I’ve recently gone back to Lavender after using a HiLine between my HiCapped Superline and my 252 for many years. The switch from 300 to 300DR beefed up the sound a little so after initially playing with speaker placement I switched back to Lavender and got a leaner sound.
After reading through the “Back To Lavender” thread I’ve been thinking about the options available for an alternative to Naim’s own Lavender and HiLine cables. I’ve only ever used a non Naim interconnect once in my system; a very short lived dalliance with a Chord Anthem many moons ago. I do use TQ Ultra Black speaker cable though which I am really happy with but after enquiring I know that TQ don’t make a 4 pin to 5 pin DIN cable.
Does anyone use a 4 pin to 5 pin DIN cable from another manufacturer and what convinced you to switch?
Unfortunately there are just a few non Naim options, I have been looking for an alternative (not upgrade) to my lavender, but apart from AR Lunar and Witchhat, there are none. The former has 2 much more expensive options than the lavender - 300 and 500 gbp ones, which may not necessarily mean they are better, there is one big thread regarding these cables on another forum, mostly they are praised, but there are few negative opinions. Personally I thought in buying the standard Lunar, but could not convince myself in doing so and will probably go RCA-5DIN as there are plenty of options.
Have a look at FlashBack Sales (www) , they make every Naim & others cable combo’s known to man. The Premier cables are really good, made to any length & choice of cable sleeve colours
I use a Chord Shawline 4 pin to 5 pin DIN cable between my Supercap (Superline) to 552. It replaced a Witchhat, and was significantly better. Price last year was £225.
I’m confused as the 4 to 5 pin DIN is used from the HCap to a preamp unpowered input when the HiCap powers the Superline. Where does Lavender and HiLine come in? It’s better to use the HiCap unless perhaps if you have a preamp such as 552 with enough welly to power a Superline.
Phil, the 4-5 interconnect (lavender or Hi-line) takes signal from the Hicap (which is perhaps powering the Superline and getting signal from same) into the pre-amp.
I assumed the OP had stopped using the HiCap for the Superline. Thought one was stuck with Lavender for the 4 to 5 pin DIN.
If the OP is disappointed with the Superline sound with a 252/300 I would think there are lots of other things to look at. My demo was disappointing but then I learned later from Cymbiosis that the 100 ohm resistance plug does not give 100 ohm load for a Rega cartridge.
Sorry for any confusion I’ve inadvertently caused. To clarify the HiCap is indeed on the Superline and to be honest I’m very happy with the Lavender cable which I switched back to from a HiLine a while back after changing from 300 to 300DR.
A recent problem led me to switch various components in and out of the system to try to isolate the faulty part - a change of SNAIC, removal of the HiCap, substituting Stageline for Superline and HiLine for Lavender.
Luckily it turned out to be an outside influence through the mains causing the problem but the dramatic differences in the sound I was hearing when putting bits in and out of the system made me wonder what other cabling options were available and if anyone was using such a cable why they chose to switch. If someone thought they had a cable that was night and day better than the Lavender (or HiLine) I’d give it a listen. But, truth be told, I think to improve the present level of performance would need a Supercap and not a cable.
Regards
Steve O.
Steve, I’ve said on here before in the past that with the Hicap or Supercap powering a Prefix, I preferred the Lavender over the Hi-line 4-5. On a digital source though I preferred the Hi-line.
Process was Lavender>Witchhat>Shawline. Not much difference for me between Lavender and Witchhat, but Shawline was immediately more impressive for me. so much so that I am tempted to go to Chord Sarum Tuned array, which is used for all other interconnects.