how long to break in a power conditioner?


I posted this in misc a day or so ago, but I realized that this might be a better place, so here goes...

I bought a Monster Power HTS 3600 MKII about 3 weeks ago. My question is this: The first two days, the thing sounded unlike anything I'd ever heard (I have a Pass Labs x350, Bel Canto Dac3 and some Dunlavy speakers). Unfortunately, about the 3rd day, things started sounding closed in and the highs lost their air and all kinds of other stuff. the sound has gradually improved, but I want to know two things:

1. how long should one usually expect it to take to break one of these things in, and

2. was the added musicality and so on just a fluke?

The system still sounds better than it does going directly into the wall, which is how I was using it up until this purchase, but I'd sure like to get back to that sound I had at first.

Any suggestions? anyone else using one of these and had a similar experience? Should I just chuck it (sell it here) and get a better one? What I want is to get back to that super clean sound I was getting, and I'd love to just know I'm not insane or delusional!!!

Thanks everyone!

Roland
rnbowers
I had a pair of Monster units a few years ago and I found they sounded much better when sitting on Starsound Audio Points.

Dave
You shouldn't be using the Monster 3600 if you are using stuff like Pass Labs. Try the PS Audio's Duet or Quintet. They are good for your large amp as well. Have fun.
Break-in has seemed to be about 200-300 hours on the Shunyata Hydra8 and Furman IT-Reference 20i and Elite 15PF I've owned depending upon unit in question...
HMMM, The Audience and Tara (passive) I have tried are done by the time I sit down to listen.
Z: we've agreed to disagree on this topic many times ! Your equipment (and my
Hydra8 and Furman units) all sounded great, ready to go and different from what they
replaced (or nothing if that was the case) when first plugged in.

Just like anything else I and many others have owned, once things like capacitors form up,
copper wiring, copper bus bars,transformers, etc...break in, the character of the sound changes,
and continues to improve to a point that varies with the component in question. I had the same experience
on that pair of Tara 0.5 AES/EBU cables; they were awesome and 'ready to go' when first plugged in and
much to my amazement, got better and better over the 1st 2 weeks of 24x7 usage. A similar but less
dramatic break-in occurred on that Audience ePowerChord...

I'm sure this will evoke a lively discussion and a long phone call later, LOL!