Question Speaker cable question

[rocky raccoon]

Hi guys
I have been using the same speaker cable for the last 20+ years - Namlely (Naimly?) Naim NAC05.
My 1m long runs are fitted with gold plated spades soldered on both ends. My question is this -
Has anyone had this cable and found better ? If so, what are you using ? I know for a fact cables do make a difference, but all my efforts have so far been devoted to line level - not speaker cable.
I do not intend to spend buckets of money and I'd prefer to terminate them myself - but has anyone spent sensible money and heard a difference - especially over such a short run ? (my power amps are next to the speakers).
The system is pretty revealing and the room has had a fair bit of attention paid to acoustics - with no compromise in speaker positioning etc.
Just wondering if the longest surviving component could be bettered !
Cheers - rr

 

[Roby79]

For me you can spend money on speaker cables once
Once you found what you like keep it
Except if you need an other length
I’m not saying there is no difference between cables
I tested quite a few of them before I bought mine
But once you found them an spend you cash on it keep them they only improve in time an considering how expensive cable became over the last 10 years for the same cable it would cost you a leg

Beside what @tuga says it’s true dealers love the cable sell

 

[TIU]

1m sounds too short, how far apart are your speakers?

You can try some from Future Shop, they have 30 day returns on their cables.

The speakers are tiny and a long way away.

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

so what is the issue ?

Other peoples' music sounds shite. The speaker lead is contaminated

 

[bencat]

Other peoples' music sounds shite. The speaker lead is contaminated

Do you mean there Naim ?

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

Do you mean there Naim ?

they say you pay for it

 

[bencat]

Not in my case only ever paid for one Naim item turned out to be disaster and went back . Tried their speaker cable and not only did not like it but found it one of the awkward cables to get routed neatly .

I should add that now I have added cables being tidy to the list of things I have stopped myself being fixated on and not at all bothered by whatever rats nest is created .

 

[MVJ]

Paid full price on their site for an aerial cable and expected new factory sealed, but it'd been opened and untidily put back in the box. I'd bought one previously in sealed factory packaging. Had the shop sold them as used or ex-demo with a discount I'd have been fine. To me they were sold as new, but weren't. No problem, I asked for my money back, which I got. Everything was amicable.

Afterwards, I bought the same from a different shop; it came in sealed factory packaging and looked immaculate. I doubt it gave better sound, but I'm a fussy so-and-so.

but I'm a fussy so-and-so.

Really Nestor!! We'd never have guessed

 

[FunkyMonkey]

I believe Nac05 was specifically designed to exhibit a higher than normal series inductance which when used with early naim amps compensated for the absence of an inductor in the design of the output stage of the amp. If you use such an amp stick with the nac05 unless you source new cable with a comparable inductance.

 

[rocky raccoon]

I believe Nac05 was specifically designed to exhibit a higher than normal series inductance which when used with early naim amps compensated for the absence of an inductor in the design of the output stage of the amp. If you use such an amp stick with the nac05 unless you source new cable with a comparable inductance.

Thanks FM - I do not use that kind of amp ! That's very interesting. I am even more curious to experiment now - despite things sounding quite wonderful at the moment. Perhaps my very short runs from monoblocks to speaker mitigate the cables characteristics somewhat.....

 

[lowendall]

@rocky raccoon NAC A5 is a decent cable especially if you have Naim kit (though from your profile you have different kit). What I didn't like about it was it was very stiff and not easy to install neatly. If this is not a problem for you then I'd keep it.

I use Van Damme speaker cables with my Chord kit. I use Rega Duet, which is very easy to route around my fireplace and wainscoting, bit like flexible NAC A5.

I'm not one to spend much on cables and although I'm not saying everything sounds and measures the same, I would say I have never found an expensive cable (tried a few) that made my system more enjoyable.

Some years ago a manufacturer exhibited at a HiFi show. However, he'd forgotten to pack adequate speaker cable in his van. In desperation, he went to a nearby B&Q and bought a reel of mains cable. He duly wired up the speakers. Punters were impressed with the results, but he was bemused by the most frequent question, which was to ask about his exotic orange speaker leads and how much he was selling it for. [If I recall correctly the company was Quad, but I may be wrong].

 

[lowendall]

yes indeed , i did for a long time use wires rescued from a old quilcast electric mower, nice orange, it has to be quilcast , of course, and a modern one of course???? . but yes speaker wires how ever basic as long as they reach the cabs and the amp you on to a good thing,.

 

[MusicMan76]

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