the amp end, high level, as a temporary measure until I connect to the speaker end but as I sit here listening to Chris Rea’s ‘On the Beach’ album, it sounds amazing nevertheless.
Hi there again,Thanks for all the replies regarding The Bassline Blue.I should add that I had already connected the hi level to the speaker terminals on my existing set up.But was always thinking that it was always lacking a little bit of bass response at every level.Came across the bassline blue while trawling through various questions and answers on twin sub installations.Even though it is expensive for what it is I may well purchase 2 off these cables and try them.Unsuprisingly Rel swear by them.At least I only need the 3 metre lengths.And forget about the naim version of this cable as I shall be connecting at the speaker end.Everyone agree this is my next step,even if its an expensive one.
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Two Bassline Blue cables cost £800 for the cheapest version. I can’t help wondering if there might be other changes you could make to your system that would be more beneficial for that amount of cash.
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I asked my dealer, and for REL six-packs they do use Bassline Blue. OTOH: a six pack starts at $16.5K (for S/510). But for me with my two S/510 a pair of 3m BB cables is $900, and they up from there for longer lengths.
Note that for a six pack, one needs one pair of BB cables, plus two pairs of jumpers. I don’t know what the BB jumpers cost.
I’d rather go on a shopping spree for records for that.
Edit: I suppose one thing to consider – if you connect at speaker terminals and don’t need length – is to get one cable, split it in half, and terminal the cut ends (one Neutrik + one pair spades).
TBH,the cable upgrade would be the option Rel would state as they obviously swear by it.Any other upgrade route would IMO be hit or miss.I could replace the speaker cable,subs,amps,psu, where would it end.I either stick with the sound I get or for say £600 for both leads(hoping) try these out.By reading other comments on this lead there have been some favourable feedbacks anyway.What else should one do before spending the necessaries.
Really need some assistance here.I,ve been trying for weeks now to get a general consensus on these Bassline Blue cables.Specifically the one designed for Naim and their regular one.I have two subs to connect,and a topic that has been talked repeatedly about is whether to connect at amp end or speaker end.Present power amp is a Nap 200.Rel are telling me to connect at speaker end,yet Naim are telling me to connect at speaker end considering the Naim BasslineBlue was made for this purpose.And as Rel states it was a collaboration between Naim and themselves.The point is if the cost of the NaimSpecific Bassline Blue wasnt no issue would this be the first choice everytime for dual sub installations.BTW the subs are 7Ti.What are your opinions on this fiercely contested subject.At present I can do either connection but surely there must be a clear winner on this. Can’t there??
It’s pretty simple.
- If you connect at the amp you need the Naim-specific Bassline Blue cable.
- If you connect at the speakers you need just the regular Bassline Blue, not the Naim-specific version.
I have two subs and connect at the speaker terminals. It’s easier that way since I don’t need the long cables. 1.5 m is enough.
I was even thinking if I ever want to get the Bassline Blue cables, I would probably just get one 3m, cut it in half, and re-terminate the cut ends (Neutrik on one, spades on the other).
Ok,that was a quick response,but in fairness I wasnt asking what was the simple approach on connection was.It was whether this speaker or amp end connection is the superior favoured connection.Surely the NaimBassLine Blue was manufactured for a reason.Why produce 2 cables,or is it something to do with whether your using one or two subs.
No, it has nothing to do with whether you connect one or two, or six, or ten subs. It has to do with where you connect them (amp or speakers). If connecting at the amp you have to account for the inductance of the cables. That is what the whole Naim version is all about.
There may or may not be a better connection sound wise. Offhand I would think the speaker connection is better because you don’t have to add hardware to work around the Naim amp design, and you might not have to deal with the stacking bananas (e.g. in my case where my speaker terminals are WBT connections accepting both banana and spade connectors simultaneously).
It is as simple as I explained it before. I think you just are over-thinking the whole thing. Personally, I would use the approach that provides you the more convenient connection, and I doubt whether you would hear a difference between Naim Bassline Blue connected at the amp and regular Bassline Blue connected at the speakers. The Naim version of the cable is more costly, so that might be a consideration as well.
I have a single REL T5 sub connected to my SN3 via a Baselineblue for Naim
The Baselineblue has stackable banana plugs, allowing it to connect directly to the SN3, with the normal speaker leads plugging into the Baselineblue bananas. Two subs requiring two cables means that the normal speaker leads will be plugging into two sets of stacked bananas. This could be an issue if the speaker cables are stiff or heavy as they will be standing away from the amp by the length of two sets of bananas.
The Baselineblue cable for Naim has a resistor/circuit built into the Neutrik plug for impedence matching.
I chose to go with the Baselineblue because I did not want more cables coming off the back of my speakers, but others do not object to such an arrangement.
The Baselineblue works very well, I have had no issues with hum or interference