...amazed by 15+ year old interconnect...

geoffkait

Thank you for offering up the info on a cable cooker and /or burn-in CD or LP...

I have a 20+ year old pair of Audioquest Ruby ics that are still going strong in our HT.Whenever I swap in  cable or cord that's been languishing in a box for a few years,it seems to break in again fairly quickly.20-50 hours.

Having replaced 8 gauge 20+ year old copper with modern 14 gauge Synergistic speaker wire and being stunned by the improvement, I conclude even copper ages. I also know that silver gets bright as it ages.

All of my current interconnects(Kimber KS-1132 and KS-1032, Synergistic Tesla Apex(w/Spallone MPC mod) and Analog Tricon, Wireworld Eclipse 7 Golds, not to mention my Analysis Plus, Big Silver Oval speaker cables), have silver conductors. So did every other interconnect I’ve owned, in the past 30 years. None of them have ever gotten brighter(in the least)after, "aging"(most, for over 15 years each). I’ve been very pleased/happy, with their abilities to pass whatever’s fed them, without editorialization. I’ve no doubt, I could move up the food-chain, in each company’s offerings, which is why I haven’t auditioned anything, lately. I’m getting cheap, in my old age.

 I have had any number of cables in various systems over the years; Audioquest Diamond, Mackenzie, Water, Sydney, XLO, Audience ONO, Synergistic Research Foundation, Morrow, MIT, and others which do not come to mind now.
Well, after a recent move I came across a forgotten 1m pair of Cardas Hexlink Golden 5C.
I had only briefly given the Cardas Hexlink a listen, as I bought them used quite a while ago. Initially
Initially I felt they were a bit rolled off and went with Synergistic for a while.
In the meantime I attained a new RME ADI 2 DAC. I had some time and decided to plug in the old Cardas.
I was amazed at how good they sounded. Much more "substance" or body to the music than the Synergistics, yet all the musical detail was there and the spaciousness and instrument separation seemed to simply allow the music to float in the sound stage.
Needless to say I was very impressed; thinking if this is what a 25 year old Cardas can sound like, the newer stuff must be Dynamite!
So, I ordered a pair of Cardas Golden Presence IC's. I liked them a lot. Very musical signature, similar to the Hexlink 5C's  (Apparently a Cardas house sound).
Well, after around 2 weeks of listening decided to listen to the Hexlinks again.
Once again I was taken aback by the spatial characteristic of those older cables. I have decided to continue with the Cardas Hexlink Golden 5C interconnects.
They are absolutely superb! And this is from a 25 year old interconnect.
Whodathunkit???