Is Headphones Break-in Real? - Study by RTINGS.com

[SIY]

#metoo

 

[Dogen]

We need inflatable, adjustable pads! Sleep Number headphones...

 

[Mad_Economist]

#metoo

AP logo? You wouldn't happen to have taken that measurement on their new rebranded hearing protection test fixture headphone measurement jig, would you? If so, what do you think of it?

 

[SIY]

No, that particular measurement was done with the miniDSP fixture. But I've had the AP fixture here a few times. Here's my first take on it.

 

[Mad_Economist]

No, that particular measurement was done with the miniDSP fixture. But I've had the AP fixture here a few times. Here's my first take on it.

Interesting read, thanks!

 

[amirm]

Is this your K92 ?

No, I bought the K92 recently and I ran that test last year. It must be one of my other four headphones.

 

[antdroid]

Pads can drastically affect a headphone's sound signature. That's why pad swapping is a thing. I have tons of measurements on this type of stuff especially when I was trying to find the perfect pads for the Audeze Sine. Currently trying to do something similar with the Focal Elegia/Elex though they sound quite good as is already.

 

[Ron Texas]

1000 hours, at least, LOL.

 

[JJB70]

1000 hours, at least, LOL.

You laugh but I have been assured by more than one AKG K812 fan that the reason I don't like them is because I have not listened to a properly run in pair and that it takes many hundreds of hours to run them in. My own view is that if you are clutching at straws that headphones still need more running in after several weeks of use then it tells me you should buy a pair you actually like. That advice wasn't well received..... I subscribe to the view that run in is not a physical process but a psychological one as we adjust to the sound.

 

[maxxevv]

All this pad compression affecting the sound signature brings up an interesting idea though.

Someone should design a headband that can consistently apply the same pressure on the pads regardless of head size ! Else I would imagine a guy with a bigger head is going to get a different frequency / signature response from the same set of headphones, and also as the pads age too!

 

[DonH56]

Take any headphone, new or old, place them on your head, and alternately press and pull very gently. You will hear a large change in sound almost all the time. Since it is a function of both distance and seal it's hard to imagine a system that would compensate both effectively. Press harder to keep the seal as the pads flatten and the drivers are closer to the ears. Use a scheme to maintain the distance to the head/ear and the seal changes as the pads wear. I suppose some sort of system using pressure sensors to maintain pad pressure and another scheme (electrical, mechanical, or both) to to correct and/or compensate for distance would work. Not being a materials engineer, I'd guess after an initial break-in period, the pads stay relatively constant for some time before gradually flattening. But one of the things that always bugged me about headphone was (is) how much the sound changes depending upon how I place them and how tightly the pads are pressed to head.

 

[maxxevv]

Mechanically. it can possibly be done (a constant, consistent pressure). But off the back of my mind, it will look really dorky (to some even stupid).
Probably need some serious brainstorming for an aesthetically pleasing as well as simplistically elegant design though.

 

[amirm]

I wonder how much we adapt though as the pads wear.

 

[Mad_Economist]

But one of the things that always bugged me about headphone was (is) how much the sound changes depending upon how I place them and how tightly the pads are pressed to head.

Worthy of note, this is a variable between different headphones to a pretty substantial degree. I personally consider consistency of response on-head to be a really under-appreciated factor of headphone design, since it makes a massive difference from a usability standpoint. I have some plots of how different headphones vary I could post, if anyone would have an interest, but we're talking about the difference between +/-1dB and +/-10 in some cases for variation ranges.

I wonder how much we adapt though as the pads wear.

Likely as much as we do to any other frequency response deviation - which is to say pretty substantially, but people will still typically prefer the "correct" response (perhaps tautologically, since we often find ourselves citing what people prefer when we try to find the correct response...)

 

[solderdude]

Mechanically. it can possibly be done (a constant, consistent pressure). But off the back of my mind, it will look really dorky (to some even stupid).
Probably need some serious brainstorming for an aesthetically pleasing as well as simplistically elegant design though.

Even if you had a constant pressure the sound signature will still change over time as with the same pressure older foam will compress more.
To me older (softer) pads sit a bit more comfortable and when they form to the shape of the head over time the seal may also become a bit better if this is a problem.
Most seal issues are from large diameter pads and bone/skin structure it touches, hairs and (reading) glasses with either thick arms or arms sitting well above the skin.

As already mentioned also positioning is important as a driver doesn't have the exact same sound coming from the center and its edges. Even with Planars I have measured this effect.
People tend to judge the sound of headphones over time but may not have had their headphones positioned the same way all the time.

The sound of break-in in headphones usually is more to people getting used to the flaws in the sound signature and their brains filtering out the 'errors' or seal issues rather than the small changes some drivers have in the first few hours.

What has been intriguing me for a while, and still intend to test, is how the tonal balance and distortion changes at different temperatures.
Have seen people wearing headphones in the freezing cold (doubling as ear muffs ?) and in the full sun.
There has got to be some measurable differences. I reckon the stiffness of the membrane is bound to differ.
Problem with this test is you cannot leave the headphone on the rig when cooling or heating.... hmm I do have access to a climate chamber.

 

[maxxevv]

Even if you had a constant pressure the sound signature will still change over time as with the same pressure older foam will compress more.
To me older (softer) pads sit a bit more comfortable and when they form to the shape of the head over time the seal may also become a bit better if this is a problem.
Most seal issues are from large diameter pads and bone/skin structure it touches, hairs and (reading) glasses with either thick arms or arms sitting well above the skin.

Yes agreed. But starting on a common point might help homogenize the differing signatures somewhat?

hmm I do have access to a climate chamber.

I thought most of us have 2 in the kitchen ??

 

[chris719]

I wonder how much we adapt though as the pads wear.

Quite a bit, I am sure.

I also think that the discomfort / new feeling of new headphones could subconsciously contribute to it. I have old HD600s, HD800, and I picked up a pair of HD6XX just because, and the HD6XX are like the HD600 were out of the box - uncomfortable. The notorious clamping force is there and the ear pads feel rough. The experience is just not as good as the old worn in HD600s. I can't wait to take them off.

 

[Dogen]

Quite a bit, I am sure.

I also think that the discomfort / new feeling of new headphones could subconsciously contribute to it. I have old HD600s, HD800, and I picked up a pair of HD6XX just because, and the HD6XX are like the HD600 were out of the box - uncomfortable. The notorious clamping force is there and the ear pads feel rough. The experience is just not as good as the old worn in HD600s. I can't wait to take them off.

I experienced that, and it resolved over time. They are perfectly comfortable after several hours of use. Some suggest gently bending the metal band, but i feared trying that. Normal use made them very comfortable.

 

[pwjazz]

I experienced that, and it resolved over time. They are perfectly comfortable after several hours of use. Some suggest gently bending the metal band, but i feared trying that. Normal use made them very comfortable.

I've bent the band on the HD600 and the HD58X without any I'll effects. The trick is to fully extend the headband on both sides and only bend the exposed metal parts, NOT the plastic at the top.

 

[Sal1950]

I never found my HD650's to have too high a clamping force, just the pads get hot after a moderate time.
Just listening to Buddy Guy's Born to Play Guitar 24/96 HDTracks download. Played back with the phones just plugged into my old HP laptop they sound great, for me the level set at 55% is plenty, at 75% it gets uncomfortably loud
Just sayin,,,,,