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Cartridge Break-In

Installed new cartridge and was just wondering about break-in techniques. Manufacturer recommends 50 hrs of playing time to presumably work in the suspension components. Obviously, playing a record would work best, but would simply placing the tonearm/cartridge on a non-spinning record and leaving it there also contribute to break-in? I'm thinking it really wouldn't be as effective since the suspension has only been displaced, but is not kept in motion the way playing a record would cause. Here's where it get strange, suppose I placed my turntable (a non-suspension design) on top of my subwoofer and played some bass oriented music thru my CD player? I could play with the volume level to control the amount of acoustic transfer from the sub to the turntable/arm/cartridge and thereby "excite" the cartridge into some sort of, hopefully controlled, motion. Alternatively, I could place the turntable directly in front of my woofers and play music at a high volume from a digital source. Would any of these "techniques" even roughly accomplish what playing a record does as far as cartridge break-in goes?

Just speculating on a hypothesis.
128x128onhwy61
uppermidfi
277 posts
 
I know four or five people who have used the Cardas burn-in disc (LP) and have been very happy with the results. I haven't seen any of them post yet, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

I don't have a table but I'd use it if I ever bought another turntable, or cartridge.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
The Cardas LP helped shorten the most torturous period of a friend's Shelter 901, which I broke in for him. Without it I couldn't have stayed in the house when it was new.

The ZYX Airy 2 we reviewed took at least 75 hours and the Airy 3 took well over 100. We didn't use the Cardas record because we felt a responsibility to report on the sound from the get-go.

OTOH, our UNIverse needed no break in at all. I once thought that the maker might have broken it in by listening himself. Ours is serial # 1 so that would have made sense. But other UNIverse owners have also reported few if any changes in their copies.

In the end it depends on the cartridge, and IMO it is more than just the ears or brain of the listener. It isn't likely we're fooling ourselves when we hear one cartridge change enormously while the next doesn't change at all. In one extreme case (Airy 3) we changed impedance 8 times in the first 60 hours. It was like trying to hog-tie a wild cat. Every time I thought I had it tied down it twisted loose again.

If you can enjoy the sound then listen to music. If you can't, give it some hours on those Cardas locked grooves.
thomasheisig
568 posts
 
Interesting, I never heard from a Cartridge, which needs no break in. I ordered a Zyx UNIverse, which will arrive in a few days.
The AT637 is a vibration stylus cleaner, it is absolutely safe. I did NOT write, to put the stylus on it for 100 hours, I did write, after 3 hours on it the "break in" is done.
ballywho
134 posts
 
My ZYX Bloom "bloomed" after only about 4 hours - I'm quite sure it'll only get better with time, but obviously didn't take much initially to be noticeable.

So, in regards to Stevecham's comments...I concur. Just play and play and play - the thing will ultimately open up (it better), and the experience along the way will probably be quite interesting. Figure it as hearing a metamorphosis, if you will, hopefully "ending on a note" that is what you expected when you purchased it.

Enjoy.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Interesting, I never heard from a Cartridge, which needs no break in. I ordered a Zyx UNIverse, which will arrive in a few days.
Thomas,
Please let us know how it goes. Both about break in and about your new cartridge in general.
Doug
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