ND555 HiLine vs Morgana Din-Din Outcome

Hi-Fi Corner
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Lots written about this on here but my tuppence worth:

I’ve tried both now over the period I’ve had the ND555 and have come down decisively in favour of the HiLine. To my ear it sounds more balanced and less ‘clinical’. It times better too, giving the overall presentation a more natural and propulsive addictiveness.

My preference on the NDX2 was the opposite strangely, and I initially assumed it would be the same with the ND555.

Not so.

G

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Is that a HiLine hiline or a Superlumina hiline?

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For me the Morgana just nudged past the post on SQ. To me it is part of system tuning (room tuning)……i can fully understand a different outcome in another room or system.:+1:

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HiLine, not a Superlumina. The jury seems equally out on both from all the chat on here.

G

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Thanks. Yes, I’m one of those who prefer the HiLine to the Superlumina…

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I found getting it seated properly to be key, but once correctly in place it sounds just right!

G

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So @GraemeH if you had NDX2 again would you go back to Morgana?

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I think so, yes.

G

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I fully agree with this.

To me the HiLine is not a plug and play cable. If you want to hear what it is capable of it is important to spend time getting it installed right.

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Thanks, by the way did you try any others on NDX2…Chord etc

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No, I’m not going down that rabbit hole!

G

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For me having to play with a cable to get it to seated right, if indeed you actually do need to, then it is surely a bad design?
I get about it touching things, but can’t see what difference pushing the end into a socket will make, it either makes contact or it doesn’t? As long as its pushed right in, then can’t work out what you can change

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When you look at each end of the DIN to DIN HiLine cable you can see that each of the pins inside the DIN connector will move around when the cable is adjusted.

I’m no expert but can only assume that it may be related to getting the pins inside the HiLine’s connectors to line up correctly inside the DIN connectors of the source and amplifier (obviously in addition to getting the HiLine to hang freely)

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My ND555 & 252DR are low to the floor so the HiLine loops round horizontally between the two. It’s propped in the middle by a kitchen sponge so no strain at all on the plugs.

A push firmly in to seat and a gentle pull out until it grips isn’t too much of a carry on.

G

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Sounds like I need to give the HiLine a try with my ND555. I just went straight to the Superlumina I’d been using with my NDS.

I did prefer the Superlumina when I first upgraded from HiLine with the NDS.

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I have a HiLine on my NDX 2 and it simply sounds superb, certainly quite a bit better than my 4 month old grey/lavender i have here.

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I know the pins are floating, but they can only go in one way and once in the slot there is no other way, so dont get the statement messing about with seating

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You would have just loved some of the early prototypes. They looked so fragile - just pins and rubber bands! The final design for the hi-line was built like a tank by comparison.

It’s a remarkable thing the Hi-line. And it works too, as I discovered having to test them at the factory during a spare half hour or lunch hour. It’s pure Naim - both brilliant and crazy too.

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I agree with my Naim dealer…DIN/DIN from ND555 to NAC552…
In order best to worst:
Ansuz D2
Chord Music
Super Lumina
HiLine
I’m a fan of HiLines but I kept breaking them.
All these cables are developed using human ears.
Chord have a Naim NAP 300.
Ansuz build amplifiers, speakers, cables, etc.
What does Morgana use?

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Yes Richard but surely seating is either connected or not? There isn’t any other option, the floating design is about vibrations