Do we break in our componets or do our componets ?

Rsbeck:
Life is not based on speculation; try it and discover.

People get broken in to qualities that are not too offensive, as in mostly neutral qualities (as opposed to nasty or nice qualities) and more benign qualities (e.g. our own heart beat and rims of a new pair of glasses). The psych response will not make ugly seem beautiful.

Corona --

I've never had my system thrown into a "tail spin" because
of an unbroken in piece of wire smaller than one inch. I
question the chain of events that would cause such a thing.

I only say this to repsond to the subject of the thread.

Are there people who believe in break in?

I would say, some do, some don't, and some go so far as
to profess that a unbroken in wire smaller than one inch
will throw their system into a "tail spin."

I am positioning myself somewhere in the middle.

I believe in "break in" but obviously not to what I would call "the extreme."

I would only add -- not to be insulting, but just as a general caution to people getting into audio -- I would
be skeptical of anyone trying to sell me something like
a "cable cooker" based on the proposition that if I don't
my system may go into a "tail spin." I've never experienced anything in my life in audio that would cause me such a fear.

In all cases, best thing to do is trust one's ears.

Rob

Rsbeck:
The "Cable Cooker" is not mine to sell; that is not the point I was trying to make.

I am sure that EVERYONE agrees that Loudspeakers change (hopefully improve) with initial use. The compliant surround softens up with flexing, so that the dynamic characteristics of the unit change. There is similar logical reason to accept that phono pickups "break in".

It's a fact that large electrolytic capacitors (used in power supplies) "form" their dielectric during initial use. Whether or not the resulting change of capacitance has any significant effect on the DC, and any audible effect on the amplifier output is debatable. Film capacitors? Wires? To believe they need breakin a bit of faith is required.

When it comes to inanimate objects like metallic speaker cones and granite equipment racks a whole lot of faith is required. How about the air in the listening room, through which the sound travels? Does it need breakin?

My point is that everyone's opinion begins with belief (for the obvious speakers) and goes down the list of less and less technically-logical situations to some point where you say "that's ridiculous". We may have different opinions about where that cutoff point is.

Who is right? Both of us of course. This is a free country and you may practice whatever religion you like.