Speaker break in

[Deleted member 48726]

As I saw PS Audio's new video where break in is the topic at hand, I dismissed the talk about electronics break in but actually tend to agree with Paul with his answer on driver suspension break in.

The reason for my agreement with him on this is based on my own experience with building subwoofers for cars many moons ago. Stiff when new (or cold) and more compliant when "broken in".
Also some driver manufacturers T&S data has an asterix showing something like "after break in" in the buttom of the sheet.

PS Audio video-->
PS Audio Break in

Video showing measurements on the same driver new vs. used-->
Woofer Break in

T&S data on a 6" driver-->

Spoiler: T&S

Link to above mentioned driver data-->

6″ SB17MFC35-4 / Polypropylene - Sbacoustics

Vented cast aluminum chassis for optimum strength and low compression, mineral filled PP-cone made in-house.

sbacoustics.com

 

[DonH56]

This has been discussed quite a bit here and elsewhere. Except for a few rare exceptions (also documented in ASR threads), speaker break-in takes seconds to minutes, not hours or days let alone hundreds of hours as claimed by some. For a driver assembled in a box, there is very little audible change after break in, primarily a bit lower frequency response. Various T/S parameters do change but the net effect on the listening experience is minimal to nil.

IME/IMO - Don

 

[delta76]

This has been discussed quite a bit here and elsewhere. Except for a few rare exceptions (also documented in ASR threads), speaker break-in takes seconds to minutes, not hours or days let alone hundreds of hours as claimed by some. For a driver assembled in a box, there is very little audible change after break in, primarily a bit lower frequency response. Various T/S parameters do change but the net effect on the listening experience is minimal to nil.

IME/IMO - Don

As usual break in is a myth with no data to back it up, just people think it sounds different.

Quite manufacturers promote that to avoid immediate returns. When you listen to something for ~200h the sound grows on you.

 

[AudiOhm]

The problem with the break in theory is after the supposed break in time how long does the driver last before it starts wearing out?

Ohms

 

[DSJR]

I can see the case for tweeters, especially those ladled with ferro fluid (they usually dry out after a few years, dropping output as they go), but bass and mid drivers seem to 'form' literally as soon as the moving elements start to be used back and forth. That should all be achieved at the factory on sweep tests and so on before boxing to ship out, so nothing for the likes of use end users to worry about.

I do remember seeing one maker of drivers pummelling the freshly constructed bass units for twenty minutes on a substantial 20Hz or so tone , the feeling being that if they got through that test before being assembled into boxes, they'd withstand anything the user could give them short of prolonged DC. Worked for them

 

[Cote Dazur]

The reason for my agreement with him on this is based on my own experience with building subwoofers for cars many moons ago

you can elect any reason to agree with anything.
Until objectively demonstrated, for me, I see no reason to believe of any break in period for any piece of equipment as an excuse for said equipment to sound any different.

 

[tuga]

Try here:

Do Audio Speakers Break-in?

There are a lot of "everybody knows" type of rules in audio with one of them being that audio gear in general, and speakers in the specific, benefit from "break-in." That is, their performance improves after some time. This is mostly touted by audiophiles but manufacturers also fuel this...

www.audiosciencereview.com