Current system: cds3/xps2/252/300/S.L cable full looped/fraim
Just done A/B test for 300 with both S.L balance cable and standard balance cable, here is my experience:
Standard balance cable : more open, more small details, more natural
S.L balance cable : more warm (especially the mid range/vocal), more tight bass
I prefer the open/natural of standard cable but like the warmth of SL cable, so cant make decision which one is better.
Anyone can share if you have the similar feeling.
By the way, i done the comparison of both xps2 and 555ps for my cds3, end up i decided to sell the 555ps and keep the xps2 because i prefer the more natural sound of xps2.
Do you mean the signal cables from the SC output to the 300 head unit? Just asking because they are not balanced, although they use XLR plugs on the 300 side.
You shall open a new thread , with a more precise question. I feel you will have more responses. Like “ Superlumina XLR vs Lavender between pre and 300 dr”.
The stock leads are slightly different. Not loads in it imo. There is more bass weight with SL, vocals more forward with stock. Bass crisper with SL. I find stock warmer. Tough choice but given the cost difference…
I found SL between pre and power on my 500/552 it was very dissapointing…to my ears in my system the std cable was superior. I then tried Vertere same result…I then tried the Morgana cable…omg…big improvement…
Same as above really, i tried SL in my 500dr from my 552dr and didn’t like it, especially for the price, it was different to the standard cables but for me not in a good way.
I then tried the witchhat morgana cable and they stayed, right from the start they had me and was what i was expecting from the SL, the really good news is that they are much cheaper and that ment i could also get more morgana cables and now run a full loom as my hilines also went
I use SL everywhere else speaker cables and ND555 to 552 … and they work great especially the ND555 to 552… but the din to xlr 552/500 for some reason did not give any results. I borrowed a demo pair with plenty of hours on and ran it for a week…but it gave nothing. Others have found a good improvement … but there are a few such as myself where it did not work out. The Morgana’s offered an immediate improvement and steadily got better and better…
Interesting test between the cables - price alone doesn’t match the hype with the SL’s compared to the Hiline.
I absolutely loved the naturalness through the hiline XLR but I upgraded to the complete SL loom on the basis Naim know how to interlink all the cabling with 5heir own sound. I loved the speaker cable, the interconnect assists but I wish sometimes I had stuck with the hiline XLR. I miss it’s ability to soften and yet give soundstage depth.
I’m not aware of there ever having been a Hi-line XLR.
I remember trying a prototype hi-line DIN-XLR at the factory and it just didn’t work very well, sounding a bit too soft and lacking the tension of the standard cable. Needless to say it wasn’t good enough to make production.
I think you would be the zen master of knowledge on all this so my description must be wrong?
I switched my separates about a year ago into the 252 and the ND555 and with that came a cable switch with the din to XLR. My memory may be wrong but I thought I had bought an upgraded cable at some stage which I’ve called the Hi line…but will look into my records more deeply. Wouldn’t want to mislead the forum either so I’ll revert if I can clarify what I had. As it’s stands now the SL cost increase which occurred just after I bought my loom has priced itself out of my inquisitive mind so I’m glad I went for them when I did. (Not sure Naim got the right price balance with their move on the cabling it was pretty horrific so these discussions may become more obsolete in the forum)
I have DIN to XLR cables made using Mogami W2497, what you describe above +tighter bass, is exactly the improvement that they give over the standard cables!
@Dunc@Best_jerry similar experience here. I have SL for loudspeaker and SL for interconnect. I tried the SL Mono pair xls to connect 300Dr to SuperCap, and compared that with Morgan XLR Mono pair. To my ears the Morgana have the better - more relaxed and detailed - sound so went with them.
I had a very similar experience with SL interconnect on my NDX2 to 282. Owned and had the SL but preferred the sound of the stock lavender. Sold the SL in the end.