Cable Break In for the Naysayers

@ozzy 

My GEQ is used to fill a hole in the mid bass (100-300 Hz) in my room at my listening position. I can flip the EQ in and out with a push of a button. I can clearly hear the increase in the "weight" of the voice and of instruments. In fact, I'm biased toward a mid-bass emphasis. That's another function of the EQ in my system. It helps me tailor the sound to my tastes. If my taste drove me to emphasize higher frequencies, I could do that with my EQ.

I'm not touting a GEQ as a must have. GEQ use can cause problems. Although the  noise and distortion are far below any hearing threshold during normal use, if the gain of a particular filter is pushed too high, distortion at that frequency will happen. I have seen and measured this using REW. I have to be careful. There may be other phase shifts, etc...happening. However, I cannot perceive any audible effects from these.

I have measured with and without the GEQ. The data I have shows differences, but not any that I can point toward creating audible differences, except for the altered frequency response.

That's how I use the GEQ in my system. There are other means to do what I want to do. Traps of course exist. I have plenty of those. DSP. I tried very hard with this one. I found it no better than the GEQ and far less intuitive. And way more cumbersome.

Enough babble. 

I really don't understand your final question. What should I look for?

@knownothing 

The perceived enemy called ASR has posted quite a few measurements and analysis. They are not the only voice of course, but can be a starting point. 

The search function in the ASR forum is quite effective. Type in Shunyata. You'll find lots of hits. You may consider the ASR stance flawed because it comes to the measurements already biased. There is that. But measurements, graphs with lines on them representing actual data (not biased by humans) tell a clear picture. There's nothing of any value to us in audio from Shunyata cables. Save your hard earned money. 

ASR is at its best when it advises. I am no fan of the dogmatic attitude expressed on the ASR forum. I quit ASR because of this and asked Amir directly to delete all my posts. He didn't do that but at least my posts were labeled from "Deleted Member". I find there is value in their measurements. This information is scarce elsewhere.

@kevemaher thanks.  Been down that road.  You might try asking the folks on ASR to show you how to measure how well one piece of stereo gear or another, including different cables, represent soundstage width, depth and location as experienced by the listener in the sweet spot and see what they come back with.  I’ll leave it at that.

The only thing sadder than believing that cable break-in audibly changes sound for you, is following that up by admitting you overspent on snake oil Audioquest cables. Come on, man. You're better than that. 

squared80.

As I have commented before, if, your system and ears are up to it, better cables and yes, cable breakin will be obvious.

You seem to be set in your beliefs so enjoy what you have.

ozzy