Do Audio Speakers Break-in?

[LTig]

It does matter in the wider contest. If a driver went through 10 minutes of high SPL QC testing and goes through the same again after producing a complete loudspeaker there is a good chance that the biggest mechanical stifness already is gone.

Somebody from Genelec is active on this forum, lets ask them the question? I forgot his name. But I'm sure he can give some insights on this. Neumann also has people registered here I believe?

In 2004 Markus Wolff (back then chief developer of Klein&Hummel, predecessor of Neumann where he still holds the same position as far as I know) told me about the K&H O300D I wanted to buy, that the woofer would change very slightly in the lowest bass within the first hours. It would be measurable but at the border to being audible. The FR of the whole speaker would not change at all otherwise (the same is true for the optional grille: it's influence on FR can be measured but is inaudible).

I had asked about break in because he had told me that K&H measures every single O300D and stores the parameters of each driver in a data base to be used if a customer wants to update to the external DSP controlled crossover. In this case he needed to tell K&H the serial number of his O300Ds and K&H would program the crossover for them. This procedure would not work if the speakers change significantly after leaving the company.

 

[EB1000]

I can understand speaker break-in or run-in as Focal calls it. A speaker is an electromechanical device containing soft materials that may stretch, adopt to room temp and humidity, but many audiofools out there think that you should also allow break-in time for DACs, amplifiers, speaker cables and even USB and power cables... Even Audioquest recommends a break-in for their snake oil cables...

 

[Deleted member 28849]

Hi, I've read most of the posts. I have to think most of you people are not actually audiophiles. Because I have definitely noticed a change in sound of my speakers somewhere between 75 to 100 hours of listening. And not just speakers other equipment as well.

I'm willing however to accept that it maybe it's my brain taking approximately 2 weeks of regular listening to adjust to the new sound. That's why whenever I evaluate a product, source or whatever I don't pass judgement right away.

 

[BDWoody]

Hi,

Hi! Welcome!

Because I have definitely noticed a change in sound of my speakers somewhere between 75 to 100 hours of listening.

...

I'm willing however to accept that it maybe it's my brain taking approximately 2 weeks of regular listening to adjust to the new sound.

Then you are ahead of the game. I hope you stick around and keep reading.

. I have to think most of you people are not actually audiophiles.

I wouldn't consider myself an audiophile at all really, but someone who just wants to get to the music, with a high degree of fidelity, without all the nonsense. To me, an audiophile is mostly about the story, rather than the substance.

 

[pozz]

Hi, and what @BDWoody said.

I have to think most of you people are not actually audiophiles.

I'm curious what you mean.

 

[Deleted member 28849]

Hi, and what @BDWoody said.

I'm curious what you mean.

What I mean is a casual listener or enthusiast doesn't actively listen to the music or their system to notice a change due to either break-in or the mind adjusting to the new or different sounding equipment.

 

[Plcamp]

What I mean is a casual listener or enthusiast doesn't actively listen to the music or their system to notice a change due to either break-in or the mind adjusting to the new or different sounding equipment.

You have baffled me here. The folks attending the forums here demonstrate every day to me their keen desire to, from an understanding of what’s real, make any improvements they can...particularly when selecting new equipment. I often fell humbled in here actually. There’s a giant pool of talent.

As for noticing slight changes over long periods...well I personally think you might be fooling yourself there. Human brains, unfortunately, really don’t allow for minor comparisons except in rapid fire a/b listening.

 

[pozz]

What I mean is a casual listener or enthusiast doesn't actively listen to the music or their system to notice a change due to either break-in or the mind adjusting to the new or different sounding equipment.

Strange that your impression of the crowd here is inattentiveness. I've been around around for a while because one of the driving interests is understanding perception, sharpening judgment, and learning about the mechanics and research techniques. I've found that hanging around has made me a better listener.

 

[Deleted member 28849]

You have baffled me here. The folks attending the forums here demonstrate every day to me their keen desire to, from an understanding of what’s real, make any improvements they can...particularly when selecting new equipment. I often fell humbled in here actually. There’s a giant pool of talent.

