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Are current audio cable designs superior to 1980s designs?

(I'm reposting this question under a new title because the original was vague, misleading, and elicited irrelevant replies).

Been using the same pair of 1980s AudioQuest rubber-encased XLR cables between pre and power amps since 1987 with good results -- good in the noncomparative abstract, that is. Components have come and gone, but the AQs have remained the sole constant. Until Morrow's recent Reopening Sale gave me an excuse to play with a more contemporary design. Just made the switch and I know the Morrow burn-in can be prolonged. Plan to set FM tuner overnights to "white noise" rather than BBC human voice signal to speed the process.

Question: to what degree do you believe balanced interconnect designs have improved over the past 30-40 years? And, price range being the same (adjusted for inflation), would you expect the current lean, lightweight Morrows to outperform the old, heavy-duty AudioQuest design? Morrow says they will, but what do this forum's many cable experts think about it?  
hickamore

Showing 2 responses by decooney

decooney
2,314 posts
 


Older AQ cables from the later 1980s mostly tended to lobb thick generic copper strands together thus blurring the results, IMO. Today in some of the better AQ lines, they do source nice copper from a well known provider and design changes with added dielectrics with less noise and changes in detail, sound stage, clarity, tone.

Both can sound nice for different reasons. Some like that older blurred image sound, others prefer more detail and separation. Let your ears be the judge. So many companies and spins on designs, gotta try to know.

Sure, there have been changes and new designs in the past 40 years. There are loaner program services offered like the TheCableCo to help try before you buy.  The service comes at a price vs. reading and guessing.  
decooney
2,314 posts
 

@mahlman
..."Seriuosly now copper is copper ...

Respectfully disagree, particularly when comparing low grade grainy  copper to higher grade purity OFC or smooth OCC copper within interconnects and speaker cables. On a revealing audio system it exposes the difference in an interesting and unexpected way, fwiw.  

Sitting here are the exact same interconnect cable designs in OFC and OCC grades, and swapping them on any input source or between preamp to amplifier, the difference is audible and notable with moderate hearing capability. As to what someone prefers, YMMV.   
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