How does a Naim Powerline work?

OK, so most Naim gear runs off big outboard power supplies (which are basically just transformers with capacitors) which give a 24 V DC supply to the preamp or CD player.

So, er ..... how on earth can a posh mains cable affect this kind of indirect power supply setup? Answers on a postcard.

 

Not being a Naimite...

It makes no difference whether you have an outboard supply or in-built supply, the AC-DC conversion has to take place somewhere. So it's the same as using a posh cable on any other piece of kit.

If the question is 'do these posh power cables make any difference at all'... I'm not getting involved in that one, I have my own ideas. I run a radial mains supply to each piece of kit from a dedicated 'for audio only' 18 way consumer unit. Each ATC has it's own fuse (cartridge type) from the unit, the pre has it's own and so on.... It sounds great! I have tried some so called 'high end' mains cables from the mains sockets to the gear but I thought the money was better spent on buying more LPs...

 

I've heard an A/B and although my brane said "Can't work", it does.

Plenty of people do not have to listen as they already know it cannot work.

 

It would be interesting to see any sort of explanation from Naim, but since there isn't one, cynicism seems inevitable.

I'd like to see a blind a/b.

[A recent audition of the very-much-hyped 552/500 combo disappointed me, in one sense.]

 

Mike,

I listened and listened and listened and to tell the truth I thought it was a complete waste of time and money. For the amount of money 'they' were asking for the mains cables...really, the money was better spent on LPs. I'm always up for an upgrade no matter how much (literally) but I like to see/ hear benefits...'real' ones NOT 'maybe' ones.

Oh, and this was done blind, in a well known shop, under controlled conditions, blind and with another member of their staff with me....and he didn't know which was which!

You can fool the brain into anything

 

Well, there is an explanation of sorts from Naim. According to them it's all about mechanical decoupling of the cable from the connectors at each end. To be honest is sounds like nonsense to me but they have certainly gone to quite a lot of trouble in an effort to achieve their stated goals.

I've heard the Hi-Line demo twice now. The first time I was quite unconvinced - the second time was more convincing. Do I need £400 mains cables in my life.....certainly not; however, lots of people seem to think that they do - I guess that's up to them.

 

I tried the Hiline between my CD5x and 252; to be honest it did not do it for me, BUT... my 300 had the speaker connections out of phase so that may have had an effect...

 

Have you read this, a review + interview with Roy George, Naim's chief designer:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/naim2/powerline.html

Interestingly, he says (my emphasis):

 

Isn't that the concept behind Vertex AQ cables as well? They seem to be very much in favour at HiFi+ (where they also take advertising space).

 

Well, having looked at the Vertex site (there's dedication for you), I would say the answer is - sorta yes and sorta no. Vertex do not seem to decouple the cable from the connectors. Indeed, they mention the transmission of mechanical energy through the connector and down the cable where it is damped (so they claim) by a metal box that lies midway along the cable. So, yes -they believe in damping vibration and, no - they don't approach the issue in the same way Naim have chosen to (probably because Naim had to design and make their own 13A plug and IEC plug which will have been an expensive exercise - Vertex are a small company and won't have the financial resources for such shenanigans).

 

I think the likeliest explanation is Emperor's New Clothes, as is often the case in Audiophoolery.

 

If I follow Naim's blurb correctly, I think they're attempting to control that at source by decoupling the connections. It's an intriguing idea if nothing else.

I've long wanted to hear the Vertex cables and these would make an interesting listen too should happenstance allow.