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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
 
Thank you everyone for all your responses. I emailed Transparent sometime ago and I believe their response was their products 70 to 100 hours of break in time, sometimes longer. I also emailed my dealer sales person and he said up to 800 hours. So, that’s why I gave it so long. I am taking the cables back out to the dealer today, either for a refund or to give Transparent another chance to so-called re-tune the cables. 
jetter
3,030 posts
 
paul, just my opinion, I would get out from under these cables and just ask for a refund.  Not because of the brand, as I have never heard a Transparent cable, but even if the tuning was off, how much better can they be?


chayro
2,977 posts
 
If I were you, I would just explain that the cables did not result in the improvement to your ears and work with the dealer to arrive at a solution.  Remember that your goal is not a refund, per-se - It is to achieve an improvement in sound quality that you feel was commensurate with the expense.  The end result may well be a refund or a credit but don't knee jerk until you've explored the possibilities. Good luck. 
tablejockey
3,869 posts
 
That was a painful read.

If it sound too good to be true... Shame on the dealer.
paulg24 OP
20 posts
 
Here is an update, and I have to eat some crow on the Transparent cables situation. I must admit that I'm a novice when it comes to hi fi gear. After I complained, Transparent's VP suggested that I ask my dealer's sales person (who has been in the business for 30+ years) to come to my home and check the positions of my speakers.I had done my best to locate them based on hours of internet research and recommendations from the speaker company's president.
My dealer was willing to do a full refund but I wanted to give them the opportunity to see if speaker re-positioning would help even though I was very skeptical. Their expert come out and I left him to spend about an hour assessing my room and then re-positioning my speakers. I was in a different room working and I could immediately tell something marvelous had changed from a different room. I went back into my listening room and was astonished at the sound difference.I also re-compared my old Transparent Supers vs the Reference interconnects and there was indeed a substantial improvement with the Reference. So, I spoke too soon, and feel a bit badly that I wasted you good peoples' time and spoke ignorantly of the cables. So, there you have it.
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