Shortening supplied Naim power lites

I remember some advice that cables should cross each other at right angles as opposed to running parallel to avoid emc interference.

Since then i have tried to avoid coiling cables or allowing them to run along side each other.

Of course if you coil enough wire you can make a pretty good electro magnet shortly followed by a thermal eventšŸ˜ i know not applicable in this context!

Like others said, there seems to consensus between cable manufacturers that the standard length of a power cord is between 1.5 and 2 meters. Iā€™m not sure where that consensus comes from and Iā€™m not sure itā€™s all about SQ either.

I would have no problem shortening PL Lites to say 1 / 1.25 meter though. But I would keep them all at the same length. This also allows you to use better connectors at the component side. Not too difficult over the standard moulded ones I guess. Could save a few meters of decremental, or at least useless, loops imo.

To those that are sure this is a good idea, I say - Go Aheadā€¦
(assuming you are suitably qualified to work with mains cables & plugs, in your jurisdiction)

To those who perhaps a less certain, I say - Do Not Do This.

Which are youā€¦??

I wonder if that 1.5m length is just something that got lost in translation. That it originally was 1.5mm2 copper cores.

Have no idea. Maybe 1 m should be ok, but 0,5 m, I would not risk to compromise the sound quality.

I wonder if the optimum length of power cable in any given location is in any way influenced by the length and type of cable from consumer unit to hifi outlet? If that final length makes a difference, then it seems illogical that the other wouldnā€™t also, and if they do make a difference it seems illogical that the two are not interdependent.

(Then there is the cable from electricity board substation to the consumer unitā€¦)

I had all PowerLines in a very large coil (30-40cm) under the rack. Velcro tape held that in place and just the right lengths exiting the coil to each box. Extremely tidy. The coil even floated on a few wedges of aeroflex.

Almost no mains cable mess round the back and only visible if you look under the rack. If your rack has a low bottom shelf (I used quadraspire so with spikes had abou 10cm to play with) you can do exactly the same but stand the grouped coil up behind the rack leaning against the wall.

Many respected power cable manufactures do not recommend or even produce power cables shorter than 1.5 and sweet spot seems to be 1.8-2m. I demoed an Audioquest Z3 in both 1m and 2m and found the 2m length to sound better in my system.

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I certainly wouldnā€™t get hung on cable lenght, if you want to cut them down do it, i very much doubt anything will be any different at all, apart from re sale valve.
I have had very short power cables before on all my olive gear and it was fine and very neat.
As someone has already said the mains cable already in the system will be different for everyone, so how can the last little bit make a difference if you make it less or make it longer?
Plus as they are un shielded, i would say the shorter the better.

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You could always cut one and try it around the system to hear what it does to each box, Iā€™d suggest at least a week on each as some changes take a while to appreciate. You only ruin one that way and can determine if thereā€™s any effect. Or you could not bother.

The cable Naim use is a fairly straightforward one.
I would be more inclined to further look into the specifications of the cable and find an equivalent off the reel cut into the shorter lengths. Then go to town on fancy plugs and fuses.

But youā€™ll loose the specific Naim designed mains plug which is kind of the essence of the PL Lite I guess.

True. Although the decoupling measures donā€™t appear that sophisticated compared to the full fat version.

Also lacks the IEC decoupling termination.
That moulded one can be easily bettered, I would have thought.

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Not necessarily, you could use the Naim plug with a different cable if you wanted to preserve the original.

Looks like my photo TobyJug :open_mouth: :smiley:
I agree the decoupling flexibility only appears to be in the cable clamp, the pins are firm, so not sure about decoupling at all.

Hi @ChrisSU , the plug can only be used with a cable diameter not much larger than the supplied 0.75mm/2 due to the cable clamp design, it might be possible to open it up a bit with a file or something, but I doubt it would be able to open up enough to take a normal 2.5mm/2 flex. As I said at the time the PL Lite was introduced, Naim might have missed a trick with the limited cable diameter.

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Their trick is no doubt to persuade you to upgrade to a full fat Powerline!

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Itā€™s pretty much the same as the Power-line plug, except fully thermoplastic rather than the mix of Thermoplastic and Aluminium in the full fat version. I use a spare lite plug (the one pictured in your post) I had knocking around on an old RA power cable.

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I wonder if the OP has his answer by nowā€¦ :laughing:

No,just more to think about !!but some interesting points
First I,ll layer the cables and try to hide them under the Faim.
I think I have a Naim cable pre lite.I may try making 3 leads from that using the lite plugs and buy some iec plugs.
Donā€™t hold your breath though.
Thanks for all the replies

Is the plug available to purchase seperately then?