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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
pauly
1,012 posts
 
Many components cannot be turned off; the off switch merely puts it in standby mode. As long as the PC is plugged into a live wall socket and the device, there will be current flowing. Hence, it will burn in even with the CD player “turned off”. 

In addition, if the PC has capacitance across the individual conductors, the cable will be able to achieve some break in even without it being plugged into a component. It only needs be plugged into a live outlet. Most PCs do have capacitance across its conductors.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Off is off. No current when off. Zero. None. Nada. Zip. It is the very definition of OFF. Off in other words means off.

Now if you want to redefine off as some lesser but still non-zero amount of current is flowing through a closed- not open, closed- circuit, well then you can call it "parasitical" or "not on" but you cannot call it "off" as otherwise you have so destroyed the meaning of the word it loses all utility.

Use your words. Don't suck the life out of them. Don't be a parasite.


cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 
A cable is not a horse :)
Post removed 
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
"Normally voltage is measured across the black and white. But there is in principle no reason it cannot be measured across black and ground. Same 120V either way. But what about white/neutral to ground? Where is your 120V? Not there! So where is the voltage? Not there"                                                                                                                   Because they're both attached to the same neutral bus bar, in the breaker box (zero voltage potential).       ie: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/hsehld.html
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