Make sure you haven't reversed the phase. |
Thanks for the quick response. I doubled checked, all speaker and amp terminals connected by the Anti Cables Speaker cables are correctly connected, so I presume there is no 'phase' change. |
There are a couple of possibilities.
First, moving your power amp may have changed things. What if it is now exposed to some EMI/RFI that wasn't previously an issue? (Or your amp is the source of that RFI and it's new position is adversely affecting another component.)
Or the move it could have affected another interconnect or component in some fashion, knocking something loose.
Were speakers moved? Even an inch or two can affect things. Same thing with seating position and other items in the room that may be reflecting sound.
I assume you have checked the speaker cables to make sure nothing was damaged. Is there a banana plug or spade that can be re-tightened or soldered?
Finally audiophiles tend to discount the impact of our fertile imaginations. I find myself to be the single biggest variable when I listen to music. Since our brain is actively involved in our listening, it is extremely difficult for an individual listener to sort out what part of a perceived sonic change is due to something physical in a system and what part is psychological. I tend to be skeptical over long break-in periods for non-mechanical devices, and skeptical that things like wire can suddenly just "lose" a break-in.
In any case, whatever the cause it sounds like you are slowly making progress back toward your earlier state. Maybe it is just a matter of time for you. |
When you say you "moved the amp 6-inches sideways to make some room," does that mean you put some other component right next to the amp? If so, that could be your problem.
I have some Anti-Cables and have plugged and unplugged them a bunch of times and never noticed a difference in sound quality... |
Perhaps you were out of phase before and now have got it right. Out of phase will have a more airy sound which you might call sumptuous. In phase is generally more of a solid sound. |
Thanks for the responses.
Shadone: the stiffness of the Anti-Cable speaker wires would prevent me from having an accidental phase shift of the terminals at the amp end. I don't think I have accidentally phase shifted my terminals at the emp end. I did not touch the speaker end at all. Given what you said about sumptuous sound with deliberate phase change, I will deliberately try it.
Plato: I did not put any new instruments next to my amp. I made room for my CD collection next to the amp. I since moved the amp back to its original position.
Mlsstl: After over 25 hrs of reconnecting, the sound has still not come back to the original broken in sound of the Anti Cables. |
Since Anti Cables are not shielded, I would explore the changed EMF/RFI theory. Are the cables crossing over other cables now? Exposed to the rear of another component? In closer proximity to a power cable than they were? I would look at your overall physical layout of cables, components, power conditioners etc. and look for potential problem spots. I don't think Anti Cables would be my first choice if the cable environment in the back of my set up were particularly tightly packed with boxes and wires. |
If you've changed ANYTHING else, I'd look there first... If you haven't changed anything else, two possibilities exist: 1) You're imagining the change in sound, or 2) The performance of one of the components in your audio chain is deteriorating.
In the case of #1, I simply suggest that you imagine it sounds like it used to; and for #2 (that will be more difficult to track down), but if you use any tube gear maybe a tube or tubes are showing signs of aging/deterioration.
I highly doubt that what you described is the result of plugging and unplugging cables... Normally, a system sounds better after cables are unplugged and then plugged back in (at least in my experience). |
Funny one Plato. My audio imagination is not that great when something so obvious is happening.
Knownothing: I will try separating the Anti Cables speaker wire further away from other cables. The power cord is perpendicularly running (90 degree) running across the Anti Cables. |
I used anticables in the past. I disconnected them and re-connected them and they never sounded the same again. I only moved them slightly when I disconnected them from the back of the speakers and amp. They never returned to their previous performance even after a substantial time to allow them to settle back in. I never could figure it out. I checked phasing, spade connections etc. You may have to buy another set, but that experience turned me off. One guy suggested to me that I had stressed the connection of the spades to the cable and that could be the problem. There may be something to this since the connection is not the sturdiest. |
Foster_9: I am glad that you seemed to experience the same thing as I do. I have just moved my power cord further away from the unshield Anti Cables speaker wire and if they are close (at least 2 inches), they are perpendicularly (90 degree) running.
I will need more extended listening time to deduce whether this will get back to my previous performance of the broken-in (never unplugged) cable.
Could some one here let me know how far the Anti Cables Speaker and interconnects should be separated from other shielded cables including power cords to avoid RFI. |
I foundnd anti-cables sounds congested when i reversed the cable direction after burn-in .
Much worst if only one channel reversed. |
Very curious indeed...Over the weekend I got the Signature version (from a fellow Audiogoner-so burn in should not be in play)of my current M III amp which per several reviews was said to be a significant improvement. When I replaced the M III with the M III "Signature" it was not the major improvement I expected, and the bass was very wooly , boomy. The mids and highs, while very good, were no better than the standard unit. Since I am using anti-cables and of course had to disconnect and reconnect them to switch out the amps, this thread caught my eye. I have been playing for about 24 hours now with no change. I am about to switch back to the former amp and am very curious to see if things return to normal... |
Bbro: What is your experience after your discoonecting/reconnecting the Anti-Cables ?
Of course, you have an additional variable to consider, i.e. your new MIII 'Signature'. |
I pulled apart some of the power cables that were already running perpendicular (90 degree) of the Anticables. The Anticable speaker cables are now left at least 2 inches from the power cables and other shielded interconnect cables.
I did NOT play the already run-in Anticables for another 500 hrs, but just played the usual amount of hours (average 1-2 hrs per day). After 3 weeks of this normal playing and stay in this rearranged position, the former sumptuous glory sound of the AntiCables returned.
If anyone here (including Paul Speltz) who can offer me an explanation for this experience, I would really appreciate it. |
I moved mine all over the place, carried them about from system to system,
and never noticed a difference when I reconnected them to my system. |
I have to agree with Muralmann1. I never had a problem with my Anti-Cables. As a matter of fact, I compared them with Purist Anniversary, Kimber Select, Audioquest Sky, etc. and in my system only Audioquest was similar (although the price difference was not). Every wire both speaker and interconnects are Anti-Cables (interconnects are XLR balanced and speaker is bi-wired). I have nothing but positive feelings toward this cable. I've plugged and unplugged the wire...it sounds different, but always comes back to its glorious self. All wire sounds different when moved...Cardas has a big thing about this on their website. |
