These seem to be very nicely constructed. They are pretty darn stiff, too! The RCA ends fit snug, but I don't think overly tight on my NAD stuff, just have to make sure I grab the end firmly and be gentle with the removal. My cabinet that houses my equipment happens to have an open back on each side of a center piece, so I was able to hook them up to the amp, make a small loop (about 6" diameter) poking into the space between the shelves right behind the CDP, then bring them into the CDP on the shelf below with smooth curves. If I hadn't had the open back I don't think I could have used these very easily.Anyway, my initial impression for the first 30 min. or so was that they lacked some bass compared to the $2 cheapo's I was using. But the mids and high end opened way up and filled the room much better. I let the CDP run on repeat for about 4 hours with low volume and a little Megadeth playing and just came back in for a listen. The bass seems to be back and the "airyness???" is still there. They sound better. Definitely better than the junk ones. Worth every penny of $25. I couldn't build these for less than that.
These are my first decent cables and so far I like them. But I think spending more than $50 on a set of cables is ridiculus. I'd rather spend it on more music.
I report back after I've got some real hours on them.
Question: Do you think cables really burn in, or is it just your brain and ears getting used to a new setup?