Why does Naim suggest 3.5 meter length speaker cable for their amps?

[gooner26]

I heard Naim advise on 3.5 meter length for speaker cable for their amplifiers, why?

i'm trading my 1 meter chord silverscreen for 2 meter later today for my new Naim Nait 5i so i can have my eb acoustic eb1's even further apart, will the 2 meter be sufficiant?

regards danny

 

[Anonymous]

Isn't this because they believe a 3.5m cable measures correctly to suit the amplifier, i.e. inductance, capacitance and resistance. This sounds like a hang-over from their earlier equipment.

Someone who knows what they're talking about might answer now.

 

[chebby]

igglebert:Isn't this because they believe a 3.5m cable measures correctly to suit the amplifier, i.e. inductance, capacitance and resistance. This sounds like a hang-over from their earlier equipment.

Someone who knows what they're talking about might answer now.

This is true.

It is also still in their latest 2009 amplifier instructions (section 1.2) so I am not sure how out-of-date it is.

Rather than take any chances I just went for the minimum 3.5m specified. (Max recommended is 20m).

Here is what Naim themselves say in the FAQ section of their website concerning speaker cable length.

 

[Dan Turner]

Yes their old amps were designed so that the speaker cable was an integral part of the amplifier design, hence you had to use their own stuff, and at least 3.5m of it.

The manual for the 5i says:

A stereo set of speaker connection sockets is provided on the rear panel. The sockets can accept standard 4mm plugs, but to comply with European legislation the Naim connectors supplied should be used. Naim Audio speaker cable will provide the best results; however, a wide range of speaker cable types can be used without risk of damage to the amplifier.

Ensure when connecting speakers that they are "in phase". That is, the positive and negative connection orientation at both the speaker and amplifier ends of the cable is the same for both channels.

sorry that turned out so small!!

They don't comment on the length, so one is left to assume it isn't important. You could call them up just to be on the safe side.

 

[gooner26]

are the Naim connectors really a must? my dealer will be selling me Chord Silverscreen with Banana plugs on, surely this will be sufficiant?

thanks for the advice

regards danny

 

[chebby]

gooner26:
are the Naim connectors really a must? my dealer will be selling me Chord Silverscreen with Banana plugs on, surely this will be sufficiant?

They significantly reduce the chances of any accidental shorting (at least from the amp end of the cable) when unplugging/reconnecting your cables.

If you always unplug from the amp end first (using Naims connectors) then accidental shorting is virtually impossible.

 

[Anonymous]

Dont know why Naim should be any different to other makers. General consensus is that you should switch off before removing / connecting plugs. Do it this way and you wont get a short....

Back to the 3.5mm length. I assume that is only true if you use Naim cables being as cables all vary with regard to capacitance etc etc etc.

 

[chebby]

I just did what was recommended by Naim. I also use their own interconnects as they recommend.

I will bow out now and defer to the people who know better than Naim what to use to connect it all up.

I am not an expert cable tweaker, nor an amp designer. All I have found so far is that 3.5m of NACA5 works great, Naim's own interconnects sound fine and Naim stuff works together really well so I will leave the experimentation to those more qualified.

 

[Andrew Everard]

It's a hangover from the older Naim amps, which had less protection on their outputs, and thus could have problems with cables having unusual capacitance and/or inductance characteristics.

The newer models, and in particular the Nait 5 models, are designed to be more cable-friendly.

 

[Anonymous]

Do the newer Naim amps have ouput protection then? I hadn't realise that.

I had a scary moment once when the leads were pulled out of one speakers and nearly ended up connecting.

 

[Andrew Everard]

They have redesigned output stages to make them usable with a wider range of cables, but as ever caution should be taken when disconnecting or connecting components with the power on. ie don't.