Most metals form a thin layer when in contact with the atmosphere, some more obviously than others (e.g. the patina on brass or gold alloys, rust, the "skin" on liquid gallium), and this is generally in reaction to oxygen, ergo "oxide". Think Thad was just poking a bit of fun at the negligible volumes of metal that gets taken off whenever you plug/unplug something :))
Against my better judgement I do appear to hear some differences between cables, but it's not really anything massive. Had an experience where swapping a DIY cable in to the HP-3 made for a ridiculously pronounced difference in a store demo setting and I'm sure now there was something suspect about that one.
@Lyander Thank you for the explanation, I was genuinely clueless.
I'm not a cable person so I wasn't expecting any difference, but it was there. Nothing massive or dramatic. Everything just sounds flat and sort of compressed, especially the sound stage. It made me curious to know if cables actually do need time to burn in, so I figured I would ask you guys.
Not much a cable person myself, but it seems likely cables may not require breaking in the same way other components might? Might be the case that you've just adapted to minor differences over time?
The layer of oxide thing has been proposed as a possible reason why a change between two cables that should have no difference genuinely appears to make one. It is even suggested that we plug/unplug/clean plugs and sockets.
Another suggested reason is that one didn't (with speakers) put one's head in exactly the same place after making the change. Inches can matter! ...
... Personally, if I do anything to a system which makes me feel happy or self-satisfied: it sounds better. Whether it does or not. Maybe the message is "always tinker!" lol
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