Naim standard XLR interconnects

Greetings to everyone from the Czech Republic :wink:
I am new here but I often read discussions and advice about NAIM here.
I am a big fan of NAIM audio and I would not like to disturb the focus of the NAIM audio engineers by some unprofessional or unnecessary intervention. I recently bought an almost complete new 300 series. I would like to ask your opinion about the standard xlr interconnects that naim supplies together with the components. Are they sufficient for full system performance? If not, what other ones would you recommend? Respectively, would you recommend me to connect NSS333 with NAC332 via DIN or XLR? Thank you very much. Zakkie

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Yes. Naim designed and made them.

Use standard Naim leads. Simple.

Hi, they are in the box for a good reason!

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Thank you very much
My supplier claims that this is a standard solution “just to make it play somehow”
Supposedly if NAIM would supply better interconnects the final price of the system would be high. In principle it would be reasonable to agree if naim produces a superlumina line of cables. Or are they designed for higher model series?

Hi @Zakkie

Previous link might contain useful info for you.

Please do advise if you find any useful improvements using alternate cables.

Hi @Zakkie and welcome. I don’t know if this is possible in Czech but can your dealer lend you some different wires to try to see if they make a difference? Many UK dealers offer this facility.

Regards,

Lindsay

Yes, it is possible in CZ too :wink:
Now, i am trying audioquest pegasus xlr.
NAC 332 and NAP 350s are connected by them.
NSS333 and NAC332 are connected by standard naim xlr.

Tomorrow I’ll try to connect everything with standard xlr and let you know my feelings.
Since I bought the demoed 300 series, the supplier couldn’t find the standard xlr that came in the package. In the showroom it was connected to nordost heimdall 2 xlr.

Ok thx

Naim recommend DIN for best sound quality, which is presumably why they provide a DIN cable and not an RCA or XLR.

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Many find that cable changes (in general) can make quite a difference, others less so. Naim seem to believe cables can make a difference and therefore offer upgrades through the Hiline, Powerline and Superlumina ranges. 3rd party options abound.

From personal experience I would agree with your dealer i.e. the standard XLRs on a 300 are perfectly adequate but can be improved upon. I found moderately priced 3rd party XLRs on my 300 provided a notable sonic upgrade vs standard, with no downsides whatsoever.

Superlumina may be a great option if you want to stay “”in house” and have the budget - many like it, some don’t. I would like to try it one day.

I wouldn’t be influenced by the “it won’t be the Naim sound” debate if you want to add a 3rd party cable - spend your cash on what you like the sound of, not what someone else thinks is “pure” or not.

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Some reasonably priced, pre loved Superlumina DIN to XLR’s came up recently so I took the plunge. I’ve never wanted to pay full price but these were around a year old and came with a hefty discount over new. I found they did make a reasonable difference over the standard ones and I like what they did. It’s nice rather than spectacular though.

Only problem now is having already got the DIN to DIN between ND555 and 552 I feel compelled to try the speaker cable ! Demo incoming in the next few weeks.

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This might not convince new to Naim buyers as the supplied cables by most other makes are rubbish!

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Thank you all for your suggestions and answers.
I will connect the nss333 to the nac332 via din cable.
I will connect the Nac 332 and nap350 with standard xlr.
… I’m looking forward to when the whole system will be up and running in about a month :wink:
In the past I used chord shawline 5din to connect ndx2 to nac282. Compared to the standard din cable, the sound seemed to me to have a little higher resolution and is tighter in the bass.

I would ask since the 333 and 332 has both options.

But Naim are different. That’s the point. And there are many here who have higher end systems with standard Naim interconnects (like me :blush:). How else would someone new to Naim be convinced other than the advice given on this forum :wink:

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Honestly I’d just let the system settle in using the standard cables for a couple of months before experimenting with other cables. The sound does change a bit during this period and if you swap cables you won’t really know if it’s them or the boxes running in. Get yourself familiar with the sound first, then try out changes if you feel the need … that’s what I’m doing anyway :man_shrugging: :slightly_smiling_face:

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Agreed firstly on letting things settle for a sensible period of time and not rushing in to chopping and changing things.
One additional comment is to consider the interaction between other cables in the system, in particular the speaker cables.
I did an extended test last year comparing NAC A5 + Stock 200 Series XLR IC against Chord Company Signature Tuned ARAY.
In simplistic terms I found the best combination was when combining either both Naim or Chord cables rather than mixing them (sometimes referred to as “full loom”).
The Chord Signature was good, very Hi-Fi and with revealing instrument separation and more definition in the sound stage, but it lost some of the punch and slam.
Going back to the Naim cables lost a little resolution but was more relaxed and laid back, like putting an old pair of trainers on and them just feeling right straight away.
What I want to do, and will likely soon, is do an extended test of Super Lumina speaker cable + XLR to XLR IC and compare that against NAC A5 and stock Naim XLR IC. The intention being to then swop the XLR and later speaker cable in two stages, if the results are favourable and it provides a level of improvements reflected by the cost to get there (not cheap, at all).

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Hello all,
I got the xlr pegasus interconnects from audioquest from the dealer.
Anyone have experience with them?
The sound seems to me to be a bit thinner and smoother. It has taken away the “tired” mids and the sound is in my opinion more lively in the highs.
I read somewhere in the reviews that pegasus makes the sound so that you feel that the cable is not there at all.
What do you think?

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