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No Improvement With Transparent Reference RCA Interconnects For Naim NDX 2 Streamer

I am in need of some guidance from those more audiophile educated than myself. I recently upgraded my 18-old system. My system now is: Mark Levinson 5805, Naim NDX 2 streamer with Naim XPS DR power source, Naim Uniti Core CD ripper to WAV files, and Transparent Super speaker cables.
I use the streamer mostly for music from Tidal and the Uniti Core. My dealer talked me into buying a pair Transparent Reference RCA Interconnects saying my system was good enough to benefit from the $3200 upgrade. After ~ 600 hours "burn-in" time, I have to say that the Refs don't sound any better than my 18-year old Transparent Supers. Transparent's VP even called me when I politely complained, explained how the Refs were tuned for the source impedance and suggested that my speakers may need to be re-positioned to which I replied that there is not much more room for adjustment.
I am wondering several things: if the Refs are simply overkill for Naim's mid-level streamer, or if Transparent "tuned" the boxes incorrectly, or if the Ultras would be better, or if a different brand of interconnects would be better, or fill in the blank.
Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
paulg24
paulg24 OP
20 posts
 
twoleftears, I missed your questions earlier. My home theater room is 12'W x 19'L and my system is set up in one of the 12' ends. My listening chair is 11' back from the center of a straight line between the two tweeters.
I had the speakers set as follows: tweeter 41" from the back wall and 23" from the side wall. I had a 2.5" toe in.
The dealer's expert re-positioned them as follows: tweeters 48" from the back wall and 20.5" from the side wall and changed toe in to 4". Huge improvement in sound!
paulg24 OP
20 posts
 
no_money, Other than the firmware problems, wanted to know your reasons for switching from the 5805 to the 585.5. I know the 585.5 has more power and cost a lot more. Is the 585.5 DAC superior? The 5805's DAC is supposedly the newest but is also in Levinson's "budget" line.
andy2
1,522 posts
 
The bottleneck in your system probably is the  Aerial Acoustics Model 7T. 
paulg24 OP
20 posts
 
andy2t,  I'm happy with the sound of my system now. With some music, it could use more power. But I'll take the bait...would you please elaborate the facts on which you base the opinion that the 7Ts are a "bottleneck" in my system. I don't know what that means vis a vis my hi fi system.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,313 posts
 
Thanks for the details.

Once again, moving the speakers further out from the wall behind them improves the sound.

The increased toe-in will, among other things, compensate for being closer to the side walls.
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