Burn-in time Vs. Getting used to a sound

Joe_coherent that is a good question and I don't know the answer. But I know burn-in is for real. I have suffered thru it. It is very easy to find out for yourself. Compare a broke-in pair of ICs to a new pair.

I agree that most components and wires will change and should improve over time. I disagree with claims about the "transformation" that is supposed to take place after about 200 hours or 6 weeks or whatever, particularly when you have a 1 week trial. Who's kidding who? If something sounds bad right out of the box, my experience shows that it will continue to sound bad, maybe less bad over time, but still bad. If something sounds good out of the box, it usually gets better with time. I find it particularly interesting when after I have returned a product that I didn't like and was chastised by a dealer or mfg. for not letting it burn in; version II of the product seems to contain improvements which address the weaknesses I found. This has happened to me twice.

If a man speaks in the forest and there is no woman to hear him is he still wrong?? (couldn't resist....)

I'm sorry too, actually quite..but the answer to Subaruguru's question is, of course, yes!

Joe b, that is your experience, but not the last word. I did have a cable that had problems until a long burn in was finished, and it sounds wonderful now. I agree that it is frustrating when "version" II or III always addresses the weaknesses of Version I. Buy the top of the line if you can. I auditioned three interconnects of the same brand, and bought "version" III, even though it cost two and a half times more than "Version I", and I am glad I did. It is a standard thing to have a basic, better, best, product line. Most of us know what we would buy if cost was no object. Keep on trying , and don't let the jerks get to you, they won't go away. Your ears and wallet are more powerful than their rhetoric. It sure is great when something sounds wonderful right out of the box though, is'nt it? My new Pioneer DV-37 sounds as good to me as many of the mid-priced highend CD players I have heard, and it knocked me out the minute I plugged it in. Here's hoping eveyone here hits the "bullseye" more often than not.