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Can an unused cable break in?

I bought a new $300 Audioquest cable about a month ago, hoping to improve the sound of my Cyrus CD transport.  It didn't improve the SQ even after a little  break-in period.   I compared it to another transport system I had and it was quite inferior. So I stopped using the Cyrus but left it plugged in the wall for the month.
Lo and behold, I compared the two transports today and there was virtually no difference in sound between the two of them.
I’m listening to the Cyrus right now and am thrilled with it.
Either it’s my imagination, or the cable broke in while unused!  The difference isn’t subtle.
Is such a thing possible?


rvpiano
jea48
4,788 posts
 
It is considered that some of the long time period it takes for some particular cables to burn in is the 'burn in' of Teflon dielectrics.

Some cables might be 100 hrs and some might be 500 hrs. the 500hr burn in ones , when looked at closely, tend to show up as having Teflon dielectrics involved in their construction.
@ teo_audio

And why is that?

Because the signal energy actually travels down the conductors in the spaces between the wires through the dielectric.
.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,821 posts
 
I guess with “dumb luck” I burned in my PC just by leaving it plugged into the wall for a month.
The difference in every parameter of sound is just amazing. (JB to the contrary.)

alexberger
945 posts
 
Hi @rvpiano ,

I have a similar experience with my Chord Qutest DAC.
I run it (using my computer as transport) for about 200 hours.
It was connected to computer through USB to SPDIF adapter, because I use DAC with CD transport connected by SPDIF in my system.
So, after this 200 hours break in period Qutest DAC sounded OK but with some drawbacks. During next month I listened it a few hours, but it was always plugged in.
And when after this month I did a critical listening again I was shocked how sound had be changed! All drawbacks I had listened before were disappeared!

Regards,
Alex.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,821 posts
 
Jea48,

I really don’t know what the switch controls.
The unit is about 3-4 years old.
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
@jea48 -  That you were able to even hint at things, such as wave-particle duality, dielectric permittivity and a, "conductor" actually being a wave-guide, without being assailed (thus far) by the resident pseudoscientists, is fascinating.                                                                                        KUDOS!
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