Interconnect Break In?


I'm wondering about break in on a new interconnect (RCA's). I'm using it from my CD player / Streamer to my preamp. If the CD player is on and streaming but the preamp is off, does the interconnect still break in? 

If this has been answered and you can point me to that I'd appreciate it. I just didn't have any luck searching.

Thanks!

ddrave44

I’m glad I read this thread because it reminded me to check all my cable contacts. It’s been a while since I’ve done that. For whatever reason I’m not one who can hear differences between cables, except in extreme cases, like interconnects or speaker cables that are very long and too high in resistance. Another case was some cables with a little transformer built in to convert pro level output down to consumer level. Those things sounded horrible. They also measure poorly. Another thing that can sound really bad is using a y-splitter. Very obvious stuff. Comparing two interconnects of any cost that are both meeting basic criteria and suitable for the application has proven mission impossible for me. I also can't tell if it's been broken in or not. 

I've heard that if you eat a bag of M&M's, then wait 150-200 hours and come back and eat another bag of M&M's they will taste different than you remember them tasting 150-200 hours ago.

GHD, that’s great advice. Thankyou. I should’ve just put these on a spare NAD receiver I have and let it run. I was too impatient and put it right into my system. I may move it but that involves moving a cabinet.

JEA- Its a CJ tube preamp. Any idea of whether that is still ’on’ in standby?

Logistics - I have had the same problem. Especially when I switch from plain to peanut M&M’s 200 hours later. surprise

@ddrave44 the preamp does not need to be on for the cables between cdp and pre to break in because the signal is flowing from your cd player or streamer and passes thru the output interconnects whether your preamp is powered on or not. This is the easiest set of cables to break in. 
 

@ghdprentice a note on your approach.
The preamp to amp signal, unless you’re cranking it up, is much lower voltage than source to pre which is typically 2v rca and around 4v xlr. Running preamp at low volume to break in the ICs between pre and amp will take slightly longer than the set between source (i.e. DAC) and pre where you’re driving a line level signal to the output.