component break in

Pretty much no matter the component or wire I'll give it 10 straight days of it being on constantly and/or having some kind of music or signal being sent through it. Then I'll give it a critical listen. If it doesn't sound good after all that I'm selling it or returning it.

I came up with this from a lot of stuff I've read. Be it reviews on the net or the actual instructions that came with the item. Pretty much everything I've come across requires 150 to 200 hours of break in so I figure why bother with trying anything different. Just give it over 150 hours then give it a critical listen. When I had a short time to audition or return I'll do something along what Elizabeth said about giving it 3 days.

Everything in the I can ever remember buying usually sounded good enough when I brought it home from a dealer, to know I was happy. Any changes I heard were mostly subtle.
In other words, I knew whether I could keep it or not, at the beginning, or in a few days.

Equipment I've bought without hearing, still gave me an idea what I had to deal with, at the beginning. If it was too questionable, I usually let it go. When I heard that same equipment somewhere else, years later (well broken in), I recognized those same characteristics I didn't like years earlier.

I'm not saying it doesn't need broken in, just be careful if it bothers you that much. A few days should give you a good idea, and time for you (nerves and excitement), and the equipment to settle in. It may not be a keeper, if it still is questionable.

Speakers do need a break in, often you need to play white noise for at least 100 hours to get it started. When dealers talk about break in, turn it back on them with the 'dealer' doing the break in for you before the sale is final.

I did an informal comparison between some new components and broken in ones to see if there was any difference. You can read about it in my article at Dagogo.com entitled, "Doug Schroeder's Audiophile Law #6: Do Not Overemphasize Burn In"

To find it you need to go to the main page, select "The Columns", and "Commentaries" from the drop down menu. I have several Audiophile Law articles there.

(I would put a link to the article here but often when I have the post has disappeared)

If the component utilizes capacitors in it's circuitry; the better the dielectric material(ie: Teflon/polypropylene/polystyrene), the longer the piece will take to, "break-in." Cables also act, to a degree, as capacitors, with regards to the dielectric/"break-in" ratio. This isn't the only dynamic at work, but has a lot to do with the sound of components changing, over time.