New cables sound better because of bad old connections?

[Electone]

Could it be that most people hear differences in cables because they bring home a shiny new set of cables, hook them up, and possibly remove a layer of oxidation that may have built up for a long time?

Most people don't touch their system for years after it is initally set up. When you remove and insert a banana plug or RCA plug, the friction created by doing this may "clean" the connection, and when the new cables are inserted, they sound better.

I suppose the real test would be to re-install the old cables and hear if there was actually a difference or just a dirty old connection.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Could it be that most people hear differences in cables because they bring home a shiny new set of cables, hook them up, and possibly remove a layer of oxidation that may have built up for a long time?

Most people don't touch their system for years after it is initally set up. When you remove and insert a banana plug or RCA plug, the friction created by doing this may "clean" the connection, and when the new cables are inserted, they sound better.

I suppose the real test would be to re-install the old cables and hear if there was actually a difference or just a dirty old connection.

YES, that is a very good possibility. However, usually the act of removing the old, listening to the new, then the old again, should rub off enough of that oxidation though.

The biggest reason is bias though.

 

[philh]

Could it be that most people hear differences in cables because they bring home a shiny new set of cables, hook them up, and possibly remove a layer of oxidation that may have built up for a long time?

Most people don't touch their system for years after it is initally set up. When you remove and insert a banana plug or RCA plug, the friction created by doing this may "clean" the connection, and when the new cables are inserted, they sound better.

I suppose the real test would be to re-install the old cables and hear if there was actually a difference or just a dirty old connection.

After I put in my home made CAT5 speaker cables, wondered if that's what caused the diff. Critical visual evaluation of the old cable, there was lots of corrosion present. There was a significant difference between the old and new cables, but, it also pointed out an issue I have R-L that I hadn't heard before. The cables were a cheap experiment, that actually improved the speaker performance. Maybe new zip cord would have equally improved the performance, but these look kewl, and it was cheaper

 

[mtrycrafts]

but these look kewl, and it was cheaper

Very important aspects for choice