As I said…
The difference is that a SimRack will not fry or damage the electrical components.
DG….
Appreciated, I was just making the larger point that the optimum results for an individual’s Naim kit, are not always to be found within the Naim catalogue, whether electrical or not - there are many other variables at play and that not all (indeed, quite few) involve risk. They may not be ‘optimum’ from a purist standpoint, but only the minority of Forum members use Naim top-to-toe. A very large proportion (a majority?) appear to use non-Naim interconnects (not discussing SNAIC or Burndy here, for obvious reasons) and/or speaker cables coupled in some cases with extraordinarily expensive systems.
There are very few ‘wrong’ answers - some are just better than others.
Yes, other cables may be used, but in line with the technical specifications not to do damage. For example, correct length and cable type.
Unfortunately, there are many wrong answers.
DG…
Best bet is to have a coherent full loom.
All Naim cables + A5 = boom.
Introducing a different metallurgical technology in the system could may well put things off - resulting in needing to change all other cables in lieu.
Forsooth you need a plan.
Hopefully not
My real cable is with silver as well and it is far from being harsh, only to share my experience
I am not qualified to comment from an engineering perspective, where it may have merits (and certainly happy to work around it if it sounds better) and even be called “elegant” but from a user perspective (mine for sure) this is far from elegant and convenient. The mystification and lack of clarity between Naim amp generations does not help either. I can tell you that with regards to the SN3 the 3.5m requirement is a myth!
For the customers to be left to have to figure this out on their own (yes, I know, I know - the dealer but they are not everywhere or even informed always) is not good enough
To put all Naim power amps under the same heading and not provide more clarity on the differences is not good enough - for instance how useful is this to you from my SN3 manual (? are from me! )
Some (???) Naim amplifiers are designed only (???) to work with Naim loudspeaker cable and using alternatives (???) may degrade the performance or even damage the amplifier. Other (???) Naim amplifiers can be used with any high quality loudspeaker cable although (???) we recommend that Naim loudspeaker cable is used.
This in my view is not good enough
And to say that if we want simple we should use only NACA 5 or Super Lumina is not good enough either.
I have a long history with Naim and have learned what works but does it have to be this way and how about the new customer who may have not even heard about this forum (I know, hard to believe:))?
Is anyone any the wiser after all of this?!
I’d like to try SuperLumina on my SN3, but i would need 5 x metres minimum
Feel free to complain as much as you like, but you are making things very much harder for yourself if you don’t make use of a good, Naim-approved dealer.
You won’t get a better (that is, lower) price for whatever new Naim equipment that you buy, because you won’t find it below the recommended retail price.
Of course, you can look on auction sites such as eBay, but then you are very much on your own.
But you know best, no doubt.
Unfortunately, not all dealers are good. I have the choice between two local dealers, one whose sole interest is to shift as many black boxes as he can (and who will give you a ten per cent discount if that helps), and another one who’s part of a large retailing group, and who knows little about Naim.
In either case, demos are out of the question.
My comments were about the existing guidance from the manufacturer on speaker cables, for the SN3 in particular and in general on Naim amps. Just quickly scrolling through any such thread here should tell you how useful it is for people. Apart from the slightly unnecessary personal side of your reply, do you find this guidance specific enough, clear and useful?
I had a very good interaction with a Naim dealer that I like just very recently (hm, and actually had a great deal!:)) … however, you see, they do follow manufacturer guidance! Previously I’ve been advised that I need at least 3.5m long cables for my SN3 - this is 3m longer in total than I need at £1k/m - a cable that is wonderful but thick and stiff to manage and twist&hide around, and a bit dear to buy just because of wrong guidance, don’t you think?
Please suit yourself, buy whatever cable you like - bellwire doesn’t cost much.
I wonder what advice you expect to get on a NAIM forum for suggestions for use with a NAIM system?
Bell wire
The mind wanders
I agree, but it would be the competing cable manufacturer who should take responsibility for ensuring that their products are suitable if they want to appeal to Naim users.
Naim produce cables that are suitable for all of their amplifiers. Do you really think that they, as a business, should be responsible for helping their competitors to sell their cables to Naim’s customers?
Most, if not all, of Naim’s competitors are quite happy (and successful) in producing only components and to leave the customer to buy the cables - including interconnects - of their choice. Naim is fairly unique in its philosophy of requiring, in the past, the use of speaker cables carefully matched to meet amp impedance/capacitance needs. This is no longer the case (with some notable exceptions) and to produce electronics that could only be safely used with own-brand cables would be economic suicide. Naim do not produce ‘the best’ cables out there, any more than they make ‘the best’ electronics; no manufacturer could ever claim that. What they do provide is a range of cables well-suited to their product; to suggest that the ‘best’ possible solution can only be had with Naim cables (or boxes, for that matter) is to ignore and belittle the advice and first-hand experience of many members of this forum.