Revisiting Chinese Knockoff Cables

Here are a number of updates. I have mixed impressions with Chinese cables so far.

I compared again my 25 years old Acrotec 8N 2080 mk1 to Odin Gold RCA cable. 
Yes, Odin Gold is nice, musical and well balanced.
But it is clearly inferior to the Acrotec 8N 2080 mk1. Acrotec is simply more transparent and has better texture and resolution plus deeper and more realistic bass.

After 400 hours my Odin 2 knockoff AC cable started sound balanced and organic with the LHY OCK-1 master clock
that works with my Gustard R26 DAC (connected by Harmonic Technology Digital Copper III BNC (50 ohm) cable).
Now R26 sounds much more transparent, 3D, focused and clean with the master clock without extra brightness.
Between 300 and 400 hour Odin 2 AC cable added some kind of whistling to high frequencies.

I bought the Accuphase 40th Anniversary AC cable.
I burned it on my computer for 10 days (240 hours) then I tried it.
The sound is very dynamic, with incredible resolution. But it is not smooth and the tone is a little bit on the cold side.
The question is, how much break in does this cable need?
And will it sound smoother or warmer after the fool breaks in? 

WOW can't believe I came across my old thread after a long absence. I have made a number of improvements; ET-s transport, Vera-FI Subways maybe a couple new power cords. Decided to try the WW s again, and found them much better now

Just a few days ago I replaced the Audio Alchemy OEM umbilical with a RAL which is $289 but damn well worth every penny! Now thinking to upgrade my digital coax cable even though system jumped many levels, I can't help but wonder

I think all of my cabling now (RAC, XLR and PC) are pretty much knock-offs. Mainly the Odin Golds and some Odins. Purple Nordost knock-offs, as well.

Original cabling I have consist of a few A+ Silvers (RCA, speakers and PC), Acoustic Zen Krakatoas, AZ Hologram II speaker and I'm sure a few others.

I've done comparisons, but it was so long ago and only for the IC's I think, that I don't recall what I heard (or didn't). How I approached it was since the cabling was so inexpensive compared to hi-fi cabling that when I swapped out the ICs as long as I didn't need to rush the old ones back in quickly, it was a win.

The only issue I've had with them is that the speaker connectors seem to be done somewhat poorly. I've had to replace most all of them for one reason or another.

I've never followed these knock off threads so forgive me if this has already been covered. Has anyone ever confirmed the provenance of these cables? Is it just some random factory building generally similar cables and slapping existing names on them? Or are these at all tied in with the original supplier who makes them for Nordost etc? Maybe hard to know for sure, just wondering if we've got any good leads or anything. 

Following up my last post, I reached out to RAL, the 1m digital cable is $589. No bueno, so I searched Ali-Express and found a  ERUMPENT Sterling Silver RCA Coaxial Audio Cable for DAC TV Subwoofer Professional Digital RCA to RCA Spdif 75 Ohm HiFi Cable 1.5M shipped for $118.00. It only took 2 weeks to arrive. I applied a light coat of MAD SCIENTIST graphene enhancer an hit play. From the very first note the sound was 3D huge compare to my other digital cable (no name). Now both the able and the graphene nee a couple days to meld

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808065125988.html?ug_edm_item_id=3256808065125988&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%21%24127.00%21%2490.17%21%21%21%21%21%40210143c117521338939485342de9f1%2112000044380727038%21edm%21%21%21&edm_click_module=item_detail&edm_log_data=edm-item-list-one-column.store-product-log-link&tracelog=rowan&rowan_id1=aeug_edm_84127_1_en_US_2025-07-10&rowan_msg_id=8853biz_add_cart%3A0%3A0_578346165%24c05a03c09c63482fb52a3a153d39f437&ck=in_edm_other&mem_info=b1nTMBb%20YrxWzLWMYKkTRA%3D%3D-100103-aeug_edm_84127-F0tH1zwMsDosuDBLZgM0RlSVMaDxL0pcZaZIxW3BjuU%3D&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa