What is the difference between the Standard Plus version, and Anniversary Edition? 

Firstly, the circuitry for the Standard Plus Cooker is identical with that of the Anniversary Edition, as is the chassis. Both versions offer full cryogenic treatment of all connectors, switches, internal wiring, and circuit board. The primary difference between the models is the binding post hardware. The Standard Plus Cooker features gold-plated, color-coded, hex-shaped plastic binding posts, and is perfect for use with banana terminations and lightweight speaker cables terminated with lighter-weight spades. Solid-core, bare wire can also be conditioned (up to 10-gauge) via a conveniently-placed hole in the post itself.

The Anniversary Edition improves on the former Pro version with the installation of two models of Cardas binding posts (a choice of either the brass ACBP's or premium all-copper billet CCGR's). These posts have a larger surface contact area than the Standard Plus posts, providing improved connectivity and conductivity, better serving those customers with heavier/stiffer/thicker speaker leads and spades. The CCGR's, in particular, are featured on many fine amplifiers and loudspeakers, and can accommodate the largest and thickest spade terminations available. All models now include the bridging switch circuit that allows simultaneous break-in of interconnects, speaker cabling, AND power cabling (see below).

Please explain what the bridging switch does.

With the original version 2.0, interconnects and speaker cable, OR interconnects and power cabling could be broken-in together....just not all three. This is due to the nature and necessity of wiring the connectors in series for the best possible signal integrity (from the Cooker). The bridging switch circuit allows simultaneous break-in of all three types of cables without any signal degradation. It is especially useful and time-saving for those who have quite a bit of cabling to condition, and for those who are performing a periodic "recharge" of their cabling on a regular basis.

(Please note that version 2.0 is no longer in production)

What type of cables can be broken-in?

The Cable Cooker can condition most types of audio/video cabling. The front panel includes RCA, BNC, and XLR connectors, plus 5-way speaker binding posts. These binding posts accept spades, bananas, and of course, bare wire. The Cooker does not have an S-video connector on it, but Radio Shack or other popular commercial suppliers have an RCA-to-S video adaptor that may be used to break in that type of cable. Microphone cables, guitar cables, and some headphone cables can be conditioned as well with the use of a ¼" plug-to-RCA adaptor.

Can multiple pairs of interconnects be broken in simultaneously?

Absolutely. RCA-terminated interconnects may be daisy-chained through the use of barrel connectors (a few pair are supplied with every Cable Cooker). XLR terminated interconnects simply snap together in series, oriented in the correct direction.

How are power cables broken-in?

Each Cable Cooker is supplied with a pair of reverse-male/female, 3-blade/IEC adaptors to enable one power cable to be broken in. These are professionally terminated with Deltron banana connectors that insert into two specific binding post sets on the front panel. Power cable break-in occurs on the same high-level circuit designed for speaker cable break-in. Additionally, we have "extension adaptors" made so that power cables may safely be daisy-chained as well. These extension adaptors are available for $10 each. Each adaptor allows an additional power cable to be conditioned (for instance, 3 extension adaptors allows 4 power cables to be broken-in).

For a speaker cable requiring 200 hours of break-in, how long should it be plugged into the Cooker?

The general guidelines for new speaker cabling are from between 3 days to 4 1/2 days. The Cooking time (for all types of cabling) is directly dependent upon the gauge of the conductors, and the amount of dielectric material. Incremental Cooking-and-listening tests are advised to determine the "best" Cooking time for a particular cable. Speaker cables that have been in a system for some time might only need 24 to 36 hours of conditioning. Again, this is recommended on a periodic basis, performing what we call a "recharge". Cooker owners are advised to do on a consistent basis to maintain optimal system performance. Conditioning is not a one-time phenomenon.

Can interconnects, speaker cabling, and power cabling be broken-in together?

Yes. In normal operation interconnects and speaker cable, OR interconnects and power cabling may be conditioned together... just not all three. The bridging switch allows the simultaneous conditioning of all three types of cables, which is a time saver when performing the recommended periodic recharges.

How about phono cables? How do I break these in?

For vinyl lovers, we make a special DIN-to-RCA phono adaptor that allows both tonearm wire and/or phono cables to be broken-in. In our opinion, due to the incredibly low voltage produced by cartridges (especially low output MC's), tonearm wire and phono cables are "never" broken-in and fully conditioned. The Cable Cooker produces a multiplex signal that is approx. 2000 times stronger than what the average MC cartridge outputs. Dung Tri Mai uses this phono adaptor, and the Cable Cooker, for all new Triplanar production.

