Benefits of cable burn-in.

[Box13]

Well, electrolytic capacitors "burn-in", and they don't move.

The chemicals inside them do, if I understand correctly.

[Box13]

One new cable, one old cable. New one sounds worse than the old one. Burn it in, swap, and new cable sounds better than old cable. Swap back and old one sounds worse than new burnt in cable. Both Van Damme.

It only sounds better because you think it does.

[Box13]

In that particular case I am refering to: yes i'm pretty confident that I could. Confident enough to put money on it.

If you did it one hundred times, your choice would be roughly 50/50.

[Gordon Steadman]

And I'm referring to changes in sound due to introducing other components into a system. Cables or whatever. The perception may be of 'burn in', but you're really just adjusting to the changes in sound caused by the new items.

If you own two systems, you can to an extent prove this. Use one system for a week then switch to the other and it will sound odd or unfamiliar until a few days have gone by. Then it will start sounding as you thought it should. You are adjusting to the change. Switch back to the previous system again after a week and the process starts all over again.

Hey, once we've done this bit to death, we can start a nice discussion about the possibility of bits of wire sounding different.

[Reffc]

Hey, once we've done this bit to death, we can start a nice discussion about the possibility of bits of wire sounding different.

....they do on guitar strings....

[Gordon Steadman]

....they do on guitar strings....

High tension / low tension / wire wound...sounds a bit like electrickery don't wanna go there!

[Oldpinkman]

In that particular case I am refering to: yes i'm pretty confident that I could. Confident enough to put money on it.

I love a flutter. It's a pity you are so far away. I presume they are NVA cables and so not beer money themselves for buying the sample stock. Even their maker with his fanciful theoretical explanation only claimed a "burn in" period of a maximum of half an hour. There are some awfully good reasons why they don't burn in. I'd test the theory before staking big bucks. Cagey made a burn in claim for I/C's on TAS which he was going to put to a similar test, and then thought better of it. Not as daft as he looks, clearly

[Oldpinkman]

Well, electrolytic capacitors "burn-in", and they don't move.

Do they? Not that I had heard. They "form" - but that is a near instant process. I am not aware of any conventional electronics theory that they "burn in". They also "burn out" eventually - although its not so much a burning process as an ageing process.

I have only ever heard the concept of electrolytic capacitor burn-in in Hifi forums - where allegedly everything burns in. Not in any conventional electronic engineering context

[Gordon Steadman]

Do they? Not that I had heard. They "form" - but that is a near instant process. I am not aware of any conventional electronics theory that they "burn in". They also "burn out" eventually - although its not so much a burning process as an ageing process.

I have only ever heard the concept of electrolytic capacitor burn-in in Hifi forums - where allegedly everything burns in. Not in any conventional electronic engineering context

You forgot to mention shops, online sellers and salesmen.

[struth]

With any trials I've done I have to say I'm with geoff. Any changes Ive heard over a few days listening producing improvement were the same with the original cable as will when reintroduced, if of course I got to like the sound of the new one eventually. when I changed back I didnt like the original for a day or so, but originally preferred it. But like all these things, its everyone to their own opinions and experiences.