I agree. It seems to me SL and similar exotically priced cables are designed for 500 series systems and above and it’s questionable whether they are worthwhile - in terms of value for money - in lesser systems. Obviously people are free to spend their money how they choose but do I find it surprising some of the systems that include SL cables.
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I fully agree that manufacturing a cable in the UK (or rest of the EU or the US etc) carries a cost that you dont get in many lower cost countries. However, on the basis it probaly takes a similar amount of time to assemble any said cable, the price differences do seem a little odd: standard cables circa £140; HiLine circa £850; SuperLumina circa £1900. Is this difference all down to R&D amortiation and materials? I really dont know for sure.
But, as said by many in this post (myself included) if you have the money and perceive a worthwhile difference then go for it! As my dearly departed mother-in-law once said “shrouds dont have pockets”. How right she was, so spend that cash on what floats your boat and ignore any criticism. 
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These are also in the main trickle down products from R&D cycles associated with reference sources and amplification, the CD555 in the case of the Hi-Line and the Statement amplifiers in the case of the Super Lumina cables, they can fit in to other systems but aren’t going to always give an optimised experience, comes back to system matching and having a long term plan for where you want a system to get to based on enthusiasm but primarily on budget.
I usually take the full retail prices with a pinch of salt, I think you can expect to pay about 50-60% of those prices typically either used or dealer ex-demo stock.
These aren’t mass produced products, I’ve stood next to someone at the Naim factory making them watching the care and attention to detail going in to it, of course there’s margin and markup on anything, that’s just economics and if you have the disposable income and enjoy what it adds to your life as you say nothing wrong with that. I’m sure there’s folks on here with 3-4 occasional use cars or a box full of Swiss watches.
Sure a VW Polo and a Casio will get you to the supermarket on time but if you can do it in a Porsche wearing a Patek Phillipe, why not 
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These. 
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I’m curious to know what you consider as a poncey car that you can get for £7k? No axe to grind because I don’t have a poncey car (AFAIK!).
Best I could come up with given the modest budget.
Audi TT TDI S LINE QUATTRO £7,000
Can anyone lend me 7k…I really like the sound (no pun intended) of that Audi TT!
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Oh dear, my car is a TT quattro! But not a poncey one because it cost only £2.5k last year, and is not the rag top (it’s the nicer looking, quieter and roomier coupe, with faster petrol engine, dating from 2002.
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It’s marketing. It’s not important what the costs are of a product but rather what customers are prepared to pay for it.
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Good fun aren’t they 
. I presume it’s the 225hp turbo version? SWMBO’s is in the rather fetching Flame Red colour,.
Absolutely spot on!! Couldnt agree more. 
Yep! It is indeed, though blue - and the permanent 4wd really makes a difference. Getting it brought back enjoyment of driving rather than it just being a means to an end, which had been lacking for a few years.
I recall sitting in one when they first came out, and thinking the windows were too small, but It is quite different driving it. I can only fault it for one thing, fuel consumption/CO2 emissions are high by today’s standards - but I actually do very few miles, so rather academic.
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The best superlumina to get is the streamer to preamp din to xlr - I found that superb…the others are more meh … nice but not critical.
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I tried the din to din from streamer to preamp, and din to xlr from 552 preamp to 500…marginal improvement to my ears in my room. Witch hat Morgana was a big improvement for me, each to their own which is why we all need to listen to avoid disappointment.
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Sorry I meant din to din sl from streamer to 552 was ace … I found the din to xlr from 552 to 500 - dissapointing the std cable was just great.
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The news is so depressing these days! Fortunately, music is a great escape during this pandemic.
I must agree, that is an enormous amount of cash on cables.
With that being said, Naim’s ‘Statement’ is a statement directed to the manufacturers of high-end audio gear that Naim can compete with the best.
Of Course,the Statement’s trickled down technologies can be beneficial and applicable to their 500 series or even their classic series.
“Your Naim retailer will be able advise on RC5 control and to supply control cables of the appropriate length. Each NAP S1 power amplifier incorporates a single balanced XLR audio input socket on its connection panel. … The balanced inputs can be connected to either balanced or unbalanced preamplifier outputs.”
Enjoy Your Music!
The Why.
Allante93.
In the Pass Labs amplifier manuals, Nelson Pass used to write; “All I have to say about cables is … They should not cost more than the amplifier …”
I’m sure he chuckled when he wrote it.
Dave
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Ironically, the speaker cables in my system now cost more than the amp if based on RRP. If based on actual price paid, the cables are almost 3 times the price of the amp.
By the way, the amp I’m currently using in my system is not a Naim at the moment. If I switch to Naim amps, my system would fit the description of Nelson Pass’ remark in the Pass Labs amp manual.
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I’m in the process of building a 5.1 surround system. With my Naim System being down, I’m trying my best to preserve the best possible two channel stereo system within my 5.1 system. So far, not bad:
Sony 800 M2 (SACD)/CDX2 > Primare Pre 30 balance (XLR) > Arcam P1 Mono Blocks balanced (XLR)!
Audioquest King Cobra (XLR) throughout the whole system just seems logical.
Waiting on Emotiva Refurbished XMC 1 & XPA 3 the processor and amp claims to be fully balanced.
Point being, interconnects can be be extremely expensive even when they have been discontinued for years.
But its really all relative, a ‘Pre-loved Chord Music’ interconnect @ $3.5K ain’t bad carrying signals betwixt $90K Amps.
Enjoy Your Music.
The Why!
Allante93.
I found improving the din to xlr’s end is the most beneficial in that its the area that allows one to imediately blatantly gage any improvements. Far more decisive than upgrading the source to preamp cable which is then masked by the following ic cables further down the chain.
Try it and be prepared to be surprised. This was hinted to me at a Hi-Fi show by the Great One^^ (no Naims) and this approach clearly recommended by certain afficianadoes on their website also, supporting what was passed on to me years ago.