If using a Hicap, where should the better power cable be used in? The SN3 or the Hicap? If on the Hicap then what about the SN3? Can I use a really cheap cable on the SN3? What is the SN3 doing if using external PSU?
1 Like
Both the Supernait and the HICAP need power. What the HICAP does is give dedicated power to the Pre-amp section of the Supernait. This gives a higher quality power feed to the pre-amp, which gives better performance and also relieves the power amp’s supply from also having to power the pre-amp, which again brings performance gains.
Note that while a HICAP should come with a SNAIC5 as standard, you will also need a SNAIC4 here as well.
The connection illustration from the user manual shows you all you need here (ignore the Stageline though if you don’t have one);
1 Like
I can only answer your question @KoopAs from personal experience. I have a friend that bought a second hand SN3 a few months ago, he already had a HiCap DR. After a few weeks of running using the stock powerline Lite cables he asked me if i would bring over my Vertere Redline power cables to do some A/B testing. Long story short, the Redline cables transformed the whole listening experience for the better. Much more engaging, instruments were much more defined within space as were small details that were not noticed before. I suspect that full fat Naim Powerlines would give a similar result. My answer therefore is that better power cables on both the SN3 and your HiCap DR is the way to go.
3 Likes
When I got my first Powerline I ran it in on the power amp but then tried it everywhere. I was using a CD5x with a Flatcap 2x at the time and I settled on the CD5x as the best use for it, where it only powered the digital circuits. On the Hicap feeding the pre amp it improved resolution, on the power amp it improved bass depth and clarity but on the source it gave better coherence letting the music make more sense. I was surprised it was on the digital side where had the greatest effect rather than the analog circuits powered from the FC.
3 Likes
I would use a powerline lite on the SN3, which it should come with. On the HiCap DR a powerline lite will be fine. The only upgrade I can recommend is getting a Naim powerline and then see if you prefer it on the Supernait 3 or HiCap DR most.
When I started my Naim journey I bought one powerline at a time. And then gradually built them up. You will get a better result with them. Clearer, cleaner presentation, lower noise floor, better separation and better bass control. My hunch is if you have one powerline it will sound better on the HiCap DR.
I would not use cheap cables on Naim kit. Standard leads they come with fine, but nothing less.
3 Likes
Seconded. And also for the powerlines. They are worth it; it’s almost as if they were made to maximise the potential of Naim kit 
. If I’d known how good they were I would not have bothered wit’s Russ Andrews cables at all, except, that at the time, I couldn’t afford the Powerlines.
2 Likes
I am using an AQ Thunder on the SN3 and a cheap Pangea on the Hicap. I am thinking of getting an Isotek or another AQ cable for the Hicap. Naim gear is very very very very hard to come by down here where I live. Even finding a SNAIC 4 has proven difficult. I am starting to think they don’t exist lol. Well, there is one on eBay but the ad says its an 80s vintage SNAIC 4.
3 Likes
I have powerlines on all my Naim kit. There are other offerings which some on here prefer such as Chord and Vertere. For Naim kit, I have all Naim powerlines and full loom Superlumina cables for interconnects and speaker cable. Prior to that I had the standard cables which came with the 500DR series and Naca 5 speaker cable, which are excellent.
The cables were specifically designed to go with Naim kit. The Superlumina cables are more refined than the more standard range.
Speaker cables and other interconnects act as tone changes. Some prefer different cables and have had excellent results with them. I haven’t felt the need to experiment. The Superlumina cables, with powerlines for me work well Naim kit.
I have two Chord Epic mains cables, one for Linn Klimax Radikal 2 and one for Marantz SA12SE SACD player. And then with Puritan 156 I use their Ultimate cable from block to mains.
Linn Silver interconnect phono cables from Urika I to 552DR, which is Linn standard kit.
Some Atlas phono interconnects between Marantz SACD and 552DR and a Mark Grant BNC to BNC cable between the Marantz and ND555.
Nothing is lacking. I won’t talk about ethernet cables and switches as we go into a different realm.
Bottom line is Naim cables are very good. I do like the Chord stuff as well, but it can get seriously expensive!
3 Likes
…and that’s saying something!
1 Like
I have Powerlines on all my Naim kit too, other than the Qbs of course. So that’s one Powerline in total.
2 Likes
I’m all Shunyata NR and Audience Forte f3 right now for my SN3, HCDR, & NDX 2. I don’t think that US models come with powerlines (they looked like normal, but solid, IEC cables to my eye) and these cables were all massive lifts over what came in the box.
I have my best cable on the HiCap DR, a Shunyata Delta NR v2. I iterated into having my ‘best’ cable there. But it’s worth experimenting in your own system with the cables you have available.
What is really Powerline Lite?
They look like ordinary power cables, no Naim labeling, just some Chinese names I think.
The cable and IEC plug is pretty ordinary. The UK wall plug is Naim’s own design based on the full Powerline plug.
1 Like
Ok, so it’s for the brits.
Yes, it the same cable Naim have used for some time apart from the wall plug, which has been replaced with their own design. I believe the US version uses a different (slightly fatter) cable so not all versions are identical globally.
1 Like
Is the OP in the UK ?
If not, would forumites recommend the Naim Powerlines to someone using say schuko plugs ? The benefit of the specially designed Naim plug would be lost, wouldn’t it ?
You get a Furutech on an EU powerline I think, though not an NCF one, an F1-E38(R) if I remember correctly.
1 Like
Which removes the benefit of the Powerline ?
I would say that the F10E38 is actually a much better plug than the UK plugs that come fitted to the powerline’s. Which means it adds to the benefit of a powerline, plus of course there’s no fuse in it either.
1 Like