Here's a quick electronics lesson. If the interconnects are attached to the CD player at one end and nothing at the other, then you have an open circuit and NO current flows, which means the electrons are not moving through the cable. One way to look at the situation is the open circuit (the ends of the cable that are dangling) appears to be an infinite amount of impedance, and electrons don't like infinite impedance, so they don't move. Anyway hook those cables up to an input on something and good luck.

Quote:
Originally posted by Triple J:
Can somebody who knows tell me, does it matter that the cables are just hanging off the back of the player? (just dangling, they are not attached to anything)

So the electrons are being run through the interconnect, which is all that is needed, right?

So, the cables are not driving (attached to) anything else - does it matter?