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Cable Break In for the Naysayers

I still cannot believe that in this stage of Audio history there are still many who claim cable break in is imagined. They even go so far as claim it is our ears that break in to the new sound. Providing many studies in the way of scientific testing. Sigh...

I noticed such a recent discussion on the What’s Best Forum. So here is my response.

______________________________________________________________________________________________ I just experienced cable break in again firsthand. 10 Days ago, I bought a new set of the AudioQuest Thunderbird XLR 2M interconnects.

First impression, they sounded good, but then after about 30 hours of usage the music started sounding very closed in and with limited high frequencies. This continued until about 130 hours of music play time.

Then at this time, the cables started to open up and began to sound better and better each passing hour. I knew at the beginning they would come around because they sounded ok at first until the break in process started. But now they have way surpassed that original sound.

Now the soundstage has become huge with fantastic frequency extensions. Very pleased with the results. Scientifically I guess we can’t prove cable break in is real, but with good equipment, good ears, it is clearly a real event.

ozzy

128x128ozzy
mitch2
3,697 posts
 

About 20 years ago, I decided if I was going to compare expensive cables and make purchase decisions, that I at least needed to make sure I was hearing them at their best.  Therefore, I purchased an Audiodharma Cable Cooker that I used to “cook” every cable I tried in my system and later all of the cables I constructed myself.  During that time, I tried multiple cables (both manufactured and DIY) before/after “cooking” and I honestly cannot say I ever heard what I would call a meaningful difference between the uncooked and cooked versions.  I have heard significant differences between electronics, speakers, individual analog cables, rooms, and software for digital playback, but nada related to cable break-in (or fuses).

ozzy's avatar
ozzy OP
7,221 posts
 

mitch2,

You are not alone in your experience. I too have made many cables. Some with copper and some with pure silver with various insulating materials. And I can’t say that I experienced much of a break in effect. Sometimes a little sometimes not. I have also bought/tried so many cables through the years, and I can say, that most of the "new" ones did exhibit some break in.

But, as noted in this thread, the AQ Thunderbirds exhibited quite the break in. Perhaps it is due to the type of dialectic used or maybe the design itself. I dunno.

I guess nothing in this hobby is truly absolute.

ozzy

mitch2
3,697 posts
 

Ozzy,

I did not test/compare all of my cables before/after since having and using the Cable Cooker took that variable out of the equation.  So, while I am not saying that I found the cooker to work specifically, it certainly let me focus on what I was hearing and not wonder/worry about what I might not be hearing.

ozzy's avatar
ozzy OP
7,221 posts
 

mitch2,

Ok, I understand.

I owned the AudioDharma cable cooker for some time. I thought it worked pretty good.

Eventually, I started adding heavier, stiffer cabling and it became no longer easy to reuse them periodically on the cable cooker, so I sold it.

ozzy

ozzy's avatar
ozzy OP
7,221 posts
 

So, I just applied a thin coating of QT-45 to just the speaker cable banana's and I hear even more resolution, deeper soundstage.

Not sure if this will improve with more time, but right now I am pleased.

ozzy

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