I recently have switched DIN-XLR cable that came with my 250DR to Teddy Pardo Koltura D4-XLR, and the uplift is massive.
Wider and much much deeper soundstage, and it goes much lower than before. Little edginess that was present has disappeared too. Music flows so much better now.
I can confidently say that this cable has brought more positive affect in my system than the Hi Line DIN-DIN that I have put in place of Lavender years ago, just for 215 USD including shipping.
I think anyone who has bundle DIN-XLR should try this.
The Lavender DIN5 I/C is very hard to improve on for sane prices, and it seemed to be a supreme match for the CDS1 that I had at the time. Several Chord cables came and went. I even had a $1100 (1999 prices) hand made pure silver cable custom made by company (still in business 25+ years later) that sounded different, but in the context of the 6-pack DBL system I had at the time lacked something that the Lavender still gave.
I sold that custom cable a few years back for $120 to some other Naim user who said it was a massive upgrade over the Lavender.
By the time I had a CDS3, I bought a HiLine, tried it for a week or so, and then put back the Lavender and traded the HiLine for something else. The tin box the Hiline came in was nice though.
I have never seen/heard the current SL cables, so I cannot speak for them.
In my case, Hi Line DIN was massive upgrade.
Tried going back to Lavender after reading many others favoring Lavender over Hi Line and others, but put Hi Line back in almost right away.
I once tried Siltech silver-gold DIN cable that was also over 1000 dollars, but while that was better than the Lavender in some ways, I much preferred Hi Line.
I’m so satisfied with my new TP Koltura DIN-XLR that I’m going to try one in place of Hi Line in near future.
Think it was more that TP does not want to be associated with this forum. I knew there was a manufacturer who didn’t, i always wondered who it was. Let’s see if this thread disappears, then we will know. Although TP has nothing to lose from this thread.
Good that you have found a reasonably priced alternative for that piece of junk that came with the 250s, coupling them to a HC. The one that came with my 2005? Olive 250 was a mains cable. I replaced it with something decent from Chord, and it was a whole lot better, albeit at a price.
It’s ok, just so long as it’s not about anything that’s an unauthorised modification to Naim equipment, I.e. PSU, fake SNAIC or Burndy cable substitute.
I’ve read somewhere that these TP Kolturas are very Morgana like, but a lot cheaper. I wanted to try ones from Chord, but they were silver plated, which I do not want in my system considering my Focal speakers.
Not a “piece of junk” at all. I’ve tried a number of alternatives and while they seem to offer HiFi improvements in one area or more, I keep coming back to the supplied Naim cable as the one that keeps me most engaged.
I have long been a fan of Morgana interconnects. Have also used the Gothic Audio Ella DIN to DIN with great success (though it’s different form the Morgana in poresentation). BUT, as @Richard.Dane highlights…I just can’t get rid of my Lavender DIN interconnect.
In fact, I just yesterday threw the Naim Lavender back in the system and it just does so much right. I have actually decided today to send it out for Cryo Treatment because i think it can get better-still.
Is the Lavender actually inferior in a few areas that some may weight heavily (and are easily audible)? Yeah, I would agree to that. However, does Lavender still consistently draw me into the music and turn a single-song listen into a whole hour? YES, consistently. There’s some synergy here that I wouldn’t even hazard a guess as to the technical drivers.
Are you planning to keep Lavender in place?
Would you say you prefer Lavender over Morgana?
BTW I see you have Nucleus Titan. Does it offer better performance sonically than previous generation Nucleus/Nucleus+?
I was referring to the Naim DIN-XLR lead in my earlier post.
However, regarding the Naim Lavender/grey interconnect, I prefer the Hi-Line on a digital source, but the Lavender on an analogue one (such as from the Superline/Supercap).
I only use Lavenders, professionally terminated for each different use. Bar, of course, cables carrying power - in such case, SNAICs. It’s strange how some people insist on musicality and PR&T as long as Naim electronics or speakers are concerned, then fall down to their knees in HiFi when cables come into play.
There’s not two ways to sound natural in my opinion.