The phono adaptor (fully cryo-treated) costs $90. It utilizes a Cardas 5-pin DIN connector and Cardas RCA, along with a high-quality, ultra-flexible 4-foot cable suited for low-level signals. We also include a Velcro band that wraps around the adaptor and tonearm to keep everything immobile and safe from damage during the break-in process.

What is the maximum "capacity" of the Cable Cooker?

There is NO practical limit. You can Cook as many interconnects, speaker cables, and power cables as you wish. There is no degradation/loss of signal strength or integrity, no matter how many cables are placed on the Cooker. The only exceptions might be those designs with extraordinarily heavy-gauge conductors and complex geometries. Some cable manufacturers pre-condition 500-foot spools of cabling, and dozens of power cables simultaneously, which shows the ability of the Cable Cooker to condition longer lengths.

How long does it take to break-in cables?

That is dependent upon the gauge of the conductors, the number of conductors, and the amount of dielectric material. Generally, for brand new cable, the suggested guidelines are 2 to 2 1/2 days for interconnects... 3 to 4 1/2 days for speaker cables... and 4 to 5 days for power cabling. Heavier-gauge designs, and those with more complex wiring geometries usually require more conditioning time than what the above guidelines show. Many customers have determined that "more is more" in these cases, performing additional conditioning in incremental stages. Periodic Cooking-and-listening tests are essential to determine the optimal conditioning time for each design.

For instance, if you Cook a new interconnect for 24 hours, listen, and then repeat the listening tests after every 6 to 8 hours on the Cooker, you will find the optimal time for that model. When you find little or no improvement from the previous listening test, the cable is probably fully conditioned.

Cables that have been in a system for quite some time usually need only 24 to 36 hours on the Cooker to improve greatly... with speaker cables and power cables, sometimes a bit more. Again, this is determined by the (heavier) gauge of the conductors and complexity of design. And doing a "periodic recharge" of a system's cabling every 3 or 4 months insures that a system will be at it's optimum performance level. This makes the Cable Cooker a great long-term value. Conditioning is not a one-time phenomenon.

Does longer conditioning time mean better performance? Can I over-Cook my cables? Will they be damaged?

Over-Cooking can reduce the performance, at least temporarily. The characteristics of this are a reduced or diminished soundstage and a dull, lifeless quality to the music. If this situation occurs, merely letting the cables physically rest, and settle, then putting them back in the music system to play for a few hours brings them back to their optimal performance level. Over-Cooking does NOT do any damage to the cabling whatsoever. Again, incremental Cooking-and-listening tests are highly recommended to avoid over-Cooking one's cables.

Will plugging (only) a pair of speaker cables versus speaker cables and interconnects result in different break in time for the speaker cables?

Not at all. Interconnects (RCA, BNC, and XLR's) are conditioned on a separate, lower-power circuit from the higher-power speaker cable circuit. Therefore, they are independently conditioned and break in times are not related, nor diminished due to conditioning them simultaneously. The signal generated by the Cooker is quite powerful, and multiple pairs of cables may be daisy-chained as well.

Will cables revert back over time requiring a second burn in, or are the results permanent?

Unless cabling is completely disconnected for a long period of time, we don't think they completely revert back to their original, raw state. However, in our experience, all cables retrograde in performance over time. Break-in or conditioning is a long-term, but not permanent phenomenon. Cabling performance improves (as does one's system) with a periodic "recharge" of 24 to 36 hours every few months, and many long-time Cooker owners continue to enjoy this benefit. This makes owning the Cable Cooker a great long-term value. Highly recommended!

Can Cooking cables with network boxes (such as MIT & Transparent Audio) damage them in any way?

Transparent cabling (all models, including Opus) is fine on the Cable Cooker, and MIT cabling performs without incident as well. Contrary to the language on MIT's website, there have been NO problems with any of their cables when conditioned on the Cable Cooker. If fact, I have a number of customer reports stating that numerous models of MIT cabling (including Oracle) performed splendidly, and their performance was suitably improved, as would be expected.

What else can the Cable Cooker break-in other than cables?

Some manufacturers are using the Cable Cooker to break-in transformers, capacitors, and bulk wire. A few customers have successfully conditioned Bybee filters and Bybee Wire, the Richard Gray Power Company Line Enhancer, and various parallel-design AC line conditioners including Acoustic Revive, Audience, Audio Magic, Shunyata, Sound Application, and Walker Audio. AC duplex receptacles are easily conditioned as well. Customers have also reported great success conditioning various aftermarket capacitors, including Audience, Dueland, Mundorf, and VH Audio. Since Teflon caps typically have the longest break-in periods, the Cable Cooker provides an exceptional benefit for those as well.

