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Arcam irDAC break in time and sound changes?

I recently purchased an Arcam irDAC. What sort of break in time is expected? What sound changes occur along the way?

Right now I'm using it as a front end to my AppleTV via optical which streams content from my Mac Mini and ITunes, but I might use it as a DAC for my CD player after it breaks in. Seems to be really nice build quality and well received on many reviews I've read, but I'm not sure what to expect yet on how long this break in process takes or any sound changes I might see along the way. It did open up a little bit after the first 8 hours of use, but I guess I have a ways to go...
decooney
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,274 posts
 
(1) As a "wet finger in the wind" guestimate from a previous ARCAM FMJ owner ..... my break-in period was approximately 200 - 300 hrs for the components in their FMJ line.

(2) If you also introduced any other new components (e.g. cables?) into the system contemporaneously, then that will add another wild card into the alchemy.

samac's avatar
samac
499 posts
 
My experience with the rDac, predecessor to the irDac, was the sound opened up and sounded pleasant but a bit wooly, dark and closed in for the first 25 hours. From 25-50 hours the sound at times went south with leanness and was bright. By the 75 hour mark it opened up quite a bit, tonality evened out nicely with a smoother sound.

I've had the rdac now for about 4 months. For me it took at least 100 hours to hear how good it was and there was improvement as it hit the 200 hour mark.
decooney OP
2,046 posts
 
Wow, glad I asked. When I first fired it up, it definitely sounded a bit lean and muffled. At about 8 hours in, started to open up a tad, maybe even a tad harsh. At 10-15 hours, it was strange, sort of a roller coaster of opening up and closing off, and me thinking there was something wrong with it. Powered it off and back on later in the day and it was open again, not as lean. Had no idea a new DAC would have this much change in the first 15 hours but I realize some of this may be due to another component in my system breaking in at the same time in parallel. So, It's not just 0s and 1s, eh? hahaha.

This feedback helps to give me an idea that I have a good ways to go before making any real judgements on sound. Thanks.
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,274 posts
 

" ... At 10-15 hours, it was strange, sort of a roller
coaster of opening up and closing off, and me thinking there
was something wrong with it. Powered it off and back on
later in the day and it was open again, not as lean
..."

Question: Are you letting it (and all the components in your
system) fully warm up before you critically listen to it?

As an example. my REGA ISIS valve cdp and REGA OSIRIS
integrated amp both need a minimum of 2 to 3 hours to warm
up properly (particularly the tubes in the cdp) to sound
close to their best.

They sound best [ i.e. even better / "right" ] if
left on to warm up first for much longer periods before some
critical listening sessions.
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