Cardas Clear breakin. How many hours needed?

hiendmmoe, a 25+ year Cardas cable owner here. Been through many.

Tension:
While I don’t use their interconnects any more, I still use the speaker cables. Owned and resisted again after the all new clear line came out. Demo’d some of the newer cables from Cardas past few years too. Learned a bit from George Cardas and a good friend. We concluded two things after repeated test case scenarios over a few decades. The stiffer cables do change after "2-3 weeks of total relaxation" "sitting there, not fooling with them" and "not moving them". They come new all coiled up in a box, lots of tension in the wire. After they relax, the wire tension starts to relax, the sound starts to change. Goes from a centered hole sound to a wider and more expansive sound. This occurs regardless if you play them or not. Worst case, give it 30 days and try again, see what happens.

Burn-In:
Skeptics will chime in and let them, most will be people who’ve tried a few different versions of the cables and moved on too quickly. After switching from SS to tube amps, I’ve resold many of my older golden series cables to people with brighter sounding higher end solid state amplifiers looking for a "filter" as I think of it now. I tried and demo’d some of the new "Clear" line, and most of it is pretty neutral sounding, if that’s what you like and want. They can seem to be kinda thin and overly transparent at first. With "6 meters" of cable in XLR, I’ve never gone that long, and while it should not be a problem its a special test case, you will need to give it a long TIME to reveal best-case results.

Others:
I’m using a different brand IC now, and found the same occurs, particularly with "some" complex design OCC continuous copper cables, almost unbearable to listen to first 50hrs. Even to my own disbelief at first, changed at 200-300hrs as per the manufacturer recommendation. Naysayers no need to respond, yes it is hard to believe, and true. Argh, way too long to realize benefit. Almost gave up on my last two pars. No, ears and brain did not "adjust". It just took time. Patience did pay off, eventually.

hiendmmoe,
Can you get to a point of 30+ days of solid playing listening time and (not fooling with moving the cables around at all, letting them rest in place) and report back on results?  After this amount of actual playing time, it pretty much is what it "is".  

I believe that cables don't need to break in (or burn in). This is because they are not mechanical - like headphones or speakers.

The actual phenomenon has to do with moving parts that are settling into place.  With cables, either they work out of the box, or there is a wiring fault.

Coppers, 25-100 hours, The terminal ends take the longest with copper unless they are copper.

Copper/Silver clad. The larger the strand the longer it takes. 200-400 hours

Silver, the larger the strand the longer the BREAK - IN. (Burn-In LOL)
200-400+.

They all better sound good within 25 minutes, BUT some constructs NO MATTER the manufacture take a while to BREAK-IN and a good 24 hours to settle.

Line level cables, just like phono stage, tonearm cable, and internal tonearm wire, take a LONG time.. The voltage is REAL low.

AGAIN if the cable was PRE conditioned that can cut the time by 50% as far as SQ. That is usually the ONLY difference between a lot of the manufactures is how much the cable is preconditioned.. Makes a heck of a difference in "out of the box" experience. Some cable guys do different conditioning too, like jumping cars for a week or so.. That will warm up the ol cables...:-)

Regards

For your reading enjoyment or debate.  

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

Time is needed, and it is not only the wire material itself. Connectors, sheaths, configuration of cable, gauge, signal amplitude, components have their contribution.
Both @decooney and @oldhvymec points are valid.


G

mastering92 is the only sane poster on this thread! All the others are fair game for the men in white uniforms! I hear the sirens in the distance!

No wonder why people think that audiophiles are insane! Copper sounds different than silver? LOL!

Talk about LAUGH OUT LOUD. Yes cables sound VERY different..
Get your ears checked, Silly. If you CAN’T hear THAT difference, my 650.00 system will make you a VERY happy fellow..

But you and your buddy mastering92, just show the lack of.

"The lack of"? what does that mean? Stick around for 50 years having to rely on your ears for a living, for 50 YEARS..

Wasn’t always a FUN 50 years either..

TWO ears, ONE mouth, you guys really should use them accordingly.

No BURN - IN, you're right, there is NO BURN IN, it is BREAK - IN,
NOTHING burns in, it BURNS UP, IT BURNS DOWN, it BREAKS - IN.

If a cable company or ANY manufacture said "It needs to BURN - IN" I would NEVER buy from them, or take advise from someone that doesn’t HEAR the difference or understand the difference between the two..

It's Break in, not burn in  and cables, not WIRE. Words count...Opinions not really..

You don’t keep STUFF after it’s BURNT IN, you throw it in the recycle bin.. After the CABLE (not wire) is BROKE - IN, you will enjoy it much better.

Everyday is a new day, I learn everyday that even though I may not have learned a LOT that day, I certainly don’t forget it, the NEXT day.

Some folks live one experience to the next, NEVER building on the last one... 50 years of LISTENING, while 50 people stood around TALKING about how to fix what THEY saw instead of HEARD.. Which was NOTHING.. The equipment sat there BURNING up while they discussed how so and so won’t pay attention.. Typical..

OOPS there went that 100k engine, or 50K hydraulic pump.

Too busy telling other what they CAN’T hear.

Don’t spend a nickel more on gear.. Save your money.. Boom box and zip cord is just fine..

Give 'em two weeks from my experience with Cardas cables...using them for over 20 years...

I can not disagree to other opinions, but i for sure (after 25 years) leave all silver along. I just don't feel like taking another chance.
A speaker designer told me that cables that needs brake in isn't right.
I don't say that! When he came and set up my speakers it was done in 2 hours and it sounded great. If you don't like your Cardas Clear, can you please explain what you expect to change after this so called "break in period"?
Oh, also, if you ever get in contact with anyone designing studio monitors, Genelec, Barefoot Sound (Thomas) you should ask them this question. Then you can't say you talk to people knowing nothing.
I have asked this question and guess what they told me ;-)

Break in period with cables, especially with cables, is real. It only takes purchasing one, and you will know.

Now.... if you don't believe in cables, as in "cables do not impact" sound, you clearly do not believe in break-in in .... cables. 

@jasonbourne52
No wonder why people think that audiophiles are insane! Copper sounds different than silver? LOL!

With capable ears listening to a well matched audio system, some people can hear a notable difference.

Even interconnects built with TPC/OFC copper vs. quality OCC continuous copper can sound different too.

If one component of the audio system chain is sub-optimal quality or poorly matched, it can be more difficult to hear a difference.