Customers should first contact audio excellence az to inquire whether (or not) a particular piece of equipment is suitable for conditioning on the Cable Cooker. Active components such as phono stages, preamplifiers, and amplifiers are not suited for use with the Cable Cooker....low wattage parts such as 1/4-watt resistors may be damaged by the intense multiplex signal.

What adaptors are available with my Cable Cooker?
(all adaptors are cryogenically-treated at -320F. for improved conductivity and superior performance)

extra 15-amp IEC power cable adaptor....$16
(initial unit is supplied with every Cable Cooker)

15-amp IEC to NEMA-style wall plug extension adaptor....$10
(for daisy-chaining 15-amp power cables)

20-amp IEC power cable adaptor....$40
20-amp IEC to NEMA-style wall plug extension adaptor....$50
(for daisy-chaining 20-amp power cables)

custom Schuko power cable adaptor....$30
custom Schuko-to-15-amp IEC extension adaptor....$40
(for daisy-chaining Schuko or Euro-style power cables)

custom UK13 power cable adaptors....$40
custom UK13-to-15-amp IEC extension adaptor....$50

tonearm wire/phono cable break-in adaptor....$90

custom set of speaker cable break-in adaptor boxes....$65
(one set for each additional pair of cables--made with five-way binding posts)

I live outside the United States. Do you make a 220/240 volt version?

The Cable Cooker circuitry was designed around a "universal" switching DC power supply, which will operate with any line voltage and frequency around the world. Simply use a generic power cord (from the wall), plug it into the DC power supply, and then plug the DC adaptor into the Cable Cooker.

Please tell me the shipping weight and dimensions of the Pro version Cable Cooker versus the standard Cable Cooker.

Shipping weight for the Pro Cooker is approximately 7 pounds. The Standard Plus Cooker's shipping weight is approximately 6.5 pounds. The dimensions are identical, as they use the same chassis. Each Cooker is 12 inches wide x 6 inches deep x 4.75 inches tall (approx. 33cm x 23cm x 18cm)

For any further questions, please contact audio excellence az at 602-277-0799 or alan@audioexcellenceaz.com

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What custom adaptors are available with my Cable Cooker? (all adaptors are cryogenically-treated at -320F. for improved conductivity and superior performance)

extra 15-amp IEC power cable adaptor....$16
(initial unit is supplied with every Cable Cooker)

15-amp IEC to NEMA-style wall plug extension adaptor....$10
(for daisy-chaining 15-amp power cables)

20-amp IEC power cable adaptor....$40
20-amp IEC to NEMA-style wall plug extension adaptor....$50
(for daisy-chaining 20-amp power cables)

custom Schuko power cable adaptor....$30
custom Schuko-to-15-amp IEC extension adaptor....$40
(for daisy-chaining Schuko or Euro-style power cables)

custom UK13 power cable adaptors....$40
custom UK13-to-15-amp IEC extension adaptor....$50

tonearm wire/phono cable break-in adaptor....$90

custom set of speaker cable break-in adaptor boxes....$65
(one set for each additional pair of cables--made with five-way binding posts)

audiodharma CABLE COOKER UPGRADES

1) High performance, retrofittable upgrade for Cable Cooker version 2.5 (EFS circuit and full cryogenic treatment)....$175

The Extended Frequency Sweep (EFS) upgrade more than doubles the previous sweep at both ends of the spectrum.
The swept square wave starts at 0 DC and is calibrated at just over 40KHz, whereas the previous sweep (for version 2.5)
started at just below 40Hz and reached 18.5KHz.

The upgrade includes full cryogenic treatment of the circuit board, all chassis connectors, switches, and internal wiring.
This cryogenic upgrade is as sonically significant as the EFS circuit upgrade, and the benefits are cumulative.
The Cable Cooker is also thoroughly cleaned inside and out as part of the service.

2) The high-quality Cardas ACBP binding posts (found on the Anniversary Edition 3.0) are available as a hardware upgrade to existing 2.5 Pro and 2.5 Standard units. If you like using your Cooker, but would enjoy having greater "gripability" with heavier/thicker speaker cables (especially those with larger/thicker spade terminations), then this upgrade is definitely worth it. The ACBP's have a long, faceted front cap, are easily hand-tightened, and very easy on the fingers.

