Totem Forest Signature v. Joseph Audio Profile

I do agree with Dave that cables and cords make a significant difference. 

I don't agree.

I auditioned the JA Perspectives numerous times at a high end store, with various different high end cabling (because I auditioned them several times, they put them in different set ups).

I also auditioned them at home with my "lowly" non-high end cabling and they sounded like they did in the store.

Don't expect cables to save or alter speakers.  And  larstusor "burning in" will happen in your mind as you adjust to the sound.   Which is ok ;-) 


Think speaker/listener positioning, room acoustics first.

Congrats!  The further you pull them away from the back wall the better the depth of stage and overall imaging will become. 

"burning in" will happen in your mind as you adjust to the sound.

  
Prof, I wonder about the need for cables to "burn in".  Zu, on their website, and written materials provided with the cables, suggest the necessity for 200 hours of burn in time. As to why, they refer to the "Answers" section of the website, but I could find no information on "burn in" in that section or elsewhere on the site.

larstusor

There’s a reason why you pretty much never see measured documentation of wire "burn in" (or see it demonstrated as audible).

For one thing, it’s a rather convenient idea for sellers to promote "Don’t like what you hear? It’s not our gear, it’s a lack of ’burn in.’ Give it hundreds of hours !"

It gives you a chance to get used to the sound and voila...often enough it miraculously "improves," where what is most likely happening is you are just adjusting to the sound of new speakers. You may not adjust enough in the end and want to send them back, but this "foot in the door" technique is a time-honored one in sales: if you can get a product in to a customer’s home part of the battle is won, hence lots of ’try at home’ policies. And the longer you can put off a return, get the customer to keep the item in question, the more likely they won’t end up returning it.  Suggesting a customer live with the item for hundreds of hours instead of making a flash decision to send it back is a helpful sales strategy.

I’d just be very cautious about depending on audiophile lore to fix your problems.

I am not depending upon these wires to fix any problems.  I needed to replace my bi-wire cables which I will offer as part of a package when I sell my Mirage OMD-15 speakers which have bi-wire terminals.  I found the Zu Mission cables at an attractive price and they may or may not be better than plain ole bulk speaker wire or lamp cord, but I figured what the heck. I am not expecting any revelation in sound related solely to cables. At least they make a nice, clean connection and seem to be of decent quality for set of wires.