Speaker Cable

Hi-Fi Corner
1

Currently have 5m KS1 between NAP250 & Titan 606
I need to move system to a smaller room. What is the recommended minimum length of cable required?

2

3- 3.5 metres probably. :+1:

3 metres of KS-1 here.

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3

Earlier versions of the 250 most certainly benefit from longer speaker cables. I had a 250DR for a while, and despite advice that these were less dependant on longer cables than early versions, I found mine to sound a little better with 5m compared to 3.5m of NACA5.
With virtually all non-Naim speaker cables the optimum length will be more that that recommended for NACA5. So I would suggest that you think twice before cutting your KS1 into shorter lengths.

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4

I suppose that I could cut one in half to 2500mm to try it first. If it sounds awful then I know the answer!
Thank you for the replies.

5

I doubt it will sound ‘awful’! Still, if you want to max out the performance of your expensive HiFi, I think it’s worth optimising it in any way you can.

6

The Naim 250 is a Naim classic design which really needs the minimum recommended inductance load of 3.5uH that 3.5m length of NACA5 with its 1uH/m brings.

Kudos have not published the inductance & other specs on the cable we can’t be sure of any of this.

I use Chord Odyssey, which is similar in many respects to KS1 in its construction & materials.
I measured that & found it was 0.6uH/m. This means it would need to be 5.8m in length to have 3.5uH inductance.

Your 5m of KS1 is not far off for a 250 and I definitely would not shorten what you have.

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7

I’d not run short lenght, just do the well known sideway coil of cable.

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8

This.

9

wondering what the most commom speaker cable used by niam owners is?
currently home demoing this stuff does sound really good clarity in the midrange is the stand out.
I surely shouldn’t have to spend over 7k to get this sort of resolution over wh phantom
maybe I should try my naca5 again with new banana’s

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this cables 10 times stiffer than naca5

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10

Kudos KS-1
Just fit forget and enjoy easy to hide too. :+1:

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11

A few questions;

  • what are your speakers
  • what is that cable

A lot of people use Naim NAC A5 or Kudos KS-1

DG…

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12

Thanks for all replies I have coiled it and enjoying the music!

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13

Don’t coil cable either firecracker it in folds or figure 8
Coiling can cause inductance. :-1:

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14

Brace for impact!

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15

@Ardbeg10y
C’mon mate do yourself a favour it costs nothing. :scream:

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16

Speakers are Heritage specials
the cable demo cable is Chord sarum t a 7m
pair also borrowed a 5m pair of chord epic xl
in the attic i have an 8m pair naca5
last 3 years have been using a 9m pair of wh phantoms which i thought were quite detailed till i plugged the sarums in
the good thing to come out off this experiment is the naim amps have a lot more detail bottled up inside them.

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17

You should never have tried them, everything else will be a compromise. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

When I first tried some original Sarum speaker cable (thanks a lot, Steve!) there was no way I could go back, so I just scrimped and saved until I could get a pair. One of the biggest upgrades I had made up to that point.

18

I would suggest Chord Odyssey or Kudos KS-1. Both a very flexible.

19

+1 for Chord Odyssey

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20

True. You haven’t heard a Naim setup perform at its best using naca5 and lavender. It is my conclusion that those claiming anything else never tried great cables and satisfied with “it’s ok”. If you search for magic then you unfortunately need to spend some cash.

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