Speaker Break In...? Or listener “Break In”?

This just in!

Taken from the XLO Test CD information regarding track 9, the system burn-in tack,

”Most loudspeakers require SUBSTANTIAL burn-in time (as much as 200 hours) before achieving full performance.”

Yes, I know what you’re thinking, “But they’re selling a burn-in CD! Hel-loo!” 😬

I really do wish that there WASN'T break in for speakers. No doubt, some more than others, have a distinct amount of change. Yes, I do try to 'adjust' my hearing or impression at first, just so I can listen to some music, but if a driver has a midrange sibilance to it for example, it will be impossible for me to listen at all. One set of Audio Nirvana speakers sounded so bad for the first 4 hours, maybe more, that I wanted to send them back. By the end of the first day(in my shop, playing louder and louder) there was a very noticable change. Some things are not so easy to believe until you have heard them happen more than once.

As I’ve been reporting on another thread, burn-in of new HIFIMAN RE-600S V2 earphones is progressing nicely. Right out of the box they sounded terrible - tinny, distorted, no bass, and wimpy. 1 out of 10. And there was very little change the first 200 hours, using Kraftwerk, B-52s and Beastie Boys CDs for the first 150 hours, continuous play, then the burn-in track on the XLO Test CD for the next 100 hours or so. At the 250 hour mark the sound is finally much more musical, the distortion is gone and there is some bass, which I have my fingers crossed 🤞 will get better. Why these earphones should take so long to burn in is a mystery. Is it the single crystal copper conductors in the new cable? Who knows?

@b_limo

Im interested in opinions regarding which has more impact; a speaker changing sound over the first 100-200 hours or a listener becoming more in tune with a certain speakers qualities and characteristics.

Since we all hear what we hear, I'm not sure that there is an answer that everyone will accept....but a somewhat "inexpensive" test might be to buy a pair of Dirty Weekends from Zu which according to their website... Omen DW loudspeakers now get 100 hours of fully assembled, max-level burn-in so they will sound great right out of the box. 

In theory, given the Zu burn in of the loudspeaker, the buyer should notice almost no change in sound from original set up...and if they are noticing a change, then it must be them, the listener more than the speaker.

Also, according to Zu, the Soul Supreme gets 600 hours....so this, in theory, would eliminate any chance of speaker burn in.

Granted, all of the above may only apply to Zu and not to other loudspeakers...but it would be interesting to hear from Zu owners as to their experience.

Oh, I dunno about all that. Depends on HOW the speakers - or anything - are broken in. Some methods are without any doubt more effective than others. We’ve known that for a very long time. I’m referring to burn-in tracks on Test CDs continuously as opposed to just playing music a few hours a day. The argument can be made the speakers will never completely break in without heroic efforts. 🏋🏻‍♂️