In Reply to: RE: Aside from the cable.. Is the actual system parts making the sound? or the wire? posted by pc123v on September 10, 2016 at 12:14:34:
My worst to best was a pair of seven meter long Kimber Hero XLR.
When brand new, they sounded terrible, and I thought "I am taking this crap BACK!".
Realizing they were kind of long, I played them for a few days, and they got better.
At the start, the sound was harsh, like a transistor radio back in the 60's.. only in flavor, not actually as bad. Before that I had a set of 7 meter Kimber PBJ, which I never paid any attention to, and were new before I was up to $5K a pop electronics. (The $5K a pop was where I started to really hear easy to find differences in wires..)The next seven meter pair was Cardas Parsec. also XLR. I kept those for over 6 weeks, and they never got any better.
The dealer kept pressing: 'They will break in" BS. After over six weeks of constant play, I was no longer interested in playing games and I returned them. The Parsec problem was a thin sound. very thin, poor midrange and no bass at all.(this never showed in short 1 or 2 meter Parsec)
I bought Kimber bulk wire and made my own.. Which I am using now. This wire is not a bass strong as the Hero, but has been adequate. I am big on clarity and highs.. So I can accept a little loss in the lows.
The Cardas Parsec I still use on all other short cabling As it is miles ahead of the Hero in clarity. And is no issue on bass in one meter lengths.Generally I think the notion of 'break in' is over rated. Which is wonderful. (And the 7 meter Parsec, the notion of break in was repeatedly touted "just wait".. But I refuse to spend my life 'fixing' something which is NOT adequate from the get go.
The one place I have discovered really big problems with wire is in the seven or six meter lengths. Where any failing really make themselves known.
A one meter Hero is only slightly rough when new. Most folks would never notice. And like when I bought the one meter Parsec, that was great from minute one.
But make them really long...I use the seven meter from my preamp. which is next to my listening position.. to the amp, off between the speakers.. 23 feet.
IMO without the $5,000 each electronics and a $3,500 power conditioner, plus aftermarket AC cords..
(plus a second $2K conditioner just for digital) I DOUBT I could hear as big a difference as I can now.
When I had $1,000 to $2,000 stuff.. I could only hear 'maybe' something. But no certainty.. like now.Added: the fun and interesting thing is.. I still play music through a used for $250 DAC. (that to a $4,500 tube VAC Standard I use just as a tube buffer LOL) with all my other $5K a pop stuff. It sounds great. Having compared it to $2,500 stuff. And mine is just as good. My Sony SCD777ES is a tiny bit better. but not enough to matter. Just say'n.
Edits: 09/10/16
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Follow Ups
- From my own experience. New is edgy, hash, rough, compared to broken in - Smelly_Socks 16:49:39 09/10/16 (0)