Can changing speaker cables often require adjusting speaker placement?

Speaker should be set up for the room not the cable.

If your speakers are just 22 inches out from the wall behind them, that's not very much.  You probably won't get much depth with any speaker cable.

I sort of agree with Mofimadness--

I really have no idea of space limitations in your room so forgive my ignoring problems that may prevent you doing anything, but here is what I would do to optomize the sound, and perhaps correct the 'forwardness' you are hearing. 

Bring the speakers out further into the room is a big deal and might just be the best single thing you can do (mine are, for example, on the short wall 6ft out in a14x 20ft room.  But if you can getting them spread further apart that can help a lot as well. If you can't do that you can try just pointing your speakers straight ahead which will take your sweet spot well off of your speakers axis.

For example, mine are 2 feet from the side walls and toed in so the axis crosses just in front my head, and I sit about 9 ft back from the speakers. This is close to an equilateral triangle.  Sitting them closer to the side walls can increase upper bass a bit (but a lot of systems can benefit from that even if it occurs). Then I toe in the speakers until the axis crosses in front of my head which minimizes side wall sound reflections substantially. 

It is really hard to project with any certainty what will work, you just have to move stuff about in small increments until you get something that works. FWIW I think your newer cable has better long range potential for your dialing it in. But your going to have to work at it, a lot. :-)

Most SC takes about a week to settle in after any  movement or hookup .

Sunnyjim - Yes - I’ve experienced changing speaker cables several times and each time it required repositioning speakers for optimum SQ.

For example:
- if the cables result in significantly more bass you may need to adjust the toe-in or the distance between your speakers in order to achieve the most natural sounding bass.
- if the new cables result in more clarity, again, repositioning the speakers may result in significantly better imaging.

Also, an example of the effect of changes in acoustics (unrelated to any system changes) - I’ve just finished applying acoustic treatments to my room and I ended up changing speaker position after applying each treatment in order to achieve the optimum image and bass performance.

Of course - it can also be dependent on the acoustics of the room - my room is only 15 x 12 x 8(high), which comes with it’s own set of challenges in the form of standing waves and reflections.

I have no experience with larger rooms, but I believe they all have their own unique challenges as we implement different cables and components.

But I do agree with Schubert - allow the cables to settle/burn in before making any changes

Good Luck

Jim-

there may be a period of adjustment. Allow your cables to burn/settle in prior to any speaker placement. At least 200 hrs of burn-in is required.
Then, feel free to try different positions w/ your speakers.

Keep me posted & Happy Listening!

Thank you to all who have responded. I was proofing a reply but unfortunately erased the text by miss-keying. Will report results soon.