From anti-static treatment to cable elevators, there are several things one can do to maximize the performance level of audio cables. For years now, manufacturers have been aware of another practice that drastically improves upon performance that has recently been gaining acceptance from hifi enthusiasts: cable burn-in.

Any listener will be able to identify a marked change in audio equipment within the first 100 hours of use (whether it be a new cable, component or loudspeaker). But what is the reason for these improvements and what can be done to facilitate this process?

During the manufacturing process, as insulation is extruded over the conductors, gases can become trapped. This combined with the high electrical charges often found in new cables, result in a brittle and bright sound that lacks the detail and depth desired for music reproduction. There are a few ways to solve this problem. One way to burn-in your cables is to simply hook them up in your home audio system and play music for a minimum of 100 hours. Even better, use a burn in disc, like Nordost’s System Set-Up & Tuning Disc, which provides a track specifically designed to produces a range of tones that stress the cables and expedite the burn-in process. However, the best solution is to treat your cables using a designated cable burn-in device such as Nordost’s Vidar.

When cables are first put into use, their directionality is not securely established. However, once the Vidar begins running current through the cables, the trapped gases are dissipated and small impurities in the conductor’s metal begin to act like a diode, favoring current flow in a particular direction. By using extremely wide bandwidth signal as well as a range of both ultra-low and high frequency sweeps, the Vidar stresses the conductors, neutralizes charges, improves the way that signals pass through metal and  ultrasonically conditions the surface of the conductors. It is these changes in both the conductor and insulation material that refines performance in audio cables.

While it is most important to implement burn-in upon purchase, there is something to be gained from routine maintenance as well. If cables are left unused for a prolonged period of time they become stagnant. And even through everyday cable use, electrical equipment experiences current leakage, imparting a charge onto your cables. By having your cables treated with the Vidar you are treating your cables with the Vidar you are conditioning them and allowing the charges to neutralize once again.

This service is only available through  authorized Nordost dealers.To locate the Nordost dealer nearest you, please consult the “Where to Buy” page of our website.

Often times when hifi talk comes around to cabling, you will hear people preaching the importance of using one brand of cables throughout an entire system. But what possible difference could mismatched brands make—especially if they are all eminent companies each with upstanding products?

Each cable manufacturer constructs their products in different ways. They use a variety of different materials and employ a range of specialized technologies to create a core cable design. As a result, companies (and sometimes ranges within each company) tend to have their own sonic signature. The quality and timbre of each brand’s sound may be brassy, light, bass-heavy etc. There are some cable manufacturers that strive to reach a particular “type” of sound with their products by using filters and network boxes. On the other hand, Nordost’s aim is a more neutral sound, filtering as little as possible so that you are left with the music as it was originally intended. Ultimately, it is up to the listeners to determine their own opinion on the merits of each cable’s sound.

What is undeniable is that the effect of mixing cable brands and their respective sonic signatures can have mixed results. If you are lucky, the cables will balance themselves out and you will be left with a pleasant sounding system, but more often than not different cable brands clash, leaving you unable to hear the composition of your system as it was intended. When that happens, you get to deal with the fun task of finding where the problem lies through trial and error.

Besides not being able to find the cable that may be less desirable than others, mixing cable brands makes it harder to determine weaknesses in your components. You may find yourself wondering if thin sound should be blamed on your speakers or your speaker cables, if the slow-timing is the fault of your pre-amp or interconnects. Upgrading a hifi system can become that much more frustrating and time-consuming when it is not clear what upgrades need to be made.

By using a uniform loom of cables, or at the very least using cables that use the same core technology, you are no longer faced with these problems. There is no need to “balance out” a system, weaknesses are easier to assess and fix, the components are all on a level and comparable playing field, and you are able to achieve a greater coherency from start to finish.