Cabling Recommendations


Looking for your recommendations for connecting:

  • Focal Grande Utopia speakers
  • Naim Statement amps & preamp
  • Naim 555 streamer & 555 ps dr
Ag insider logo xs@2xmrrobot

@mrrobot A lot of suggestions are dependent upon how much you want to spend?

Can you give us an idea, dollar wise?

@twoleftears ”it’s amazing to see how many uses a wire hanger has.”

 

Now Now Master Ears , They may have been Cryo’d , possibly even OFC or even bettererrr OCC coat hangers in a previous life.

@mrrobot 

It would be helpful to know your budget, otherwise you'll get suggestions from bargains and favorites to cost-no-object.

Looking at your specific component reviews may list cabling that can suit your needs.

Inquiring at Focal and/or Niam specific forums may have cabling suggestions.

If possible, it's usually best to try before you buy, allowing enough time for the component to break in to reveal it's true performance.

Hello mrrobot

I too have the Naim Statements (previously had the 500/552)  with a CD555 and 2 555PSs with custom made Grandinote Mach 36 speakers.  I had the standard Naim cables as well as the Naim Powerline and Hi-line interconnects.  When I switched out the Naim cables, one at a time, with Luna Noir cables (speaker, powerline, interconnect and XLRs) I was floored with the improvement.  It was like listening to an entirely upgraded system.

 

I would strongly recommend trying the Lunas.  If you contact Danny Labrecque (the owner and designer (as well as the hand builder) of Luna Cables, he would probably be willing to loan you samples to see for yourself.  Danny used to be a Naim tech so he is intimately familiar with all things Naim.  Luna is located near Quebec, Canada.

 

Good luck,

Mitch

Some of Synergistic Research’s upper-end cables probably deserve a try-out.

I assume that most of the really stupid answers in this post are simply because of the monumental ignorance of the people responding.

@mrskeptic , we’re all looking directly at you. Didn’t your mother ever teach you that it’s better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt?

@tablejockey , you’re wrong. They’re not a quarter of a million dollar speakers ($250,000), they’re $279,998 speakers. LOL. 

Is there a budget? Has anyone tried modest priced speaker cables with Uber expensive gear and speakers or does everyone just assume the sky high priced loom is the only way to go?

Call up at ZenWave. I bet he’ll provide cabling that meets the same level as any other, regardless of price. That said, I would use Cullen or Zavfino and use the extra money for music...get yourself a turntable and hear the real magic.

 

Goodluck

Siltech or Crystal Cables get great reviews. I targeted neutral transparent at a price I can afford, so went with the Siltech Classic Legend. 

Seems some top pro reviewers think Audioquest Dragon cables as one of the best.

mrrobot - Have you explored the Naim Forum? They’re are many well informed folks there that will aid in you quest and their search engine is first rate. In addition their Forum Moderator is there to assist you in every capacity. I use Super Lumina DIN5-5 cable as my interconnect and like it very much. The Chord Company makes very high quality great sounding cables that mate well with Naim’s gear. Do some research on The Chord Company’s The Music lineup. Best of luck!!

 "all three of those cables are not that great they're all ofc junk if you're going to recommend cables at least tell him to get OCC single Crystal cables which are far superior to anything ofc and you should know that by now, and especially at how overpriced those three are, you can get the top neotech rectangular cable for half the cost of any of those three."

Looks like urbie holds the cure for audio cable neurosis. He also knows the OP with high dollar speakers now needs to look for savings on the speaker cables.

Snicker

snicker

ghdPrentice,

all three of those cables are not that great they're all ofc junk if you're going to recommend cables at least tell him to get OCC single Crystal cables which are far superior to anything ofc and you should know that by now, and especially at how overpriced those three are, you can get the top neotech rectangular cable for half the cost of any of those three.

Mrskeptic I own blue Jean cable they are good. But the utopia deserve cable that will bring the best out of them, Blue Jean is not capable of that.

Definitely. You can see the product on his website:

millercarbon

It's good to see all those abandoned coat hangers being repurposed for something useful and expensive.

Jim from wisdom cable own utopia also, he knows this Speakers very well, Albert porter is onother one , I would trust.What I like about Jim will tell you how is Cable will react to your gear, He can costumize as well.

MILLER CARBON Cable Cradles....is that the Millercarbon that used to post on these forums

Definitely. You can see the product on his website:

millercarbon

 

A little off subject....At the recent NY Hi- Fi show an exibitor was MILLER CARBON Cable Cradles....is that the Millercarbon that used to post on these forums.

With Naim Statements and 555s, I can’t believe you’re not using Naim’s cables the developed specifically for the Statement line. I don’t know about Statements specifically, but Naim amps always required cables with certain electrical characteristics to perform their best. I would look into it. 

Go as far up as your budget will allow"

willy-T- The OP has a 1/4 million dollar retail speaker set.

I think the budget isn't a concern.

Anything in the Cardas Clear line

Go as far up as your budget will allow

Good luck 

Willy-T

Monoprice or Blue Jean if you want to splurge but have the same sound. Cables don't matter.

Definitely contact Focal and ask what the use or would suggest. NAIM might also give you some useful information.

All the best.

Thanks for suggesting me Lalitk,   Audiogon notified me I was mentioned in a discussion.  

Mrrobot, I am available to speak if you wish.  My email is albertporter@gmail.com so we can set up a time.  If Audiogon blocks my email in this post, look at any of my ads here and its included.

Short reply for sake of this forum, There are a lot of cables that will work and each have a different tonal balance or personality.  Focal Grande EM are extremely high resolution and any cable that has a tendency to get “bright” can make listening unpleasant, at least to my ears.  Ideal is cable with superior bandwidth and dynamics but neutral to warm tonally.   Purist is what I use, you can view in my system, link provided by Lalitk

You could also speak to Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio as he owns the Focal’s also. 
 

@mrrobot 
I would steer clear of Nordost or Transparent Cables. My recommendation would be to speak with Albert Porter. He owns Focal and his advice would be spot on the cabling. I have spoken to him few times, very knowledgeable and great guy!

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/625

Given the high quality of your system I would test: Transparent, Cardas, and Nordost. These sound bring out the different flavors of outstanding neutral.

Focal Grande Utopia...You've got a set of serious speakers there. I've never heard a setup with them sound bad.

Just try as many of top-of-line models brands as you can. With that level of speaker, a proper dealer will have demo cables for you to try in your setup. You're gonna drop some serious dough, so a real dealer will be ready to help.

Pure subjective call for your ears only.

Any decent cable/brand won't prevent your speakers from sounding great. I'd just get Nordost Odin and call it a day to enjoy the setup. 

Impressive looking/sounding speakers should have cool looking cables to match.  

 

mrrobot

 

Consult Audio Concepts- Dallas Tx. These guys are long-term NAIM dealers/retailers. Second option, there is a new Focal/Naim superstore in the greater Metroplex  as well.

 

Happy Listening!