"World's Best Cables" vs Audioquest interconnects


I've heard many great things about "World's Best Cables". At such low price, these alleged giant killers are a no brainer, so I ordered two pairs. When the shipment arrived, I connected one pair from my phono stage to my preamp, and another pair from my preamp to my power amp.

These cables replaced my trusty old Audioquest interconnects.

First listening impressions: extremely lean sound. Details etched in space, almost as if a strong laser beam is outlining them.

Santana I, side 1: almost unlistenable. The highs are piercing, the soundstage is flat, the splash cymbals sound like trash cans. Made my head hurt.

Switching back to my Audioquest cables: my god, what a relief! The sound is back to its good old sound of music. Everything sounds natural again.

Now, the "World's Best Cables" come with the users manual that claims that the cables need to be burned in for 175 hours. Should I give them the benefit of the doubt and suffer 175 hours, or is that just an audio myth about cables burn-in?

)

crazybookman

I believe in burn in.   Please burn in the cable and hear for yourself.  The bass always comes in during burn in. The sound will change many times  during burn in. Will drive you nuts.  But worth it.  

Some people mentioned that I haven't disclosed which Worlds Best Cables was I discussing in the post. That despite the fact that in the post I provided the DIRECT LINK to the cables I purchased.

Help me out here. What other evidence could I possibly provide here besides the DIRECT LINK ->

?

Thank you for link. That cable I believe is their low cost option using Mogami microphone cable. If cables are easily detectible by your ears, Mogami makes a design for its intended purpose (hi-fi). I posted link below. This WBC version also uses hi-fi boutique silver connectors.

Curious, what Audioquest RCAs do you use? I went from Tower to Big Sur and felt there was a noticeable, but minor improvement.

 

Every time I see a comment from someone 100% sure that nobody can hear a difference between burned in and brand new cables, I am reminded of those surveys where many couldn't tell the difference between 128 kbps MP3s and 24 / 96 kHz flac (or wavs) files. We all don't have the same quality of hearing nor focus on the same parts of the music being played, hence legitimate confusion / disagreement.

 

Now, the "World’s Best Cables" come with the users manual that claims that the cables need to be burned in for 175 hours. Should I give them the benefit of the doubt and suffer 175 hours, or is that just an audio myth about cables burn-in?

Mogami cables are used in high end recording studios and by musicians. I’d give them a chance to break in with white noise or a burn in recording. If they don’t please you with time to return for a refund to Amazon, send them back.

Burn-in believer here. New cables to my ears can sound hard/harsh with a narrow soundstage. After some run time the highs smooth out, soundstage blooms, and the mud in bass becomes fast, and well defined. My latest upgrades were Cardas Clear USB a-b for Zen Stream to DAC, and Zavfino Arcadia XLR's from output of my DAC to Mac MA5300. I would buy both again.

@jackhifiguy - I can't say that I've experienced any changes in a cable from burn-in, but I can also say that I've never paid any attention to it on the few cables that I've upgraded.

I have experienced clear differences with one power cord upgrade (1 of 3) and also an interconnect upgrade.  The interconnect improvement was significant enough that I opted to upgrade a second time almost immediately.

One of my friends is a bit of an audiophile and also an electrical engineer, so you can imagine having to try and convince him that I've heard a difference.  I know it perplexes him a bit because he doesn't want to believe it, but has also listened to my system since I first purchased it and knows that I don't claim an improvement/difference with every change, so when I equate the different to a similar order of magnitude as tube rolling he can't just discount my opinion.

Have you ever experienced a change in sound quality after changing any type of cord in your system?

Jack Hi-Fi guy,

 

I didn't use the wrong there it's my computer that did LOL cuz I use voice recognition to type LOL

I've been breaking in new pair Cardas interconnects for the last week. I don't really need to know why they change sound over that time period. But, Cardas is glad to provide one for those that need an explanation. 

http://www.cardas.com/insights_break_in.php

Post removed 

So if you buy them and then find out they are not actually the WBCs can you sue them for false description of goods?

It's a very lofty description for cables that just use OFC.

You'll never sell them but at $189 bucks, why did I bother to buy...................?

At 7awg OFC and 8 feet long, you could do a lot worse than $189 for a pair of speaker cables.

If you want to be picky, "Ultra-Pure" and "Extra Premium" are probably a stretch, and I sort of doubt the Eminence spades are the "highest-grade connectors for these audiophile cable assemblies."

7awg.... I can't imagine how flexible this garden hose is. Hopefully it won't break the connectors.

 

 

They make a 7 gauge speaker cable the is killer $200.00 or so 6’ and up. Well made and just brings speakers to life. Unless you got deep pockets its worth giving this brand a try, not their cheaper stuff but this level. 

@crazybookman

I wouldn’t consider any interconnect or cable that doesn’t use OCC wire or copper RCA’s or bananas or spades. Using brass and plating it with gold is just junk jewelry.

Cable is not rocket science and we have been sold by magazines and marketing of cables. This is not to say quality does not matter it does to a point where you get into the overkill bling that can cost more than gear and a car. I’ve owned audiophile cables and then replaced them with just well-made cables and my system sounded as good. I believe in cables making an impact but I no longer the need to spend crazy money, put more into your room acoustics and speaker placement. Best money you can spend. 

I think I may order a pair of the 7awg cables above and compare them to my ZU Mission cables.