New cables...

@megabyte I am very much on board with all of that.  To hear a difference with cables, you really have to take extremes.  Cables are jewelry for hifi systems, unless you have to resolve real issues like rf, long distances, etc..

@jaredpurdy 

I, for one, am very interested to hear your update on installing the new cable loom in your system. Last time you posted here your seemed somewhat lukewarm. I predicted that all would be well, once the cables have had a chance to break in. 

Pray tell, what's your latest assessment of the change?

@jaredpurdy  - A couple of thoughts. I think there are several reasons why might not be sure you’re hearing a difference with the new cables.

1. Stress. Anxiety. Misgivings about having spent all that money. Stress WILL have an effect on your hearing. It will cause the smallest muscle in the human body - The Stapedius muscle - to tighten up. THIS WILL AFFECT YOUR HEARING.

2. Cardas cables take a long time to break in. They will continue to improve for up to 200 hours. Leave them where they are for a couple of months.

3. Expectations - no one can say what your expectations were/are with these new cables. If you do a google search on the Kano Model you’ll see how expctation & performance & satisfaction are related.

You didn’t ask for advice, but I’ll share my .02. Relax. Have no doubt. You bought a loom of killer cables for your system. They will soon sound amazing. Yes, this is my opinion and others have a right to disagree. But I am very confident that you’ll come to love the improvement in your system and that eventually you will recognize that is not subtle.

Quick A/B comparisons are very unreliable for detecting differences in sound. And even less effective at clearly identifying differences that are improvements and that contribute to the listeners ability to "hear into" the recording to understand the musical intentions of the performers. In my experience your Cardas cables will eventually help you do this. You’ll find that they are different, and that they are an improvement, and that they allow you to enjoy your system much more.

My experience is that cables make extremely subtle, nearly inaudible differences. If you buy them because they appeal to you aesthetically, or to feel like you’ve ruled out a weak link, and it makes you happy by all means do it. Why not? But expecting dramatic differences imo is very much overstating what cables can do. Which frankly isn’t much. But thats just my experience. And, I’ve tried expensive cables. Maybe not the insanely expensive ones but I’ve compared in my system a $175 pair of speaker cables to a $375, to a $1200 pair. If there are differences, they are so subtle I can’t reliably tell. And my hearing is fine, and my system is easily “resolving” enough. Cable money imo is far better spent on improving speakers and room acoustics. And imo high end cables are 95% marketing and 5% reality.

Needless to say if you can spend 100k on cables and still have unlimited $ left to throw at speakers or acoustics then my hat is off to you. :)

OP -- What has surprised me most, is that lack of difference in overall sound that I have noticed. Is it my ears?

You need a clean sounding reference system to hear the sound difference. All audio systems in the world sounds dirty and distorted. Also, the reviewing cable (or gear) sound noisy and distorted. Therefore, it is harder to hear the sound difference of a noisy cable in noisy system.

My system sounds clean and I live-recorded 4 power cords with my system and the sound difference by cables is clear. Click these times (4:46 JPS), (9:50 Zentara), (14:38 WT v2), (18:53 WTPC) to hear different cables.

All audio systems in the world (except mine, my system sounds like a right speaker) sound like the left speaker in below video which sounds distorted and noisy.

Test your system if it is noisy. Speak anything while your system playing. Alex/WTA

Snowflake had my post removed. 

new wire break in, about the break in period, believe the break-in period for cables to be in the 100 hour range, 150 hours of use and non-movement of all cabling for the system to settle in, for cable breakin. 150-200hrs is somewhat standard, 200hrs of signal thru the new cables, give them around 200 hours to really settle in..

Good team work. So you trolls don't use 'burn-in' anymore that's an improvement. 

@jaredw03 - I’m afraid it’s a bit late to ask qiestions after a purchase, because the answers may not contain good news.

You’ve probably done some due dillicence in looking for cables based on reputation and price, but this is where the cable industry throws you a curve ball, unless you really know what to look for in a good cable, they can baffle you with "science"

Fact is, most cables do not deliver amazing results unless you really know what to look for.

Take a look at this thread, which provides some basic info on modern cable design approaches.

• what I have found makes a good cable

It covers modern design approaches by top cable brands

You’ll see three brands that I recommend, of varying budgets - all three will deliver noticeable improvements in any system.

One other thing to be wary of - High Capacitance speaker cables can drive high current solid state designs to a point of failure, especially if you are using low impedance speakers - so choose your speaker cables wisely

• e.g. TOTL Cardas speaker cables have very high levels of capacitance

Good luck with your quest

Regards - Steve.

Yeah, I’d give them around 200 hours to really settle in, and then if you still have them put the old cables back in and see what you think (let the old cables settle in for a few minutes before serious listening).  I’d think you’d hear a meaningful difference, but whether it’s better or worse, well, that’s cables for ya.  I’m betting you’ll be pleased though. 

Get 200hrs of signal thru the new cables then re-evaluate. Sometimes the difference is more apparent when you go from best to worst and you realize what you’re missing.

Also, few additional items to consider-

1. bad room acoustics will mask differences between cables and even between components. Any reflective surfaces like tiled floors, windows on the side of the speakers…anything that will cause the sound to bounce or create slap echo will impact what you are able to hear.

2. speaker placement and listening chair position relative to speakers - if not properly setup it will negatively impact your system performance and will most likely negate any gains possible with cable upgrades. 

+1 @lak a day or two is not enough for cable breakin. 150-200hrs is somewhat standard. 

@lak I did the same on mine, but mine is even wors.. I added the XLRs end to end so I would have them burned in too at the same time.  Now I did have my Valhalla broken in already since I had them for a month already and left my equipment on 24/7 for a few weeks and then 3 days with the burn in cd. I currently adding more XLRs, Power cords, and USB Cables. Next week my DIY xangsane 9003ag speaker wires will be in, and the following week my Odin 2 Gold speaker cables will be in.

Gonna be some serious listening going on to see which combo of wires I like the best. Then start allover again with the surrounds.😀