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Burn In - NO! / Out Gas & Manufacturing Contaminant - Yes

IEales

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Dec 9, 2024
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Florence, Oregon USA
Other than loudspeakers requiring some time for some surrounds and diaphragms to shake loose and capacitors to fully form, burn in for cables is in all likelihood an artifact of outgassing and manufacturing residue.

My cousin worked for Litton Industries in the aero & deep space area. I knew very little of what he did as it was all highly classified, but what he clued me in to was manufacturing typically leaves residues. Litton had special chambers for cleaning and outgassing.

Caution the solvents are flammable and must be used in well ventilated areas.

The solvents may damage plastics or paint, so use extreme care.

A method for cleaning new connectors:

Use 100% PURE ethanol
DO NOT return a used swab to the solvent

Dip a LAB GRADE swab in the solvent and gently wipe the contact area only. RCA & XLR female jacks require a very small tip.

AND, every few months re-plug every connector in the system, power included.

Been doing it for decades and never heard a cable burn in.

ps - One reason I like split pin tube sockets is they cut through oxidation and contamination whereas circular contacts spread their tension over a much larger area and many not cut the mustard.
 
Or one could just use Deoxit & avoid the highly flammable & toxic vapors thing.
 
According to my cousin, such goop was verboten :eek:

Pretty nasty stuff
DEoxitComp.png


Image from DEOXIT MSDS
 
Use 100% PURE ethanol
Note that unless you take insane measures and do everything in a glove box and inert atmosphere, you won't have better than about 95%. In any event, isopropanol will generally do a better job.

burn in for cables is in all likelihood an artifact of outgassing and manufacturing residue.
For audio? Highly dubious.
 
Yes. Just the notion of audible change from cables burning in borders on ridiculous.
 
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