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Cable Break In for the Naysayers

I still cannot believe that in this stage of Audio history there are still many who claim cable break in is imagined. They even go so far as claim it is our ears that break in to the new sound. Providing many studies in the way of scientific testing. Sigh...

I noticed such a recent discussion on the What’s Best Forum. So here is my response.

______________________________________________________________________________________________ I just experienced cable break in again firsthand. 10 Days ago, I bought a new set of the AudioQuest Thunderbird XLR 2M interconnects.

First impression, they sounded good, but then after about 30 hours of usage the music started sounding very closed in and with limited high frequencies. This continued until about 130 hours of music play time.

Then at this time, the cables started to open up and began to sound better and better each passing hour. I knew at the beginning they would come around because they sounded ok at first until the break in process started. But now they have way surpassed that original sound.

Now the soundstage has become huge with fantastic frequency extensions. Very pleased with the results. Scientifically I guess we can’t prove cable break in is real, but with good equipment, good ears, it is clearly a real event.

ozzy

ozzy

Showing 2 responses by craig16229

craig16229
18 posts
 

I’m a longtime reader but mostly a lurker and don’t post much because I don’t own high-end and have less knowledge and expertise than just about everyone here . . . . but I love listening to my CD collection.

That said, I’ve always found this and similar topics really interesting.  So, I’m wondering if anyone else has ever had this experience or similar:

When studying for certs I often do so with music and headphones.  Chopin Nocturnes are some of my favorite go-to-s.  I’ll set volume to a level that helps me focus but is not distracting.  After several minutes (never measured it) I’ll lower the volume because it seems  slightly louder.  I may even need to lower a 2nd time.  I don’t think it’s a matter of different tracks since Chopin pieces are often longer and not very dynamic.

Did the hearing part of my brain change and adjust?  I’m not making an argument against cable break-in but it does leave me interested in if and how hearing changes over time – while listening to the same thing with little else changing.

craig16229
18 posts
 

  . . . lest anyone think I am arguing against cable break-in, I am not 😊

It’s just one of those kinds of questions (which is how I think of it instead of an argument) I find fascinating.

Lately I’ve begun studying quantum cryptography which has also drawn me into reading about quantum entanglement.  Won’t go completely off on a tangent here but entanglement is mind-blowing and defies so much we think we understand and believe about how things are and work.  The concept has existed since around 1927.  Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance” and did not see how it could be real but also said he did not want to “know he was right” but “IF he was right”.   The tech to test in his day was limited but current experiments are strongly suggesting quantum entanglement is real.

Maybe cable break-in is a “spooky” thing that exists and we haven’t yet used a “lab” approach that detects and explains it.

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