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Any need to burn in new speaker cables? Does it make them sound better?


Dylanl

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Some will say it's the dielectric that is being conditioned, because wire is wire, comparing apples to apples.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not the dielectric that's being conditioned, but the dialectic, the conversation, that is being ignored.

As part of that dialectic, I will posit that cheap speaker wire performs equally well as high highfalutin speaker wire, but costs a lot less. It is possible that a manufacturer can screw things up to the point that speaker wire will sound worse, but it can never, ever, sound any better.

Sometimes, however, I eschew dialectic discourse for intuitive reasoning. When I'm in that state, I would agree with the need for a break in time. I would propose that if you spend 10 hours running Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" your cables will have a funky soulfull groove added to them that will stand you in good stead in the coming years.

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1) Go to big box home improvement store

2) Buy sumthin' cheap

3) Listen to music


If you want to impress with looks or you yourself like the looks of something, buy it. Won't sound any different but if you like it buy it!

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1) Go to big box home improvement store

2) Buy sumthin' cheap

3) Listen to music

If you want to impress with looks or you yourself like the looks of something, buy it. Won't sound any different but if you like it buy it!

I understand all that, but, I know a few respectable audio guys that say there is a perceived difference after burn in by comparing 2 sets. Just looking for some scientific thought behind it. Silly me, I would think fresh or new wire would be at its best at that point and only degrade over time but what do I know.

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As an aircraft type guy (nothing to do with audio) fresh is better due to lack of corrosion. We use environmental splices, etc. If the contacting conductor corrodes it plays havoc. Just because it ohms out as good doesn't mean it can carry any load. So my non-technical thought is, if it makes good contact then it's good. I have put several high dollar sets of speaker wire on my system (never bought them, just borrowed to hear) and I still use lamp cord from HD.

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As an aircraft type guy (nothing to do with audio) fresh is better due to lack of corrosion. We use environmental splices, etc. If the contacting conductor corrodes it plays havoc. Just because it ohms out as good doesn't mean it can carry any load.

One of the best things people often don't think to do is at least once or twice a year clean the interconnect jacks and plugs or at least unplug and plug back in(for the scraping/cleaning action) your interconnects between equipment.

mike tn

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Some will say it's the dielectric that is being conditioned, because wire is wire, comparing apples to apples.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not the dielectric that's being conditioned, but the dialectic, the conversation, that is being ignored.

As part of that dialectic, I will posit that cheap speaker wire performs equally well as high highfalutin speaker wire, but costs a lot less. It is possible that a manufacturer can screw things up to the point that speaker wire will sound worse, but it can never, ever, sound any better.

Sometimes, however, I eschew dialectic discourse for intuitive reasoning. When I'm in that state, I would agree with the need for a break in time. I would propose that if you spend 10 hours running Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" your cables will have a funky soulfull groove added to them that will stand you in good stead in the coming years.

Thebes you completely ignored apples in your reply. Apples are apples right? No of course they aren't. Grannie Smiths are way different from Golden Delicious, but neither require burn in, unless you are making a pie. Then there are those who swear by a combination of the two, or purists who insist on using only Jonathans. But comparing same variety apples carmelization is preferred to burn in if you have to get technical. Just as with wire in aircraft applications, fresher is better.

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Just for the record, I am using home-brew DIY cables and I think they sound great. I also have NIT cables that sound very good.

I have also heard that SOLID CORE ROMEX has merit and it is also cheap. Not to throw in another variable but "skin effect has merit". I just wonder if this is snake oil or based on something real. I wonder what would happen in a blind test.

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I wonder what would happen in a blind test.

The tester would walk into a wall or get ran over. Sorry, had to go there. I PERSONALLY do not believe in the "wire causes difference" as long as some sensible length vs. gauge and clean connectivity is maintained (50 feet of 12 ga. vs. 50 feet of 16 ga made no difference to my ears). Nor do I believe in directional cables (I have them in my box of wires), burn in or 'equal length speaker wire'. My opinion ever since I bought my first "Hi-Fi " in '74 and tried out the latest in wires this year. I will spend my money on speakers (first) and electronics (second), not wire.

Now media is a different animal. To me normal Redbook CDs and most CD players are very bad; for my taste. XRCDs with a tube mellowed output are pretty darn good. I'll bet you a BBQ sandwich and a beer that changing media will make a bigger difference than any speaker wire or interconnect but I digress from the original question.

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Burn in cable how they call that hummmm hummmmm, it does start with oil i think huuummmmm no no snake oil yeah that what it is Big Smile copper is copper. Just clean your contacts once in a while you will be fine.

Copper may be copper but long strand copper vs short strand is definitely different. Put a meter on it and check resistance.

I can hear a difference also in volume on longer strand copper. When I went to the AQ X2 wire I had to drop a half notch on the volume control. It was that noticable. Not scientific but noteworthy.

I'm not so sure on burn in on speaker wire but I've heard the difference in IC burn in. I figure playing it out will burn it in. LOL!

Just my 2 cents worth

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Burn in cable how they call that hummmm hummmmm, it does start with oil i think huuummmmm no no snake oil yeah that what it is Big Smile copper is copper. Just clean your contacts once in a while you will be fine.

Copper may be copper but long strand copper vs short strand is definitely different. Put a meter on it and check resistance.

I can hear a difference also in volume on longer strand copper. When I went to the AQ X2 wire I had to drop a half notch on the volume control. It was that noticable. Not scientific but noteworthy.

I'm not so sure on burn in on speaker wire but I've heard the difference in IC burn in. I figure playing it out will burn it in. LOL!

Just my 2 cents worth

Interesting, how did you conduct the test? DBT or you were already
knowing which cable you were listening to, because if the latest i
suspect placebo effect, did the cables were about the same size( not
talking about the jacket here but copper) to start with? and about same
length? Did the AQ X2 cable was defective or had some sort of eq built
in that would give a signature to the sound? (look like a fancy box on
the cable)

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I understand all that, but, I know a few respectable audio guys that say there is a perceived difference after burn in by comparing 2 sets. Just looking for some scientific thought behind it

FWIW, I definitely believe the sound of brand new wire improves with "burn in." My limited experience says 50 hours of playing music through them will take them pretty far, but that may vary from brand to brand.

Be aware that moving wires around will make them sound a little tinny and ragged again. They'll sound better again after playing music a couple more hours. I haven't used special devices, and wouldn't bother. All subjective, of course.

Forget trying to find reliable scientific rationale. I do not think sonic quality degrades over time, but my quality silver and copper wire has never physically degraded.

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