The rack looks sharp. Cables neatly fanned, interconnects gracefully arced, not a strand out of place. You’ve likely taken pride in the order. But sometimes, what looks perfect doesn’t quite sound it. The soundstage may appear intact, yet doesn’t seem fully sculpted. Transients probably register—but feel softened. Notes arrive, but lack the spark that makes them live.
There’s a chance you’re hearing the quiet tax of long signal paths.
What to Do
Step behind the system—not to tidy, but to simplify. Focus on your interconnect runs: from source to preamp, then preamp to amp. If you’re using unbalanced RCAs, aim for 1 meter or less. Long RCA runs tend to sound fine—until they don’t. Balanced XLRs are more forgiving, but even they gain clarity when shortened. Got the amps parked far from the front end? Just as an experiment, try moving them closer. Even if it looks temporary, let your ears decide. While you’re at it, check routing: analog cables separated from power cords, no parallel runs, no tight loops or elegant coils. This isn’t about tidiness—it’s about signal integrity.
Try messy. Just to hear.
Here’s Why That Works
Every cable adds a burden: capacitance that smooths away top-end detail, resistance that shaves impact, inductance that subtly clouds focus. Unbalanced lines, in particular, are vulnerable to ground loops and external noise. Balanced cables reject noise better, but not delay or smear from long runs. The degradation may not be obvious. You won’t hear a hum or a buzz. But you might feel a thinning—a slight recession in immediacy, a sense that the notes are reaching you through something.
Shorter cables don’t just preserve dynamics—they restore presence. They let the image step forward. They protect the texture and density that give recorded music life.
It’s not about what’s dressed—it’s about what arrives unfiltered.
