What are we listening for during break in?

Wow, how can any audiophile who has gone through much wire say it needs no break in. Come on folks this is audio 101, audio grade school if you will. Of coarse they do. Some more than others. They all react differently. My current set sounded closed in and compressed for 48 hours. After 72 they are great. No big deal, just let if play softly 24/7 until the changes stop.

This is one point that is an absolute fact - cables do require break in. I dont mean to be "emotional" but I have not read statements this much away from he truth. We can all have preferences for one cable vs another etc... But, to say cables dont change with a little burn in time is 100% false. In fact, if you just ship one to a new buyer it takes a couple of hours for the wire to settle into the new system.

Ok, I had to let it out. Sorry if I came accross strong. Well, maybe not :-)

Gregadd, no it's not the listener. We are talking about objective not subjective changes that are easily heard. A/B two wires - one new and your current IC that you are familiar with. At first the new wire is not as deep in the bass as your current wire. The new wire is a little bright and the stage is small. Your thinking, hey I wasted my money. Over time the new cable breaks in and you decide to throw the old one back in to do another A/B. It is obvious the new wire has deeper bass and a larger stage etc.... This is not listener break-in.

This was my most current experience as an FYI. If you submit it is my mind playing tricks again, then we should all buy an old JC Penny MCS series stereo and settle into it as it will soon sound like a CJ set-up in my mind. Fact is why waste anytime with any gear as our minds call the shots and we are to fickled to make accurate determinations.

I think most people can detect differences and trust they are not fooling themselves with their own gear, in their own room over a long period of time. This is the way to know.

Over time your mind is not tricked as all of your mood swings, attitudes, stress levels, neighborhood power demands etc have been accounted for and you know the truth.

At least I do :-)

Timrhu said it all. If you take the time and it is of interest to you one will conclude that cables do change with burn in. If it seems like a waste of time and you dont care, then that is fine and I completely understand why one thinks cable burn is all in the mind.

I would not say every cable sounded better in my system after burn in. It depends on the system and your sound preference. Some cables may change to the point they upset the balance one likes in a system. System is now to bright, not enough bass etc... My only point is they change and give a new cable a little time before deciding it's not for you.

I have heard some engineers or technicians say that wire is actually a capacitor so that in itself would cause some change. Now whether the wire (tail) is wagging the component (dog) or vice versa, I don't know? So in effect evertime you change out a wire you are changing the capacitance between two components? Even if a component is warmed up say after 2 hrs. and then you switch wire you are supposed to give it a few minutes to settle in. Some wire has better immunity to RF and therefore has a blacker backround right out of the box.

I must admit I am at a loss on how all of us cant agree on this one. Every cable I have owned changed over some burn in time with a system. I have owned many, many cables over the years.

Charlie, your over analzing audiophiles you dont even know. Sorry, I am not hearing things and wire sounds different after break in. I have heard this on dozens of occasions. No, I am sane and well aware of things that look, taste, feel and smell different. Stop insulting folks you dont even know.