Why "Cryo" anything?

Elizabeth,

Good point. I've even noticed that if I disconnect something for awhile I need a short break in to get back where it was. BTW, I don't own any cryo'd cables, just outlets. My experience is with broken in cables taken out to audition something else and then reinserted a few days later.

Question about the basic thought Elizabeth brought up. I cryo'd an engine block and reciprocating assembly for a gound pounding small block. The benefits of the cryo process were quite evident after the normal duty cycle of this motor. You know, tear down, inspect, reassembly. The cylinder walls didn't even need to be rehoned. So, my question is if the materials in an internal combustion engine with all the heating and cooling from prolonged abuse retain the benefits, will coiling and handling of cables make the cryo process go away?

The reason that liquid Nitrogen is so cheap is that it is an undesired byproduct of making liquid Oxygen, which is in demand. You get liquid Nitrogen by making liquid air (mostly Oxygen and Nitrogen), and then letting the Nitrogen boil off, some of which is collected and sold at little more than distribution cost. You are left with Oxygen, which is what you were after. How long will it be until some enterprising Cryo outfit starts using liquid air, at a lower temperature than liquid Nitrogen, and tells audiophiles that their N2 Cryo'd cables are warmed-over junk.

And regarding NASA...not everything they do is desirable. I prefer my steak on a plate, not from a toothpaste tube.

Did your car's engine sound better than before?

(Just a joke to lighen up the thread.) :)

Aggielaw,

There was a noticeable bloom in the mid rpm range and more valve closing detail in the lows. However, at the upper rpm range it was rather shrill for a time. This did smooth out after several races. But then, maybe my ears just became accustomed to it. As an autophile, cryo'ing is for me.