Would anyone continue to use 20 year-old interconnect cables?
I have an old pair of rca to rca Cardas Quadlink from music source to BHK Preamp and a relatively new Audioquest Red River balanced (xlr) from BHK Pre to M700 monos.
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You might want to use a contact cleaner on the terminated ends if they show any sign of oxidation. But as long as there is no sign of damage, I see no reason not to use the older pair of interconnects.
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Considering how long in my experience it can take to break in Cardas (which I like btw) your Quadlink might finally be sounding it’s best.
Seriously though, if you still like it and the connectors are in good shape go with what works. Quadlink is a classic all purpose cable. Use what sounds best.
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The cost for newer Cardas, something along the lines of Clear Reflection, which I suspect would sound good with my system, is, well, …quite a shock.
The old Quadlink is in great condition.
Ride what you brung
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Ride the wild wind! (Queen, Freddy Mercury)
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Enjoy those old cables like you stole them!
I have a pair of my first audiophile cables, TARA Labs ones, still in use in one system. . . I think I bought them in '95 or so.
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Since putting the Cardas back in the system, I am loving the smoothness.
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I just installed a pair of 20+ year old Kardas KCAG interconnects between my Schiit Modius and my Sprout100. I used them for years between whatever I was using as a preamp and my Bryston 4B ST.
They still work great!
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i still use speaker cable (audioquest dragon) since, '90 and nothing but the newer Analysis Plus Gold speaker cable really is a noticeable improvement…others have proven competent, but, not worth of buying compared to what’s already here…
and the same applies to my solid silver IC’s from Krell (the same wire they used to test the KSA 150’s, while being developed)…
i would’ve thought my old AQ, which is 8 gauge solid silver cable & the Krell cable would have noticeable oxidation by now…
so, buy quality with confidence that your bank account will wear out 1st… 
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Please explain how an interconnect is meant to wear out over time.
There are some components that wear out, like capacitors. Quad make their solid state amplifiers to be low-cost serviceable and a full service and re-cap costs about $120. Plenty of people do it, they recommend every 10 years, and are still using equipment 50+ years old that measures like new.
My son uses a Claymore amplifier that was made around 1985. It was serviced and recapped, with a small FET upgrade, by the original manufacturer about 3 or 4 years ago. Total cost for the work was about $150.
Considering 50+ year old electronics can be made to measure like new, I wouldn’t worry about a cable in your lifetime.
The only cables I know of which failed were the original Monster Cable speaker cables which corroded from within the plastic dielectric.
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If the cables were properly stored in a certified cryo facility, under armed guard with multiple redundant backup systems, AND, if they are properly thawed, a 20 yr old cable should be fine.
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I knew I forgot something!!! 
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Or if they’ve been used continuously, stepped on, tangled up, disconnected and reconnected countless times in the recording studio or on the road, they’re good to go.
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Good cables are like good people everywhere: they all deserve respect and, if necessary, a second chance.
They’re broken in, not broken down, so enjoy.
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Use the Densen Demagnetizer CD and/or put your cables in the freezer in an airtight bag for 2 days and your cables will bee as new again. I’ve heard…
You’ve heard or you have heard?
LOOL
I’ve heard the “Densen Demagnetizer CD-improvement” myself but the thing with putting your cables in an airtight plastic bag in your freezer, so you don’t get condense on your cables when you “unfreeze them”, I’ve only read about.
You have that “Demagnetizer sound” on Nordost’s “System Solution — Set-Up & Tuning Discs” also.
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