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New cables - To judge now or after burn in period?

I am in the midst of auditioning a host of Siltech speaker cables (Siltech Legend 380i & 680i) and interconnects (XLR and RCA - Siltech Legend 380i). Needless to say, they are quite a bit more costly than my existing QED cables (QED Genesis Silver Spiral Bi-wire & QED Signature 40 interconnects).

The Siltech cables are highly recommended by my distributor and seem to be well received by the audiophile press. However, doubts arise as upon trying them at home they do not sound as dynamic as my existing QED cables. While the highs are more resolving and I am hearing things that I have not heard before, the bass seems constricted and the music does not make my feet tap anymore.

Is that because the cables are brand new and have not been burnt in as yet? Or is it because there is no synergy between the cables and my particular system? Or is it a bit of both? If it is a burn in issue, how many hours of burn in is required before I should make a judgment as to whether I prefer the sound of the interconnects and speaker cables?

All inputs or observations are welcome.

dcpillai
mid-fi-crisis
71 posts
 
There is no break in. What you hear when cables /wires are new is what they really sound like. The "break-in"  is your ears adjusting to the be sound over time.
If break-in was true there'd be science articles explaining how it works and there would never be any arguments over it. 

lukaske
307 posts
 
Burn in time is about 200 h. :after 100h, it will be sound better: more “open” and better placement of the instrument. After 200h. It must be okay !!
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
There is no break in. What you hear when cables /wires are new is what they really sound like. The "break-in" is your ears adjusting to the be sound over time.
If break-in was true there'd be science articles explaining how it works and there would never be any arguments over it.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Actually there is no argument about break in, just whether you know about it or not.. Kind of silly statement on your part.. 

Science articles about break in and HOW to accomplish the best results were articles of the 50s, your only 70 years behind..

Enjoy your zip cord, nothing to be ashamed of when you just don't know or just can't hear the difference. We use to see a lot of that 10 years ago.. not so much any more.

Your welcome to read and learn though..

Regards

wolf_garcia
6,794 posts
 
The dilemma can be that you like the cables immediately and then they burn in and they SUCK. The only answer when that happens is to get new cables every couple hundred hours...
soundbiter
2 posts
 
So, is the break-in within the cable&terminal itself, or is it the chemical/physical union of terminal-to-receptacle?
    If one buys a second-hand high-quality set of cables, would they be already broken-in, or would break-in be starting from hour #1 once the used cables are attached to their new rig?
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