Interconnects matter ..Do the interconnects improve with time .. burnin ??
- Thread starter Akustic
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Good question ... but then Amps all spec the same, but they all sound different .. there's 10,000 whys in Audio,.and 20,000 speculative answers !!
Mine is not to reason why, but I know what I hear, and if it sounds better it is better !!
restorer-john
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Beatnik
What's this ?
Will you then return one or both if you're not happy ? Maybe this is why they cost so much.
@quaddriver: A primer? Yeah, your ears. I've had less revealing systems in my own room, systems that sounded pretty good, but didn't show any real differences between interconnects, or even speaker wire. I'm not a 'night-and-day difference' believer, and will readily admit that some of what I am hearing 'MAY' be related to getting used to the sound.
I've been working in electronics for almost 40 years, often directly with the design engineers, most of whom do NOT believe in cable burn-in. And, if there is one thing I have learned, it's that just because something SHOULD make sense, doesn't always mean that it's going to. And with component tolerances ranging from .01-20% in a single assembly, even the engineers get surprised sometimes.
Another thing that comes to mind, before we all get booted out of this thread on our behinds, is the all-too-human difficulty that many have in describing a phenomenon for which there are no real words. Perhaps 'Burn-in' is as good a descriptive as any for the idea that a slightly different sound can be just as, if not more, enjoyable than the original. Not EVEN gonna go down the 'accuracy' road! If there was only one correct 'SOUND', that's what we would all be listening to, and this entire forum would be moot. But a listener's room, and individual ears, are a much larger factor in this equation than any electronic formulae.
Done here...
I've been working in electronics for almost 40 years, often directly with the design engineers, most of whom do NOT believe in cable burn-in. And, if there is one thing I have learned, it's that just because something SHOULD make sense, doesn't always mean that it's going to. And with component tolerances ranging from .01-20% in a single assembly, even the engineers get surprised sometimes.
Another thing that comes to mind, before we all get booted out of this thread on our behinds, is the all-too-human difficulty that many have in describing a phenomenon for which there are no real words. Perhaps 'Burn-in' is as good a descriptive as any for the idea that a slightly different sound can be just as, if not more, enjoyable than the original. Not EVEN gonna go down the 'accuracy' road! If there was only one correct 'SOUND', that's what we would all be listening to, and this entire forum would be moot. But a listener's room, and individual ears, are a much larger factor in this equation than any electronic formulae.
Done here...
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But for some reason, non-experiential theorists adamantly cannot fathom why others do - as if they take personal affront.
Of course ..
I'm looking out for my business not theirs ..Let the buyer beware applies .. and let the seller create a good product ..
There's a niche for this business between the fuzzy, spitting bottom of the barrel garden variety, interconnects, and the absurdly priced boutique cables ..
The principles of capitalism might relate to why they cost so much .. one of which seems to be "whatever the market will bear" when it comes to pricing ??
Which is precisely why I want to listen to a burned in set of cables, side-by-side with a fresh out of the box set ....
I'm going to set them up between an amp and a preamp with dual outputs and switch the source selector back and forth ..
Plausible ..and easy to do blind if someone else flips the switch ..
Beatnik
What's this ?
To the makers ears they might be the perfect cables, but to yours maybe not. Seems like a roll the dice system on both ends.
EyeGee
Big Ears
I've used Morrow cables and those definitely changed sound quality after a lengthy "burn-in". I'm not too proud to say I have no idea why, despite reading a plethora of writing and theories about the whole idea.
I will say that different IC's have different sound signatures, although higher cost does not automatically mean a more "pleasing" sound to the listener/purchaser.
Any listening is a subjective experience, not sure why that's so hard to understand. One listens to music for one's own pleasure, not to check somebody else's boxes --- even if those boxes contain $25,000 worth of electronics.
I will say that different IC's have different sound signatures, although higher cost does not automatically mean a more "pleasing" sound to the listener/purchaser.
Any listening is a subjective experience, not sure why that's so hard to understand. One listens to music for one's own pleasure, not to check somebody else's boxes --- even if those boxes contain $25,000 worth of electronics.
How does one know how to burn in a cable? I have read about a device that “professionally” burns in speaker cables. The manufacturer states that new cables have a hard sound, lacking Bass. Why no basic frequency response before and after measurement?
If your cables are burned in already, but you swap in some new cables. Do the old cables remain burned in or do they revert to whatever state they were in when new? How long does it take To revert?
Why does burn in always improve the sound?
if I burn my cables in the old fashioned way by listening to music. Does the style of music make a difference? For example If I play continuous classic rock music, will those cables burn in for that type of music but then sound bad when playing country and western or, god forbid, disco?
And my final question I always ask in regard to these “experiential theory” devices, How does the person who designs the fancy mix of metals, various twisting methods, kryptonite sheathing, etc, know what to do? If these devices are inherently subjective, how can you formulate a design?
I have posted in several of these ‘magic’ wire threads recently stating my skepticism. All I would ask of the manufacturer is to show me measurable results. An audible difference is moving a speaker coil differently , and that is entirely measurable.
If your cables are burned in already, but you swap in some new cables. Do the old cables remain burned in or do they revert to whatever state they were in when new? How long does it take To revert?
Why does burn in always improve the sound?
if I burn my cables in the old fashioned way by listening to music. Does the style of music make a difference? For example If I play continuous classic rock music, will those cables burn in for that type of music but then sound bad when playing country and western or, god forbid, disco?
And my final question I always ask in regard to these “experiential theory” devices, How does the person who designs the fancy mix of metals, various twisting methods, kryptonite sheathing, etc, know what to do? If these devices are inherently subjective, how can you formulate a design?
I have posted in several of these ‘magic’ wire threads recently stating my skepticism. All I would ask of the manufacturer is to show me measurable results. An audible difference is moving a speaker coil differently , and that is entirely measurable.
I will have to disagree with those that say you have to "burn-in" a cable. WHAT?
There is no such thing. A cable isn't a resistor, tube, or other electronic element. Those may (or may not) require burn-in. In fact, your interconnects will be at their peak, ONLY the first time you use them after you took them out of the box new. Over the course of time, the cable, connectors, and internal connections deteriorate. The cables will increase their resistance and thus DECREASING their throughput as well as the accuracy of the throughput. It is very similar than a battery cable on your car. Over the course of years, the cables deteriorate to the point that you have to replace them. You might go to the car parts store or to a mechanic and get a new cable or have it installed, but you will NOT be buying a used cable with high resistance, but a new cable in optimal condition.
Yes, the sound might have changed, and it might actually have become "more pleasing" to the listener, but the cable was its peak efficiency only when it was connected the first time after taking it out of the box new, and has deteriorated ever since. If you can actually hear a audible change in a cable over a short length of time, under normal condition and use, there is something seriously wrong with it. It is more likely you were hearing a change in your equipment rather than the cable.
I agree 100%, and you shouldn't.
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