Does EVERY component need break-in?

I am a break-in type and agree with Aragain. Digital seem to take an inordinant amount of time to break in, but 2 weeks of use should tell you what you've got. A transport is a mechanical device with moving parts, and should benefit from a break-in period.

It varies from component to component. I have no doubt about cables and power cords changing their sound for the better after 100-200 hours, and certainly the same with speakers. Amps seem to need less, preamps even less than that; as to transports, anyone who has ever had a Sony SCD-1 knows that after 400-500 hours, it still seems to be improving.

Every component that does not sound good to you right away needs breaking in.

I think that the concept of break-in time is a post-sale customer relations tool used in the retail trade. The non-believers say that after a while your ears should adjust to the character of the new component and it will sound better. (I am an agnostic in these matters.)

I've never noticed a difference with cd players, amps, preamps or interconnects. Speakers, obviously, speaker cables too, but not a long time.

I do it. My new ARCAM CD 92 sounded "OK" right out of the box but it wasn't as "full" and "warm" as I remembered it in the store. This weekend I put it on "repeat" for 36 straight hours and it sounded "fuller" and "warmer", the traits that attracted me to the unit. Ditto for my cables - interconnects and speakers. They sounded better after at least 48 hours of "burning". Good luck.

I feel that most everything changes with break in. Part of this could also be (in this case) from just having the unit powered up continuously for 3-4 days. I recently finished breaking in a Bel Canto DAC after it received the 1.1 upgrade and the sound fleshed and smoothed out considerably with 200+ hours of playing time (which exceeds it being powered up for 3-4 days), but I assume that both were contributing factors. As far as moving parts go, self lubricating bearings do operate more smoothly with use (which will cut down on vibration). I discovered this the first time as a kid when I made slot car frames and motors from scratch and raced them in competition. I just leave stuff on, use it and then hope for the best. I have never heard anything actually sound worse with break in with the exception of a Leviton Pro wall outlet that just got thinner and thinner in the midrange with use (I replaced it with an inexpensive P&S outlet which sounds much better overall plus has a much tighter grip on the plugs).