It takes as long as it takes. One thing you can do is leave your CD player and preamp on, and just shut your amp off. Set your source to repeat and you'll still be breaking in your cables even though you can't hear your system.
HiDiamond Diamond 3 XLR IC's - Burn-In Time?
I recently switched to a VTL 7.5 iii preamp (a mighty unit!). It has RCA and XLR I/O's, but the mfr. recommends XLR cables over the RCA. As a result, I recently bought a pair of the HD D3 XLR IC's to run from pre out to amp in. (My Krell 300 cx amp has ONLY XLR inputs; I had been using adaptors with my JPS Aluminata RCA's. Sounded fab.)
The HD's are beautifully constructed, highly detailed, lively cables -- a bit TOO lively so far - more than I am accustomed to or like. I want to give them a chance because the sound is so good in so many other ways. They have about 40 hrs on them so far.
Any experience on the expected burn-in time before they approach their mature sound? Switching pre's and cables is very traumatic!
Thx. Neal
The HD's are beautifully constructed, highly detailed, lively cables -- a bit TOO lively so far - more than I am accustomed to or like. I want to give them a chance because the sound is so good in so many other ways. They have about 40 hrs on them so far.
Any experience on the expected burn-in time before they approach their mature sound? Switching pre's and cables is very traumatic!
Thx. Neal
26 responses Add your response
From first hand experience, the HiDiamond cables take many hours of breakin. I currently have a 4 meter pair of the 8 speaker cables breaking in on my Audiodharma cable cooker. My plan is to run them about 10 days = 240 hours on the cooker before trying them. So, my advise is to be patient, you'll like them. |
I have a general question. If cables need to be burnt in, why do the cable manufacturers do that or do the electrons revert back to a "bad" way over a period of time? And if so, what is the best way to keep the speakers "Burnt-in"? If I go on a long vacation do they go bad, and I have to start over? |
I switched to the the HD 3 XLR's in the past year to run 4m from pre to power amp, and 1m from DAC to pre and I find them to be wonderfully detailed and also harmonically full-bodied. But I bought used, so the were likely well broken in before I started using them. I'd say be patient, because I suspect they will be worth the wait. |
Mikey, Too early to tell. I will answer you when they are burnt in. I will tell you that I use Nordost Valhalla SC's with my Krell 300cx and I do not find them too lively; quite the opposite, I think they are highly simpatico. Have had them for several years and forgot about them, which is a high compliment. I think the rep of the Krell FPB series as lively is ill-founded. Best, Neal |
"12-30-14: Joecasey 12-28-14: Zd542 It takes as long as it takes. GENIUS!!!" I don't know if its genius or not, but its true. There's multiple factors involved so times can vary. "12-28-14: Scvan I have a general question. If cables need to be burnt in, why do the cable manufacturers do that or do the electrons revert back to a "bad" way over a period of time? And if so, what is the best way to keep the speakers "Burnt-in"? If I go on a long vacation do they go bad, and I have to start over?" Speakers break in just 1 time, and stay that way. With cables, the dielectric becomes charged/polarised and the effect wears off if you don't use the cables for long periods. Have a look at Audioquest's web site. They explain it much better than I do. |
Well I have had my HiDiamond D8 speaker cables on my Audiodharma Cable Cooker for 8 days. Twice the recommended time. Just off the cooker... very nice indeed. Very deep soundstage and at this early point the frequency extremes are very extended. The character is of a very nice whole sound. Not sure what you meant by "lively" but Neil these are very smooth and enjoyable. Give yours more time. Within the next week once the cables have settled in with actual music playing through them they should reach there full potential. But, already a definite keeper! |
Zd542, Here is some tech info from the website. Technical Discussion Although it is not yet fully understood scientifically, the phenomenon of cable break-in has been experienced by many audiophiles. Interconnects, speaker cables and even power cords seem to go through a conditioning period when used in an audio/video system, and will sound better after many hours of in-system use. The sonic differences between wiring that is broken-in and wiring that is not are very audible in high quality audio systems. The break-in process is believed to be due primarily to current flowing through the conductors of wiring components. Dielectric stress caused by a voltage difference between the conductors is also believed to be of some benefit. The fact that it takes many hours of in-system use for wiring components to break in is primarily due to the low-level nature of audio/video signals from normal program material. As an example, let us take an interconnect used to connect the output of a preamplifier to the input of a power amplifier. The typical maximum signal level for full power output of the average power amplifier is 2 volts peak. The average signal is much less. The typical input impedance of a power amplifier will be 10k ohms at the (very) low end for consumer gear47 to 100k ohms is typical for a solid state amplifier, while several hundred kohms is not unusual for a tube power amplifier. Taking the (unrealistic) best-case values from the above examples, the maximum current