I don’t think about it too much. I do try to be gentle with cables because they certainly can suffer from wear and tear if they’re moved around a lot, mainly from the casing or insulator getting worn out. If a copper or silver strand is thin enough it can be flexed adequately to get it plugged in or unplugged without causing any significant crystal deformation. Enough cycles of flex below deformation can eventually lead to structural changes but you should be able to get millions, or maybe billions or even perhaps trillions of non deformation flexes out of a wire before it starts to degrade in a significant way. That’s why springs in scales can stay accurate for so long. For me, deformation that leads to obvious work hardening and embrittlement occurs with solid core wires, or multi strand when I’m working with bare wire ends and clamping them down into the amp or speaker.
Power Cable Break In - Such a Change!
I installed a new AudioQuest Dragon Source power cord from my Lumin X1 to my Niagara 7000. The power cord from the wall to the Niagara 7000 is also a Dragon but the High Current version. I bought that cord used.
So, when I first started using the new power cord everything sounded great. However, after a couple of days I started hearing a strident sound. Especially in the upper mid/ treble region. The bass was also constricted. I started blaming the sound change on another piece of equipment that was installed concurrently.
Now, I was under the impression that the Dragon power cord with its DBS system required no break in. But I did inquire about it to AudioQuest who responded that it would still need about 150 hours to break in. It's been close to that now and sure enough yesterday I started hearing the glorious sound that I heard from day one with the power cord only perhaps better.
I must say the difference during break in and now is quite remarkable, I don't remember any other power cord going through this amount of dramatic change.
ozzy
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- 154 posts total
- 154 posts total