Real Deal ZU cable WAX, what's your take?

I just picked up the Sony DVP-NS999ES, as I wanted a single player for DVD/CD/SACD. This unit has VERY good CD playback for a DVD player. I used to have a CAL Delta/Alpha combo, and I find this unit just as pleasing, but very more functional. FYI All of the associated cableing is from Zu. I am using the Firemine digital cable to transport DVD and CD to my processor (Integra Research RDC-7), I am using the Zu Varial for the SACD/CD connections and from my processor to my amps (Odyssey Stratos and Carver AV-505). Zu Ibis speaker cables to a pair of Zu Druid speakers.

What kind of interconnects are you using?

Hi everyone. I just got a set of 10' Zu Wax speaker cable and Zu Wax jumpers. Has anyone experienced any harshness in the treble when they first got the Zu Wax speaker cables? If so how much break in was required for it to go away? Would it be ok to use an Isotek system enhancer CD to break in the Zu Wax speaker cables?

So far for about an hour or so I've been listening music @ a moderate volume level with my Kef Q90s with the Zu Wax cables and have been getting listening fatigue. My amp is a rebuilt Threshold 400A. Source: Oppo BDP-83 as a transport to a McCormack DAC-1. My preamp is a McCormack TLC-1 Deluxe.

Thanks and advise when you can.

06-17-10: Jedinite24
Hi everyone. I just got a set of 10' Zu Wax speaker cable and Zu Wax jumpers. Has anyone experienced any harshness in the treble when they first got the Zu Wax speaker cables? If so how much break in was required for it to go away? Would it be ok to use an Isotek system enhancer CD to break in the Zu Wax speaker cables?

The Zu website is very forthcoming and specific about burn-in requirements of its cables. Specifically, because they use a lot of Teflon dielectric, Zu recommends a burn-in time of 300 hours. That's why they have a 60-day evaluation and return period--to give you plenty of time to burn in the cables and then listen to them. Furthermore, although they offer a factory burn-in service for a fee, they do NOT recommend any of the burn-in CDs to accelerate burn-in.

I just got a pair of Wylde interconnects and Libtec speaker cables. I hooked them to an FM tuner and played them at low levels 24/7, occasionally changing the interconnects to a CD changer or my turntable if I was listening to music during the day.

Once the Zu's break in, they are anything but fatiguing. I'm probably going to get a set of Ibis jumpers sometime, but in the meantime I'm using Kimber 4TC for jumpers. After break-in I found the Zu cables to be *extraordinarily* organic sounding, and anything but harsh or edgy. In fact, I am astounded at how lifelike and non-electronic the Libtecs have made my system sound. Their low noise floor and detail retrieval (without sounding hyper-detailed) is exemplary.

So don't worry about your current listener fatigue. You have 60 days. Take your time and keep playing and playing music through your system until you hit 300 hours. Keep signal going to the speakers at a low level throughout the nights and put on lots of dynamic music during the day to burn those cables in. You will be well rewarded.