Yes, I could get the solders redone for sure if I wanted to. I have Witchhat N2 cables which seem good to me. I have never owned NacA5 cables so I don’t know whether Witchhat are good in comparison or not. I am building a second system (SN2-HiCap DR) so the Naca5 will be used in one, Witchhat for the other. I like the A7’s but they are not broken in yet, only had them for a little while.
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I’d like to know how Witchhat N2 compares. I am planning to move my system to another room and need more flexible cable. Was thinking about N2 or maybe even Phantom. Right now I have 7m pair of black NACA5 I’ve been using for about 8 years.
I use Witchhat N2 speaker cables and Naca5 connected to a Beresford switch where I can change between AV amp and my Naim Nac 135s. I also run Linn K20 cable from the switch to another room where I play my Naim gear. To my ears the N2 and Naca5 are very similar in sound quality. I honestly can’t tell the difference. The N2s are more flexible of course and a good looking cable. It’s the same spec and made by ex Naim engineers.
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In my experience, once you settle on your preferred lengths of NAC A5 (mine being 8 meters) and then have it made up with real care and attention, trying any other cables will just simply vanish out of the window. It’s a fantastically musical speaker cable and once run in? the penny will ultimately drop. ‘Now I get it’ will spring to mind. It really is worth all the heart ache it in the end!
I think the thing about the N2 Witchhat cable is that it is based on Naca5 but is more flexible wrapped in a stylish flexible braid. It’s a similar product for those who need more flexibility which @JosquinDesPrez was after! It’s also a fair bit cheaper.
Naca5 is great and so is N2! Take your pick depending on what you need it to do.
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Does anyone have experience with Furutech bananas? And what plating is better for Naca5? Rhodium or gold in case they are compatible?
I would avoid any plugs with too much metal around them. The right angled Naim, Deltrons or The Chord Company ‘sprung type’ plugs are best used, for a FULL surface contact. I would not bother with anything blingy?
It’s best to match like with like - gold with gold etc…
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Hello Dan - what do you mean by the same spec?
We don’t know the inductance of N2
The Witchhat site says made to Naim spec. If you check with them they will confirm the inductance.
My understanding is that it is a like for like cable except that the external braid is more flexible. It’s based on Naca5 and is not trying to improve upon it, merely be more flexible.
I use them on Nap 135s.
It won’t be the same as NACA5 as that is exclusive to Naim - see the story of NACA4 and the move to NACA5 for more details on that!
Hello Dan
I asked them but they don’t know the inductance.
Wondered if you knew what it is
Nice cable all the same.
I only know what they write on their website which says Naim spec. Sorry I don’t know the inductance.
I have had them for about 18 months running Nap 250 and 135s CB during that time.
They are very good cables to my ear.
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I’m curious what folks are doing at the speaker end with respect to jumpers used for bi/tri-wire/amp scenarios?
I’ve personally never used the Naim plugs and for years have had QED AirLOC plugs on both ends with short jumpers of A5 at the speaker end.
I’m not about to rip it all apart and get the soldering iron out but was curious if folks just left the jumper plates on the speaker terminals or made short cable loops.
I avoid jumpers & jumper plates. I have an unbroken wire connection soldered into Deltron banana pins. (see pic) Cable is Chord Odyssey which is 3.31mm/2. I’ve done the same with Linn K20 (4mm/2) when using Naim banana plugs.
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I would go for plating that matches the socket they will be in contact with. Naim plugs and sockets are all nickel plated.
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I don’t like BFA bananas. They snap off too easily. I had that problem with my speakers. I still have them but have some gold Deltron on order. My dealer gets them from Transparent Cable. I’m using gold for the speakers because the speakers use WBT gold connectors. On my 250DR I use the standard OEM Naim bananas.
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Thnx everyone. And what about spade connectors? I have noticed that no one have spade on the speaker end. Is there any particular reason to avoid it?
The issue with spades is that they constantly require checking as the binding posts that clamp them can slacken off with time and use (possibly down to vibrations?). Of course, you need to have binding posts that are suitable for spades, in order to use them. They’re more popular it seems in the US than here in the UK. Some terminals will only take spades, in which case that’s what you should use.
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My speakers have WBT binding posts with both banana and spade connectors. I use the bananas for the speaker cable from the amp, but I also use the spades for the high level connections to my REL subs. I check them every once in a while and they seem to hold pretty well over time.
Yes, those dual purpose sockets come in handy. I do the same with my N-Sub, and the spades never seem to work loose.