I did and ended up preferring the ks1’s (the phantoms just didn’t suit my set up) if you go a bit further down the hifi corner category there is a really long thread about the ks1’s I believe several others make comparisons between the two. I’m sure you’ll find a mix of responses as I’ve heard the phantoms described completely differently to my experience so they are obviously affected by peoples rooms and speakers. I found the ks1’s to be a very well balanced cable both at home with my speakers and at my dealers with the spendor a1 speakers.
Think you’ll be alright with most speaker cables to be honest. I had QED XT25 with my Supernait 3 at first and then moved on to Witch Hat Phantom. Can’t tell the difference in sound between them if I’m honest, despite the Phantom costing 6x the price. The Phantom cable is very robust and flexible, making it easy to work with though and I also like that it is pretty subtle and discreet.
I’ve only ever used NAC A5 on my Naim amps and mostly Linn K20 elsewhere. I think that’s mainly driven by the “It’ll just work and not break anything” school of thought rather than the pursuit of some otherworldly performance levels.
I think the one exception here is the Kudos cable which seems to hit a certain sweet spot in not being difficult to use, not costing as much as a Caribbean holiday and mostly working favourably with Naim based systems.
The Linn K20 is similar (to NAC A5) anyway, it’s the same spec as the old NAC A4 and is cheap and nice and flexible. I’ve got multiple sets of that made up in different lengths.
I have been using NACA5 since last autumn and it was an immense improvement compared to my Goldkabel ones. It is a no-brainer.
Nice setup. I recognise that system from the Kabin
When I bought my current system in late 2020 I got some Tellurium cables. Earlier this year I decided to change and the choice came down to Witch Hat Phantom or Kudos KS1. A5 was ruled out because it is so unwieldy and I was struggling to find someone to fit F connections at the speaker end - as has been pointed out many times the quality of soldering A5 is really important. I pondered for a bit and ultimately chose the Phantom because it’s a stealthy black, whereas the Kudos is very white and would look funny against the black speaker stands. These are all good cables at sensible prices so the choice probably doesn’t matter too much, though the Phantom seems more ‘right’ than the Tellurium ever did, and it’s cheaper too.
As you say all these options are safe choices and come down to aesthetics and personal taste ultimately.
My local Naim/Linn dealer has a massive bin of old NAC A5 and K20 so if I do ever need a set or different lengths, I tend to go rummaging through that bin and just get some bananas on the ends.
I’ve never made a comparison to Witch Hat or similar but many have found those a good balance in terms of cost and flexibility.
All my cables are easily 15yr+ and still looking/sounding ok to me!
Indeed. If it ain’t broke…
Received today my NDX 2 that came from a long repair, and a Supernait 3 to evaluate.
First impressions of the supernait 3 are that is musical and refined, has body all over the sound, I Am not amazed but I like that combines well with the sopra n1. It came with Nac speaker cables to listen.
One thing I noticed is that the amp is very sensitive to noise, and on my left speaker noise is present when not playing and on the right one is less present or as noticeable. The left side is where the power cables are located and was strange and a first time on my system.
I used the din cable that was on the box of the NDX 2, not the good RCA cables I have.
I will listen to it a few days and see if it will be in my system in the future.
I can’t say that i’ve ever noticed my SN3 being susceptible to any noise, but yes it’s always good practice to keep your signal cables away from any power cables. I have my signal cables running out the left-hand side, also along and away from the speaker cables, and power cables to the right. My SN3 is totally silent.
I Am liking this supernait 3, never had a Naim Amp, it makes the sopra n1 play low almost appears to have a subwoofer, even when playing very low it plays with lots of body.
The NAC A5 is not bad, but still prefer the Robin Hood, the amp does not even get hot is always cool to the touch.
After searching how to put in standby I did not find how to do it, a first for me.
Congratulations on the NDX 2 & SN 3 combo!
I enjoyed the NDX 2 with a SN 2 for some time and loved the combination. Eventually adding a XPS DR and HiCap DR to the system which enhanced the enjoyment when listening to the music. I have used NAC A5 for many years and found it to be a perfect fit with my system even as it has grown over time.
You will find the system sound will improve over the next few months… Enjoy!
I completely agree with seakayaker. Let everything settle in, including the NAC A5, this will take time but it will be worth it in the end.
Naim amps don’t have standby; on or off at the rear switch only.
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.