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Topic: Breaking in new speakers (Read 12607 times) previous topic - next topic
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Breaking in new speakers

Reply #25 –
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Hi.

I just bought myself a 5-speaker system (no sub). B&W D603 S3 in front (for stereo music), and also center and back speakers from B&W, I don't recall the model numbers for them right now.

Any good suggestions for breaking them in? I don't know if that's the right expression, what I mean is using them for several hours so they get to the point where they sound like intended.

I've heard rumours about CDs built for this purpose, CDs that use the full spectrum.

I guess there are some audiophiles here with info on this

Btw, my amp is a Denon AVR-2105.
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There's a school of thought that says this is needed, but I haven't seen anyone offer any evidence to support it, merely opinions. Out of curiosity I "burnt-in" a pair of earphones for 100 hours or so, whilst listening beforehand to some favourite tracks, then not not listening again till the 100 hours was up. Admittedly it hardly constitutes a scientific test, but it made no difference that I could discern.

I've never seen a manufacturer refer to it and one would hope they'd be the experts, so I have serious doubts that it's worthwhile. Why, for instance, would sound change over (say) the first 100 hours and then not continue to change? Speakers are mostly mechanical systems so any intitial wear would have to continue. Mechanical things DO continue to wear throughout their lives and the initial "settling in" period certainly exists in such things as engines. Contacting surfaces wear to fit oneanother, but that doesn't apply to speakers (one hopes!).

Old-enough speakers ought to sound poor eventually, yet that doesn't seem to happen until they reach obvious failure when suspensions fall apart or whatever.

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #26 –
I believe speaker diaphragms are mostly constitued of polymer plastic and rubber materials.  As such, a few hours of wear-and-tear might be able to make the material as ductile as in the "engineer specs" of the material, and as such, reflect factory specs in a truer way. 
I know for one that my Paradigm monitor 5 series came with instructions that suggested not listening critically to them until a select period of time (which I don't recall they gave precisions to), so the guy who wrote the manual may have just been comforting "audiophiles"... or not.
I feel my HD-280s sound quite a bit different then from the day one when I opened my package - I heard these headphones are supposed to be quite reflective of burn-in periods.  Now, It may just be placebo effect, but since I was and will always be a sceptic, I doubt that.

In any case, burn-in if you like, and it can _never_ do any harm, beyond what normal use would.

Peace,
T.

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #27 –
Breaking in speakers? Sounds like a load of garbage to me. Even if the speakers did break in over x amount of hours, I doubt there'd be any noticable difference. It's probably just a placebo effect.
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Breaking in new speakers

Reply #28 –
Ive offered evidence here before.  Of course they bloody well break in.  Whether or not its audible to some or anyone or no one is a different matter.  But the parameters of most loudspeaker drivers will change with time.   

Here you go, its still up. 
http://www.vikash.info/audio/audax/break-in.asp

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #29 –
All I see is a whole bunch of numbers that mean absolutely nothing to me.  Until somebody proves they can hear a difference, breaking-in speakers can be considered pointless.

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #30 –
This is from B&W's page:

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Expect the sound of your speakers to improve during an initial listening period. The time varies depending on the type of speaker and how you use it.


Whether it's the speakers or your ears that "breaks in" is up for discussion 

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #31 –
I buy speakers from 2nd hand shops (Goodwill, Salvation Army, Value Village).  Seriously, you'll find some really nice Speakers there.  Over the years, I've aquired speakers that handle 300-500watts RMS...including Pioneer, Kenwood, Sony, Technics, etc.  Most, I have given to friends when I move.  I have seen true stereo monitors on occassion too, but they are usually over $100, and I never seem to have that much cash on me.  Currently, I am using a set of Kenwoods, with 15" woofers....cost me $40 for the pair.  They sound very rich.  I recommend this course for the budget audiophile...and they are already worn in for you. =)

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #32 –
It seems that this community has a short memory when a myth is proven to be right.

The proof of speaker burn-in have already been posted and discussed here : http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ndpost&p=209911

The link is even in the "faq to-do" that I posted in the admin section.

However, I've read later, without much details, that after this phase of burn-in, speakers go back to their initial state after a few days.

