If you have a single conductor cable, as all of these seem to be, they can often be shaped and still sound good. The shaping does slightly affect how they sound. So as usual, trial and error is needed to decide what sounds best.
If you have cables that resist bending, however, the consequences are much bigger when you try shaping them. A cable that is pinched or under stress (meaning that if you release it, it will pop away from its locked down position) often sounds bad.
lejonklou wrote:...If you have cables that resist bending, however, the consequences are much bigger when you try shaping them. A cable that is pinched or under stress (meaning that if you release it, it will pop away from its locked down position) often sounds bad.
This is interesting! I have always had a bad feeling when forcing cables to a position and consequently have been going great lengths go get the cables to sit relaxed. Have never compared if it made any perceivable difference though. Certainly the forces on a stressed cable will affect its shape and consequently also its electrical characteristics.