The old binding post assemblies are removed, the ACBP's are installed with color-coded insulators, and the internal wiring is re-terminated to its new length. Cost is $175 including labor.

The premium all-copper billet Cardas CCGR's are also available as an additional $100 option.

3) Cable Cooker 2.0 units may also be retrofitted with a frequency sweep upgrade to original 2.5 status. This upgrade extends the 2.0 frequency sweep from 15.5Kz to 18.5KHz. It is a very noticeable sonic improvement. Combined with full cryogenic treatment of the circuit board, chassis connectors, switches, and internal wiring, it is a very cost-effective upgrade that will reap substantial sonic rewards. Cost is $175 including labor. The 2.0 unit is also thoroughly cleaned inside and out as part of the service.

• Always use in a well-ventilated area. The Cable Cooker™ chassis top can get warm when breaking in speaker cabling and power cabling.  For safety purposes, do not place the Cable Cooker™ on carpeting, or any other combustible material when operating the device.

• Always turn off the Cable Cooker™ when removing and/or installing cables.

• Use only the supplied switching power supply with the Cable Cooker™.

CONNECTIONS 

• Interconnects (BNC, RCA, XLR) always connect from left (output) to right (input). 

• Speaker cables (in stereo pairs) connect from the top A binding posts (amp end) to the bottom B binding post (speaker end).  Left A to left B, and right A to right B.   

• Power cables, with the supplied adaptors, connect from the top left A binding post (with wall plug adaptor) to the bottom right B binding post (with IEC adaptor). 

• Single center-channel speaker cables connect from the top left A binding post (output side) to the bottom right B binding post (input side). 

• Bi-wire speaker cables are connected in the same manner as stereo pairs, but require alternating the tweeter leads and woofer leads for identical break-in periods (such as X hours on the tweeter leads and X hours on the woofer leads).

• If you are not using the custom audiodharma speaker cable adaptor boxes, carefully cover each of the unconnected leads with electrical tape to avoid potential shorts that can damage the Cooker circuitry.

COMMENTS 

• The red LED, when "on", indicates power to the unit. The green LED, when "on", indicates current flowing through the attached cable(s)

• This LED, in addition to showing contact upon connection, can also act as a continuity test of each individual attached cable.     

• Many units will experience a flickering of the green LED due to the nature of the extended-frequency sweep powering through the circuitry. This is normal. Many units also produce a cyclic "chirping" sound (under speaker and/or power cable load).  This is also normal. 

• Please note that it is possible to "overcook" your cables. This will not harm the cables, but they will require additional time in a music system to "settle in" and reach optimal performance.  Contact audio excellence az for more specific information, if needed.

BRIDGING SWITCH OPERATION  (for audiodharma Cable Cooker™ Pro versions 2.5, 3.0, and Anniversary Edition)

• In all cases, the Cable Cooker™ should be turned off when installing or replacing cables for conditioning.   

• The bridging switch should always be in the down, or "normal" position when conditioning cables, UNLESS you wish to break-in power cables AND speaker cables simultaneously.

• To accomplish this, install speaker cabling in the same way as "normal" operation (please see the preliminary operating instructions), that is:

• Speaker cables (in stereo pairs) connect from the top A binding posts (amp end) to the bottom B binding post (speaker end).  Left A to left B, and right A to right B. 

• However, the power cable break-in adaptors must be installed thusly, to accomplish simultaneous conditioning of power cables and speaker cables: 

• The wall plug adaptor (or Schuko, or UK13) should be inserted into the BOTTOM LEFT "B" binding posts, and the IEC adaptor should be inserted into the UPPER RIGHT "A" binding posts. 

• After the above installation of the power cable adaptors and speaker cabling, flip the bridging switch (located on the rear panel) into the "special" position, and turn the power switch "on" to operate the Cable Cooker™ and begin the conditioning process. 

• Note:  interconnects may always be conditioned with speaker cabling, and/or power cabling, whether the bridging switch is in the "normal" or "special" position. 

For any further questions, please contact audio excellence az at 602-277-0799 or alan@audioexcellenceaz.com

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Are you interested in making a purchase? Do you have any questions about a product or particular model? Are you curious how a particular product or model will interact in your system?

Please call 602-277-0799, or email me at alan@audioexcellenceaz.com.  Let's discuss the details.  I want you to be satisfied with your purchase and answer all your questions BEFORE you spend any money.

Thank you for visiting!

alan kafton
audio excellence az

We accept

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transactions!