seen is 2 volts/10k ohms = 200 micro-amperes and this would not be continuous current, as the voltage value is a peak value, not an rms value. For the sake of demonstration and comparison we will describe a use value consisting of the current flowing through the wiring component according to the above equation, multiplied by the total time this current flows. We will refer to this use value as CTV, or Current-Time-Value. Playing an interconnect cable in an audio system for one week (168 hours) of continuous use would expose it to the following use value: 168 hours x 0.0002 amperes = CTV of 0.0336 The CABLE COOKER was designed to produce signal levels far in excess of those seen in normal audio/video system use. Internally, the device contains a sweeping square wave oscillator that drives a very high-efficiency H bridge MOSFET switching circuit. The output signal includes a swept square wave calibrated from 0 DC to over 40KHz (plus harmonics). Output voltage is 12 volts rms. The current through the wiring component is determined by the load at the input connector of the CABLE COOKER. In the case of interconnect cables, the measured current is 120 milli-amperes. Installing an interconnect on the CABLE COOKER for one week results in a CTV of: 168 hours x 0.12 Amperes = CTV of 20.16 This is a value 600 times greater than that obtained under the most ideal of audio system conditions. The stress on the dielectric of the interconnect is also much higher than in normal use due to the higher output voltage. It should be readily apparent why results with the CABLE COOKER are often quite audible after as little as 24 hours of use. The same powerful signal described above is also produced at the speaker cable output binding posts. The load at the speaker cable inputs, however, is designed to draw a continuous 1.88 amperes of current through the wire. With a potential of 12 volts, this is equivalent to a continuous signal level in excess of 22 watts!! It must again be emphasized that this is a continuous condition (i.e., rms). This extreme continuous-signal level, produced in an audio system in a regular listening environment for any length of time, would force us from the room due to the highly uncomfortable and intensively-loud volume. One can now correlate the impressive signal level produced by the CABLE COOKER and the benefits derived by its use with the cabling in our audio/video systems. |
Although it is not yet fully understood scientifically, the phenomenon of cable break-in has been experienced by many audiophiles.... One can now correlate the impressive signal level produced by the CABLE COOKER and the benefits derived by its use with the cabling in our audio/video systems. Wow that was impressive! The stuff in the middle is simple V=IR math. If is works at low current, why not cook quicker? Why not crank the current up to 10 amp or so? You should really be able cook quickly. And since signals flow only one direction, why not use DC? What is the point of the AC signal? Yep, dielectrics are not understood at all... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dielectric IEEE paper where dielectrics are studied to only effect signals at RF and above. |
http://www.audioexcellenceaz.com This is the website where Ozzy's information came from. I included it because there is a lot more information and pictures at that website. |
The dealer said minimum 100 hrs burn-in. I probably have 50-60. They are remarkably detailed and natural sounding, great soundstage, but still a bit tilted to highs and I feel like the bass has not yet fully developed. But I certainly do not find them so deficient I think about removing them. I actually am liking them so far. More to follow. In a few weeks I will switch back to my unbalanced JPS Aluminata with RCA-XLR adaptors and do a comparo, even though the thought of getting back down there amid the jungle of wires is extremely daunting. In fact, it is nauseating. The things we do . . . . Neal |
My D8 Speakers cables are sounding fantastic! And I would say they are now broken in. With these speaker cables I have now have a complete loom of HiDiamond cables. I must say once I added the speaker cables and completed the loom the sound stage has increased with a deeper and purer sound. Very happy. |
The D8s are amazing. Break in was so strange though. I didn't know what I had from day to day. The seemed to behave differently every time I listened. There have been post that say anywhere from 350 to 400 hours, even 500 hours before the really open up and come into their own. For me it was over 500 hours. |
Hi Lak, Nice to hear from you. Right now, while they have "ripened," the HD's still lean somewhat to the bright side. This may be their character, or simply how they interact with my system, or it may be part of burn-in. It is not a bothersome or irritating brightness, and it has abated over time. The detail and soundstaging are terrific. I am going to do an A-B comparo with the Aluminata in a few weeks, even though the thought of crawling behind my amp and swapping out cable (and for the JPS, RCA to XLR adaptors, makes me nauseous. But this is what obsession is all about. Neal |
Lak, Yeah I have to admit the D8 speaker cables are better than my DIY version. There seems to be more "life" in the music. Up to this point, nothing has beat my DIY version. Nglazer,You probably need to try a few more HiDiamond products. There is a connection that completes the sound when its all HiDiamond. If you haven't tried the P$ power cord, that power cord is tough to beat. |