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #33 –
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All I see is a whole bunch of numbers that mean absolutely nothing to me.  Until somebody proves they can hear a difference, breaking-in speakers can be considered pointless.
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Lol.  How can someone prove hearing a difference?  Once it's gone into your ears to be analysed by your brain it becomes a subjective matter.  It's those numbers (which mean nothing to you) which show that break-in is clearly a common phenomenon.  This is easier shown on larger drivers in particular.  There's no magic, or placebo being sold here.  It's simply the the surround and spider materials settling to their nominal springiness from stretching.  If you measure the T/S parameters from a new driver and then measure after some heavy excursion then there is often a clear change in some of the parameters.

Some of the T/S params, Fs for example, will become lower as the driver breaks-in but other paramaters also change and can counter the effect in terms of the enclosure volume required and freq. response.  Tempertaure also has a large effect.  Measuring T/S in different climates will have different results, and its feasible that the whole loudspeaker will sound different.

No respectable manufacturer designs enclosures with a new driver without breaking it in.  But that doesn't stop them selling it this way.  It would be rather stupid and uneconomical for them to run drivers in before going off to the retailers.  Time is money let's not forget.

Why do some of us DIYers measure the T/S parameters ourselves when we buy drivers?  Because it is a commonly known and measured that some manufacturers specs are out by quite a bit, drivers can differ from batch to batch too.  Chew on that for a while.

The crux of it is whether you *need* to break-in your speakers.  It will happen naturally over a course of time.  You may notice it.  You may not.  There are many variables involved but people who are adament that it's a placebo should perhaps do some basic research into transducer and materials design to be enlightened.

There is no need to hurry it by any other means, but if you wish to do so, then I simply use a very low frequency sine wave and at a volume that will stretch the suspension and surround to its limits.  How long?  Each driver is different.  depends on material and size.  But that's why I say that if you're purchasing (which I vow never to do again) then just have a coke and a smile and let it take care of itself in time.

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #34 –
Now I want to 'break-out'...

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #35 –
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Expect the sound of your speakers to improve during an initial listening period. The time varies depending on the type of speaker and how you use it.
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I think the first word there contains the big problem 

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #36 –
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Lol.  How can someone prove hearing a difference?  Once it's gone into your ears to be analysed by your brain it becomes a subjective matter.
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It's called an ABX test.  Look them up, they are scientifically valid.

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It's those numbers (which mean nothing to you) which show that break-in is clearly a common phenomenon.
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I didn't say that break-in didn't happen.  I said it wasn't neccessary because no one can here the difference (at least no one has proved they can hear a difference).

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #37 –
OK, for the sake of the argument, let's assume that speakers do get better with break-in.  Let's just say, 100 hours is needed, for the sake of argument.  Don't you think that the manufacterers would break in the speakers before they sold them??  That way they wouldn't be stuck with the weird position of, "They will sound a lot better in 100 hours."  I don't know.  Maybe this sounds crazy, but I do not believe they would sell something not quite finished.  The blurb about them sounding better as they age is a sop, I believe, to those who truly believe they will sound better after a while.

Show me the measurements!  ABX forever.   
Nov schmoz kapop.

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #38 –
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I guess you don't understand what I mean. New speakers needs to be used for a while to sound like intended. Untrained ears won't hear the difference I guess, but audiophiles should know about this.

The guy at the shop where I bought them said that they need 50 to 100 hours before they reach the ultimate condition. What I'm looking for is CDs (or downloadable WAVs, FLACs) to break them in in the best possible way.

In addition to apesbrain's link, one could argue that Stereophile's Test CD's (1, 2, and 3) should be in your collection anyway and note that CD 3 has tracks for burning stuff in.

Honestly, I just used the warble tones on them to tweak my room and subwoofer, but wouldn't dream of denying anyone the Joys Of Breaking In Their System if that floats your boat.

Mark

Breaking in new speakers

Reply #39 –
I honestly believe ears break in more than speakers!

I remember when I was away from my hi-fi for over a month. I didn't listen to any recorded sound while I was away. When I got back, I thought my stereo sounded awful - but it's just that most reproduced audio sounds quite artificial, yet your ears get used to it.

If speakers do audibly break in, do they always sound better after breaking in?

Cheers,
David.