It was designed to take money off gullible audiophools
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Do you have any recommendations for an alternative.?
I'd try Linn K20.
Going back to the time these cables were first made, Naim were having NAC A4 made for them (by BICC?) after JV discovered its properties worked with his amps. It started out as a lighting installation cable: The sort they used for things like Blackpool illuminations. Linn went to the same supplier and had a very similar cable made, which they introduced as K20. It does sound very slightly different to A4 and has slightly different outer material.
Naim then had A5 made to a slightly different spec, which they claimed was ideal for their amps. It does have a different tonal balance (brighter and sharper I'd say) but differences are more a matter of taste than outright quality.
The thing is, these spaced conductor cables (Linn, Naim, Kelvin, Exposure and Cable Talk) were all very similar and only cost £2-2.50 a metre at the time. Fast forward to today and those that remain are not massively more expensive......except Naim who have hiked their price massively.
You will have to draw your own conclusions about it being worthwhile bit I would echo the sentiments above and only buy a used set. It's far too expensive new for what it is.
Twin and earth mains cable, 2 core flex preferably 1.5mm or bigger to reduce resistance. I've used both and cat 5 before other versions were available. All do the same thing. For those that to want spend their hard earned on fancy named cable, fair enough, but it's a waste of money, it's your money.
This subject is to me both interesting and a can of worms.
In the 70s I bought mains twin, (2.5mm, brown and blue in a white outer), and everyone heard the improvement over a smaller version. We concluded that it was the lowering of resistance. (Tannoy speakers).
In the last few years I have used QED Silver Signature, three Kimber cables, the last being 4TC and 8TC, and now use a mid price Ecosse on my passives.
They do all sound subtly different, but the 8TC produced a really odd sound, loss of top focus, and increased bass, unfathomable.
I've used t & e in the past, but 2.5 mm2, which is about as unwieldy as NAC A5 !. Have to admit, though, that I used it (with Rogers and ProAc speakers) when I fancied a garden session. they were plugged in to existing (indoor) NAC A5. Not very professional, but it all worked well in two houses (sorry, their gardens). Still got it coiled up in my loft.
Exposure Electronics were better than NACA5 in my system.
Looks identical
Thanks for all your repsonses chaps. Certainly a lot of food for thought there.
I shall keep my beady eye on the classifieds and hope something reasonable appears.
Ive just been reading that WITCH HAT make a nice alternative also which is less than 100 quid terminated.
Hes an ex naim engineer so must no his stuff?