Break-In / Burn-In Process

[ranjeetrain]

The same Alan Shaw recommends listening room temperature at 18-22 degrees. Listening room temp. can be an interesting topic for the forum members.

The critical temperature of the listening room and why it should be controlled

Yes, and that's the point I touched upon. And it has noting to do with the burn-in but operating temperature.

Many people go to the extremes such as leaving their audio gear always on, so that the system is ready to playes at it's best. Personally I keep the amplifiers covered with cloth. I take off the cloth after 10 minutes or so of use. Serves the same purpose.

 

[msagar]

Yes, and that's the point I touched upon. And it has noting to do with the burn-in but operating temperature.

Many people go to the extremes such as leaving their audio gear always on, so that the system is ready to playes at it's best. Personally I keep the amplifiers covered with cloth. I take off the cloth after 10 minutes or so of use. Serves the same purpose.

Listening Room Temperature and Equipment Operating Temperature are entirely different aspects.

 

[koushik]

Again any manufacturer with some amount of respect for himself, will burn-in the equipment, test it, and then pack it again. If a driver clone has to be loosened for assuring some amount of consistency in sound signature, that will/should be done.

Have you heard about knocking of cricket bat before using it? Why they don't sell bats after knocking and seasoning them? I don't the answer but think the reason behind could be same, to keep it brand new. Not even used in factory.

 

[ranjeetrain]

Listening Room Temperature and Equipment Operating Temperature are entirely different aspects.

True, but not quite as different as burn-in and listening room temperature.

Listening room temperature is much closer to operating temperature as it dictates what will be the operating temperature at the start of a play session. If the listening room itself is sub-optimally conditioned, it will take gear to reach the optimum operating temperature longer, hence the connection.

 

[venkatcr]

Have you heard about knocking of cricket bat before using it? Why they don't sell bats after knocking and seasoning them? I don't the answer but think the reason behind could be same, to keep it brand new. Not even used in factory.

The comparison is not apt. If you take a car for example, the engine is run for some time, but the body is never touched. If you are looking for something that has not been touched beyond the assembly, and that does not work, what will you do? Most electronic products go though multiple levels of testing. TVs, for example are kept on for a specified time, before they are packed.

Certain things have to be tested in the factory, and if a designer knows there is going to be a difference with a 'burn-in', it is only right he should take care of that.

 

[msagar]

The reason for starting this thread is to share my experience and prevent new buyers from upgrading (spending more money) equipment in the process of attaining the sound quality without going through the burn-in / break-in process.

 

[tasanjeev]

Have you heard about knocking of cricket bat before using it? Why they don't sell bats after knocking and seasoning them? I don't the answer but think the reason behind could be same, to keep it brand new. Not even used in factory.

Correct and this is MAY be because users want to burn-in using their own procedures. May be. Also burning these speakers for 200+ hours means that many hours the speakers should be connected to a source which needs power and also some kind of monitoring and automation process. All these means more cost per speaker, which will be picked up by the buyer. Also buyers might want to burn-in using their own amp, their own music etc etc, which is basically their own style of burn-in. These customisations cant be given by the manufacturer, just a thought.

 

[Moviela]

I put the CD I intend to listen to tomorrow in iced water overnight. That makes the CD stiffer and helps laser pick the data with greater accuracy :yahoo:

I am wondering if that technique works with various parts of a man's body?

 

[sound1]

Above post is slightly OT :lol:

 

[ranjeetrain]

I am wondering if that technique works with various parts of a man's body?

LOL, may be you should try and tell us

 

[ravin]

Interesting.

 

[mbhangui]

I can't believe in the burn-in process. One can understand burn-in for speakers (especially for low frequency sound). With time, the continuous movement of the paper cone, will make the paper less stiff. But the resistance of a metal cannot change (and that too for the better) just by running it with electricity representing an audio wave. If such a thing happens, why doesn't burn-in process cause deterioration? Is there some kind of God that ensures that, since we have spent tons on money on audio equipment, sound should improve by running it for few days? Also is the devil keeping silent on this issue of audio burn-in?

Cables are not automobile engine which has moving parts and neither cables is wine where slow chemical reaction keep on changing the taste of the wine with years of storage.

Some folks try to explain that it is the capacitance (or inductance) that causes this to happen and it takes time for charge, etc to build up. The capacitance of such cables will be in micro farads or milli farads and it will just take a microsecond to charge it up.

If something cannot be explained by physics along with an equation which gives you the burn-in time as a function of the current, voltage, wave frequency, etc, then any explanation of burn-in for cables, etc is some kind of snake oil.

 

[venkatcr]

If such a thing happens, why doesn't burn-in process cause deterioration? Is there some kind of God that ensures that, since we have spent tons on money on audio equipment, sound should improve by running it for few days? Also is the devil keeping silent on this issue of audio burn-in?

Aptly said. One of the cable manufacturers has kept a cable open to the elements outside his factory for the last 25 years. He keeps measuring the cable regularly, and there has been nothing more than a negligible difference in capacitance and resistance.

Cheers