This is the problem with borrowing from Cable Co; not enough time to settle, especially when auditioning a number of variables. They don't tell you that; they surely didn't explain it to me either. I learned to know better both here & from my own experiences. Bob is a nice enough guy, but it hurts their business IMO when they throw too much at you like this.
These guys are right; cables can take a long time to settle, even when used. Much valuable insight imparted above; esp. from blindjim. On my rig, MIT took a good month; Synergistic's best cables took literally *several* months to optimize even when driven 24-7. Initially I thought for some reason they just weren't too good on my rig; now they're amazing.
Some may try to tell you that your components or your ears or whatever something is wrong, if you're experiencing these issues; surprised we haven't heard from those here too. Shaun you've already proven otherwise to yourself, even with lesser priced equipment.
This can be pretty tough to determine; cables come in all flavors & prices; it can be a real challenge to figure out what works best for YOU with YOUR setup. And just because something works well for you doesn't assure similar results on a different rig, & vice-versa. This is why many of us buy used here & experiment at great length, then sell off later what we don't find in our best interest. Or keep them for later experimentation if/when we decide to change the componentry.
I'll share with you another mistake of ignorance that I made when I started the cabling audition process. Be aware that you need to warm up your solid state equipment and LEAVE IT ON (expept when changing cables of course) before comparisons are valid. Cold equipment sounds cold; 24 to 30 hours is typical to reach thermal stabilization. Warmup time can vary by the component & you'll get to know from experience how yours behaves.
A second set of ears can also be useful, as we all hear somewhat differently. Have some fun with it all & best of luck. You'll certainly sharpen your listening skills along the way.
These guys are right; cables can take a long time to settle, even when used. Much valuable insight imparted above; esp. from blindjim. On my rig, MIT took a good month; Synergistic's best cables took literally *several* months to optimize even when driven 24-7. Initially I thought for some reason they just weren't too good on my rig; now they're amazing.
Some may try to tell you that your components or your ears or whatever something is wrong, if you're experiencing these issues; surprised we haven't heard from those here too. Shaun you've already proven otherwise to yourself, even with lesser priced equipment.
This can be pretty tough to determine; cables come in all flavors & prices; it can be a real challenge to figure out what works best for YOU with YOUR setup. And just because something works well for you doesn't assure similar results on a different rig, & vice-versa. This is why many of us buy used here & experiment at great length, then sell off later what we don't find in our best interest. Or keep them for later experimentation if/when we decide to change the componentry.
I'll share with you another mistake of ignorance that I made when I started the cabling audition process. Be aware that you need to warm up your solid state equipment and LEAVE IT ON (expept when changing cables of course) before comparisons are valid. Cold equipment sounds cold; 24 to 30 hours is typical to reach thermal stabilization. Warmup time can vary by the component & you'll get to know from experience how yours behaves.
A second set of ears can also be useful, as we all hear somewhat differently. Have some fun with it all & best of luck. You'll certainly sharpen your listening skills along the way.