As for noticing slight changes over long periods...well I personally think you might be fooling yourself there. Human brains, unfortunately, really don’t allow for minor comparisons except in rapid fire a/b listening.

Well you would be wrong. And I'm not talking slight changes I'm talking marginal changes or greater where the change can be heard significantly making a difference. If I want minor changes I just adjust the tone controls or change the codec I'm listen to like Dolby, dts, stereo.

Yes there are smart people here, smarter than me.

 

[sajgre]

@Born2Run proof that people here are HARDCORE audiophiles is that they put up with ugly (but amazing sounding) monitors

What I find most entertaining with "breaking in crowd" is that they pinpoint when it happened. A dear friend of mine claims that his car system transformed in a certain moment. But what do I know, maybe there is a dwarf chiropractic that snaps some audio bones and it all starts to play. I just hope he then stops making changes because sound might feel like an old worn shoe after another 300 hours of breaking in. Not to mention 3000 hours mark... you probably get vintage sound at that point.

 

[Pharos]

The resonance frequency cut on half? Or down 5%? Ambiguous.

Sorry guys, late at night, and mansr was right, it dropped 10% from 30 to 27 Hz.

BTW Picamp, I rate that avatar; the music is still one of the best bits of art from the last50+ years, the words still applicable.

 

[Pharos]

There is a lot here in common with my recent post on the PMC regarding perception.

 

[Plcamp]

Well you would be wrong. And I'm not talking slight changes I'm talking marginal changes or greater where the change can be heard significantly making a difference. If I want minor changes I just adjust the tone controls or change the codec I'm listen to like Dolby, dts, stereo.

Yes there are smart people here, smarter than me.

I still don’t understand what you are saying.

 

[alexaben]

Well at that point how about we see those estimations at that point. Not drivers. Yet, complete speakers. Also, how long it required to get them there.

 

[Night&Day]

Where did all the posts go? There were Klippel measurements and stuff here yesterday.

 

[Thomas savage]

Hi, I've read most of the posts. I have to think most of you people are not actually audiophiles. Because I have definitely noticed a change in sound of my speakers somewhere between 75 to 100 hours of listening. And not just speakers other equipment as well.

I'm willing however to accept that it maybe it's my brain taking approximately 2 weeks of regular listening to adjust to the new sound. That's why whenever I evaluate a product, source or whatever I don't pass judgement right away.

Well a good few of us have jobs and no longer live a frustrated life style in moms basement and our longest relationships dont involve a crusty sock , so yea, technically we're not proper ' audiophiles ' .

Shame on us ..

 

[Thomas savage]

Strange that your impression of the crowd here is inattentiveness. I've been around around for a while because one of the driving interests is understanding perception, sharpening judgment, and learning about the mechanics and research techniques. I've found that hanging around has made me a better listener.

True ! Also defining ' listening ' as accepting challenging ideas (.actually listening rather than simply being in need of recognition ) and being open to change i find here at ASR we really do listen..

Just not to bullshit, and folks that ' demand ' you hear them no matter how ridiculous they are .

 

[Deleted member 2944]

Well a good few of us have jobs and no longer live a frustrated life style in moms basement and our longest relationships dont involve a crusty sock , so yea, technically we're not proper ' audiophiles ' .

Shame on us ..

Juvenile response.

Dave.

 

[Thomas savage]

Juvenile response.

Dave.

No actually the post is set in stereotypical phrase for lighthearted chit chat but in fact obsessive tendencies and psychosexual disorder go hand in hand .

A divergence of ones self and need to control (OCD ) . The ' expected ' control and security that those behaviours manifest , a subverted disposition is highly noticeable in ' audiophiles ' .

Myself included .

Hence the right to poke fun .

Its anything but juvenile, but thanks for your judgement dave , so complete as always ..

Thomas .

 

[Pharos]

Sometimes statements are so obscure that obtaining a concise meaning from them is almost impossible, but I suppose that this possibly allows the poster to hide flawed thinking.