Hi folks,
I’m changing my cartridge from an Ortofon A95 to a Lyra Etna SL. I’m unsure of how to configure my Superline to deal with the new cart, can anyone advise on the load plug combination I need?
These are the Etna specs:
The Etna SL (or ‘single layer’) is a custom-ordered variant, with a 0.25mV output, 1.52Ω self-impedance, and a 1.9µH inductance.
Thanks for your help.
You will be in for a treat with the Etna SL. The SL is particularty suited to classical music as it has a more open sound than the non SL version. It has had a minor upgrade since I bought mine nearly two years ago. Nigel Crump at Synergy the importers, is very helpful. The latest one has “lambda” as a suffix. At now nearly £7.5K, ouch, it really does the job and some.
You need to talk the loadings through with your dealer. Sorry I can’t remember all the details, but you may be into another C £360 for loadplugs 04-001-0123 & 4 fitted to the rear of the Stageline. The Stageline should be powered by a Supercap DR and then into your pre-amp, ideally a 552.
Where do you stop?
With the standard values, I would try the 500R with either no capacitance or at most around 1nF.
IIRC, @Kuma reported finding 400R to be optimum on all the Lyras, including the Etna SL.
Thanks Richard - Does the 500R come with the Superline package or do I need to order one from Naim?
Thanks Douglas yes I have A Supercap DR and it’s gpoing into a S1 preamp so it should all sound great. I think I’m stopping here!!!
Yes, you get 10k, 1K, 500, 220, and 100 ohm plugs with the Superline. Once you find a value you prefer then you can order a Z foil Airplug version as a nice little upgrade for the future.
The higher up the Naim tree you go the less hi-fi and the more music.
Thank you Richard
Totally agree Douglas and I’m hoping the SL will top it all off 
Just found your thread fom 2019 Douglas!
I’m just looking into the air plugs - if I was to go down this route would I be ordering the following:
Naim Superline Z Plug Deep Cryo 576R and 470pF ?
Thanks Pete
Sorry, not able to come up with detailed advice on the plug loadings on the rear of the Superline.
When the Etna was installed my dealer advice was to see how I found the degree of treble and go from there. After a week or so they fitted two Airplugs based on my listening.
If I had chosen the “wrong” plugs coupled with the tweeter on my 802 D3s it might have been a bit too bright, so needs some thought before you specify the ones to go for.
At this level its all quite subtle IMO.
I had forgotten my post of going on two years ago.
I do not think that Z foil and cryogenic treatment is applicable to capacitance (pf) plugs whilst ‘air plugs’ are, in my experience, beneficial to both resistance and capitance plugs.
Richard
There is no right or wrong for which loading you like best, as i have found out lately, it depends on certain things, cartridge, cable, rest of your system, the recording on the vinyl and lastly your mood.
Its a shame you have to pick a certain loading and go with it with the superline, as being rear mounted is not really user friendly, if you want to change loading all the time, plus expensive if you want the better plugs.
So if i was you i would try them all and see which one you like best on a variety of albums
It’s easy enough to try the different plugs ( no need to power down) and it sounds better this way than via switches, and even allows a bit of an upgrade too with the Z foil Airplugs.
I know what you are saying Richard, but having owned a superline and many others, the superline isn’t the easiest one to adjust and live with.
Its hard to beat the instant adjustment that you can get on others from a front switch or even remote, as you can instantly hear any difference, rather then second guess, so far easier and quicker to set up, plus i have found i personally prefer different settings for some albums, that i wouldn’t have known about if it wasn’t as easy to change.
Not saying the superline is bad as its far from that, just saying that it could be even better, as i didnt realise this, till i had one that could be adjusted so easily
Yes, I can appreciate the easiness of a switch (although I find the dip switch variety infernal things). Unfortunately switches introduce performance compromise that Naim have sought to avoid, hence the plugs.
I guess others have sorted out any performance related problems with that a switch my add, as most top end phone stages use this method.
Like all things, there are switches and switches, like plugs and plugs
There are, but Naim found any switch here was a compromise best avoided.