Just out of curiosity, is anyone using SuperLumina DIN-XLR cables with NACA5 speaker cables? If so, would be interested in your experience.
I already know these cables are very good, having demoed the full loom in my system for a very short time sometime ago (so didn’t get a chance to try this option), so I am not after recommendations one way or the other…
enjoy/ken
I tried them and wanted them to work but two different pairs I tried created a hum in my system. Using Chord Music DIN-XLR now and they sound great with the SL I/C. I am happily using NACA5 and not quite ready to spend the SL speaker cable money.
Thanks for response Skip. Too bad the DIN-XLR created hum in your system - not sure I understand but hey, things happen. Its a pity I didn’t get a chance to test this specific config when I had the cables on trial.
enjoy/ken
I use SL din/xlr with NACA5. I have not tried SL SC and may not. That said the SL IC is a great upgrade to me. Once put in I tried it without after a few weeks with and decided almost immediately to put it back in place.
Thanks SpurrierSucks! Is there anything specifically that you don’t like about the SL SC or are you leaving the possibility that you may try it at some time?
enjoy/ken
The price. Lol. If I can convince myself to pay the price for 5m I will get them. However for now I’m happy with NACA5.
I have the DIN- XLR SL (250DR) with NACA5 (as I would need 9m+ SL speaker cable). I heard its benefits immediately. Right up there with a box upgrade and absolutely no way I was going back. I also have the IC which I did first as that is on the source, now NDX2.
cdboy, you did like me – I bought the IC first for NDS to 552 first, and then this spurred me on to get the snaxo 4-4DIN. both have worked very well for me – if a little difficult to dress with all the cables behind the fraim…
enjoy/ken
Sensible approach!
enjoy/ken
I now have 2 pairs of SL DIN-XLR cables for home dem
enjoy/ken
I have had 2 pairs of SL DIN-XLRs on home dem (courtesy Signals) in my active system since last Thursday – in place of the stock cables. (I already have SL IC and SL SNAXO). Radio (NAT01) is my most used source and I have found that its actually very good at telling me, very quickly, how my system is sounding. So, this is the source I tried first.
The first thing I noticed was that the SLs sounded quite distinctly different – quite obviously so. So, it was just a question of whether I liked the difference, or not. The NAT01 sounded somewhat more ‘intimate’ with the SL cables, but rather more ‘variable’. Into the weekend, from Friday onwards, it turned a bit ‘dry’ and tiring – which I found strange because the cables are already run-in as far as I know. It seemed the system had become rather more ‘sensitive’ – higher Q factor if you like.
I checked cable dressing etc., – you know, the sort of paranoia us Hifi nuts go through – all was OK as far as I could tell. On Saturday afternoon, just for the hell of it, I decided to check if we had any surge protector blocks connected to our mains. Well, what do you know! My daughter had 2 – one in her bedroom and the 2nd in the other bedroom which she calls her ‘office’. Pure neurosis?? I replaced them with ordinary ones with no light or any fancy surge protection and all that — ’good practice’ I thought – of course whether it would make any difference of not was another matter entirely.
Wasn’t expecting much as these blocks had been connected (via a ring) to the main consumer unit, whereas my system is on its own CU, supplied by a 10mm sq. radial circuit. Didn’t immediately do an AB-test, as I had visitors and other things to do.
On Sunday, again on Radio, I could tell the sound was ‘cleaner/quieter/cleaner’. But one has to be careful of ‘expectation bias’ – although if truth be told, I really wasn’t expecting the sort of difference I was hearing – and as I listened further, I convinced myself that removing those blocks had cleaned up things a bit – funny that the SL cables got me to do that (sensitivity?) – but mind you, perhaps I was subliminally influenced by a recent thread on this forum – but I don’t care – I like what to me is a definite positive change. I will be looking out for any sinful blocks that I might have left out.
Sunday night – well, let’s try vinyl. I’m glad I did!! I never really pay attention to impact on bass, treble etc., - rather I am more interested in how the music overall ‘washes’ over me and what I feel like as I result. When I took a break for diner – there were ‘lingering tunes’ in my head – precisely what I value. Yes, I could sense musical lines (especially vocal) becoming more apparent and coherently presented within the mixed – nuances and all – system playing much more quietly – and so, subjectively, dynamic range is higher.
Not all beer and skittles though.
When I played my NDS yesterday, I guess the best way of describing what I heard was ‘strange’. Yes, I could pick up more clarity – and the usual Hifi attributes - but the whole package was somewhat less ‘engaging’. Perhaps the SL XLRs present a more open window – exposing limitations of my NDS4.4?? Or these cables have a more fundamental positive effect on vinyl?? Or?? Dunno… but not what I was expecting at all.
Listening to Radio 3 now as type this. Sublime! Heavenly!
So, conclusion for now is that these cables have improved Tuner and Vinyl very substantially, but the jury is still out on my NDS. Is this some underhand trick to get me thinking about ND555? Ha! No chance! Practicalities like ‘bank balance’ quickly bring one to reality…
Ho hum!
enjoy/ken
I run the SL din/xlr between the 272 and 250DR whilst running A5 cable to my Ovators. There was improved refinement over the stock din/xlr. Having said that, it was not a massive improvement, but was cost effective as I bought it 2nd hand. I would love to get the SL speaker cables as well, I have heard what they can do, but I simply can’t get my head around their cost, also A5 is really good and great value.
Yes - tried that for a while.
One downside - I ended up swapping my NACA5 for SL… hmmmm…
May end up doing that as well Adam, but will need to assess carefully what each piece brings to the party – as in my case the outlay is frightening for 2 pairs of 7m lengths!!
enjoy/ken
Ken, are you not tempted to try the True Signal audio cables that your / our dealer stocks for comparison?
Gazza, I actually don’t know anything about these ‘Signal’ cables. Of course, it can be good fun to try alternatives – but this can become a slippery slope – why not try Chord as well, etc etc. If I manage to visit Signals – I might ask to hear it…
enjoy/ken
Signals have these on demo and I know SJB sent some out in Ireland to test vs SL and he bought the former. I am in the same situation as you, but I will try both as Alistair and Andy speak highly of both. But that’s my limit as like you it could be a full time job auditioning.
Like Skip, I’m using ChordMusic Din-XLRs, having tried SL along the way. I’d highly recommend a trial. The price is not too dissimilar but the performance is.
Ken, are you serious? You’d spend that much but wouldn’t try more than one alternative?
Good story Ken! @NorfolkT felt the need to turn the lights and just about everything else in the house off after reading the thread on Mains!
You could always ask your daughter to randomly turn on a very noisy extension block and see if you can detect it!
Phil