Can anyone tell me is it worth changing the power cables that come as standard with Naim products.
If it is a Powerline, no. If it is the lite version, sometimes and if it is less than those then you can get better.
Which product is it for?
Currently I have the Naim cables the items came with for
2x HiCap DRs
1x Naim CD player
1x Naim streamer
1x NAP 250
The most important, in my experience, is the quality of the power cable from the wall to the powerblock. Then the powerblock, then the power cables on items.
All that make a real improvement vs a cheap powerblock and standard power cables that come with the Naim components.
So I would start by a quality powerblock, like Powerigel, Eros, …then the best cable you can afford to go to the wall, like powerline, isotek, audioquest, Eros…
Then change progressively all the power cables on Naim components.
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Just to add that the PowerIgel (and PowerIgel Plus) is not just a power block but already comes with the cables from wall outlet to PowerIgel and from PowerIgel to units.
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If you haven’t first had dedicated lines installed, do that if you own your place (or if the landlord will let you). The cost is less than than a Powerline Lite and the benefits exceed those you’d experience with a power cord.
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Thankyou for all your thoughts.
I intend to install a dedicated line from the house distribution board. I probably will be using 2.5mm2 SWA.
Will go with the power block and decent power cable to it.
I had been told the Naim standard power leads are pretty good but I guess they have their limits
Is this sort of thing worth it https: audioquest-niagara-1200-noise-dissipation-system-mains-conditioner
It’s only worth it if you have noisy mains. Most don’t need it and this sort of thing can reduce dynamics. If you are doing a dedicated line you ideally install a separate consumer unit and run 10mm2 cable. If you want to avoid mains blocks and fancy leads, the good old Grahams hydra works well.
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There is a thread going on about the Audioquest Niagara:
Maybe this helps a little bit …
How do you terminate a 10mm2 cable into a socket outlet ?
What is reason for 10mm2?? It can’t be PD or volt drop ?
With great difficulty. And most will employ some poor bugger to do it for them. So what it actually looks like is anyone’s guess. Rammed in I’d expect. Those poor little M3.5 screws holding the face plate to backing plate must be under some stress.
I sort of get the dedicated spured supply, I don’t get what 10mm sq brings over 4mm or even 2.5mm.
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I’d speculate it’s to do with overall resistance of the circuit - the big transformers used by Naim will have a fairly low primary resistance so adding a few milliohms in the supplying cable may have an impact.
The 10mm is probably a historic recommendation but as people are unlikely to install different sized spurs for comparison, the change from running your system off the ring to a spur is heard to improve matters so the assumption is made that 10mm cable is part of that improvement.
You could take the engineering approach and measure R1 + R2 of a ring final socket powering the system and compare it to the values of a dedicated spur for the system but even that may be inconclusive.
My personal opinion is that the spur helps to isolate from the noise of other appliances in the property
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What do forum members think of this power block connected with a power line light.? Is it a good solution?
From this block I have a hydra powering some units.
I don’t think much of it TBH, is a cheap daisy chained buss bar socket that can be found in any DIY store & for a lot less money.
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It’s not to difficult to work out the resistance of the different cable sizes. The issue is normally volt drop (caused by resistance). With loads involved with hi fi the volt drop on a dedicated domestic circuit of under 20m by bet 4mm2 is more than adequate and more importantly gives you the chance to make a good job of the termination.
Any thoughts on quality of socket outlet. Ect
Agreed this is about noise not load.
Just to add to this. 10mm2 cables can hold 35Amps. What is the maximum fuse amps in a normal house in the UK? From what I’ve read here a standard Naim amp consumes at the most 0.5A in spikes.
The whole idea of the hydra is to avoid the need for a block.
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