Burn-in and Equipmemt Value

Mceljo .... You write, "I am not sure how much of what I hear with my tube amp is just warm up vs. actual break-in, but it seems that something has changed. I don't believe that solid state really benefits from warm up or break-in and this goes for cables as well."

As far as tube amps are concerned, I can speak with some experience. ARC states that its gear requires "break-in" to sound its best. IME, that is a fair statement. It is also my experience that "warm-up" is also real, between 30 and 60 mins for my rig to loosen up.

I surmise that many transistor heads would maintain that most SS amps need time to break-in and time to loosen up too. At least I recall the same being posted elsewhere on the Forum.

You ask "[w]hy is it that burn-in is generally assumed to always result in positive change?" We are fortunate to have many technical A'gon members who contribute to the Forum. I'll let them provide the technical reasons why burn-in is a fact of life for most brand-new equipment.

From a non-technical perspective, I recall that certain electrical components, like power supply caps, electrolytic caps and so forth, do take time to settle in. Why?? I don't really know. It may have something to do with molecular/chemical changes that occur with the di-electric used in the caps. Kijanki and Gary (Hifigeek).... heeelllp!

Finally, you ask why can't speaker cables wear out?? Haven't a clue. Never heard anyone complain that their speaker cables wore out. Same with power cords. I've been using the same cables and cords for years. I guess if I constantly stepped on the wires, something could give. But so far, so good.

Hey ... you and I own tube amps. Do I have to tell you what does wear-out?? Friggin' power tubes. Da*n expensive.

Cheers. ;-')

I've yet to see evidence on just how electricity "moves' across any surface be it a circuit trace or cable so in my mind to think that it's a given and always follows the same path unless channeled or directed, doesn't make sense (this is not to say that the Mceljo suggested that).

Having said that, this energy is burning a path down that circuit trace, capacitor or wire and it takes time to do it so that it can be done as efficiently as possible since that is the nature of energy: it waits for no one but it can be directed.

Having said that, burn in should be viewed as a normal event and not given much consideration. Now onto my second glass of Pinot.

All the best,
Nonoise

Audiophiles Have more myths then Greek Mythology has hero's & Gods.

IIRC, a leading cartridge guru says that a few hours is sufficient for mechanical "break-in" of a cartridge. The next 50 -100 hours is necessary for the cartridge's guts to be bent into the shape required by poor installation, which accounts for the evolution in sound.

I cannot say about cables, but when my Qol was "breaking in", there was a single moment when the sound changed and improved. It was subtile, but very real. I also noted improvements in my system when I added Vibrapods under the components, and I added them one component at a time. The point is to try to make everything perform at its best in your environment and system, and the fun is in trying to do the free or cheap things to get better sound.