I hope break in is true


This is the first time I ever bought a brand new out of the box Preamp. No, wait. Second but, the other doesn't count.
I had made previous posts about my decision to downsize.
I have, everything is kinda good. You know, Okay.
I bought a pre here. great seller, great store. Couldn't have been smoother.
I am just not used to this type of stuff. I wanted something with a phono included. I kept it well under a $1000.00
Now, I got to ask you guys. Will this thing get better???/
I have not had to worry about break in before. Does it really exist?
It is a very well built unit. Remote, I'm not used to that! That's nice. Has everything I need. Except it isn't alive. The music is there, presented very nicely. Clean, no extra stuff. Just doesn't have any dimension.
Please tell me this is going to get better:)
scottht
After some more listening last night, I have come to the conclusion that first I need to get these stacked Advents of the floor a little bit. I need to come up with a system to decouple them from the floor.
I believe that is complicating the sound a bit. I will repost.
I have always noted the difference in speaker break-in (drivers being actual moving parts) and never that much difference in components. I am not going to dispute the fact that many do hear a difference in components break-in as well, I have thought that a few times myself, I am just not sure how much of that is "psycho-acoustic".
I would imagine that someone somewhere would have noticed at least a slight measurable difference with the testing equipment and would have brought that proof forward to once and for all prove that it does exist.
Here is something that bothers me about break-in and no one ever seems to question it:

1. One has to assume that the new equipment will undergo some kind of internal "change" in order for the sound to change. I guess that means that some of the components such as resistors/capacitors/inductors, etc.. will change their value slightly during this break-in period. Otherwise what else would cause this change in sound?

2. If there is a change, why is it always for the better? Is there a magic fairy conductor inside the equipment telling the resistors/caps in which direction their values are to be changed so as to make the sound better?
Flyski, Why would anyone bother to go thru all of that just to prove a point to some one who sez it doesn't happen, or that it can't happen, that it's all in our head, or at their most gracious have never heard it themselves. Frankly IDGAS what other's can't hear.

Personally, I break-in new equipment while leaving all of my original stuff in place (or in a different system) and do not listen to it constantly during the process. I note what it sounds like out of the box and check in on it weekly to see what if any changes have taken place. And I always have the ability to A/B it to my original equipment as well.

Some changes are significant some are not. For example I recently broke in an new amp which sounded harsh thru the upper mid's and highs. After 24 hours I put in some different tubes to smooth it out (I had a prejudice toward the original tubes as it were). A couple of months later I started experimenting with the tubes again because the amp had started sounding dullish. I put the original tubes back in - the harshness was gone, I'll be dammed. The difference was amp break-in over a long period of time, there was no other reason. Tubes or amp, take your pick!

I'm fairly objective, and certainly not dillusional. About the only thing I'm generally cynical about is lengthy PC, IC, and speaker cable breakin - much beyond 24-48 hours - but I will admit there is a lot of cable I haven't listened to and I'm not educated electronically speaking enuf to understand the basis for longer break in periods, if they exist.

However, FWIW, I would agree that at 100 hours about everything should have taken on a sonic signature that you can live with or not. 100hrs devided by 24hr + 4+ days. What's the big deal?

On a personal note, I recall when I could't even tell the difference between many speakers unless it was gross, let alone amps and pre-amps. We all have a learning curve and many folks on this forum are smack dab in the middle of it. IMHO.
"Thats odd. I have not heard that nor experienced that. "To me" It is one non-fatiuging amp. Sounds great.
Every review I read has been positive. Thats why it is to each his own. Peace"

I was surprised because I am a big fan of the preamp. I can name a dozen amps, in my opinion, that smoke it. I agree it is non-fatiguing because the highs are rolled off.

Better amps include -

Belles 150a Hotrod
OCM 200
OCM 500
Sim 150
Odyssey Stratos
Monarch SE-100 Deluxe Monoblocks
McCormack DNA-1, 125,250
Muse 100, 150, 300
Ayre

These are only the solidstate amps I find to be better. There is a whole list of tube amps that, again, in my opinion, are far superior.

I did find it better than the Carver Sunfire.

Regards,

Wendell