Does a new cd transport require break-in time?

That’s a good question.
I’ll find out tomorrow when delivery is expected.

If you don’t like continuing sad stories, read no further.
I got the Gungnir back today, and the Oppo should be coming later today.
Great news, right?  I should be able to experiment to my heart’s content on the merits of the combinations of components.  Fun!
.... Just a few minutes prior to the Gungnir delivery, one of my monoblocks crapped out— probably a power supply problem caused by the heat of a fire I had earlier this year. (But that’s a different sad story which some of you might have heard about.)
Sent the amps immediately for repair. But will have to wait a little longer to see or hear what’s up.

SNAKEBIT!

P.S.  And Schiit failed to include the power cord I sent them with the Gungnir with the thought I was getting a complete new unit. No power cord!

I have heard broken-in demo Focal 806v speakers many times and on one trip to the store identified a pair of fresh out of the box demo speakers that sounded a bit harsh in comparison. Break-in for speakers is real in my experience.

I have a tube amplifier and it did improve with a break-in period and does require a little warm up to sound its best.

I believe that some burn-in is most likely beneficial to analog components, but struggle wrapping my mind around a scenario where burn-in could have an audible impact on a purely digital component.

The amount of perceived varience that I hear in my system is beyond anything that I could accept as a change from burn-in making it virtually impossible to identify any tiny change from burn-in.

I have Nordost Sort Kones under my SACD player and “think” they may have improved things a bit, but could never identify if someone were to remove them without my knowledge.

There are so many factors that impact the way we perceive a given listening session that I don’t think that burn-in on a purely digital component would ever be audible, especially with all of the engineering specifically aimed at perfecting the digital signal when one can build a fairly solid case that it’s just ones and zeros.

The fact that manufacturers recommend a break-in procedure can be based on objective fact in some instances and for others it’s just part of the “audiophile” culture where having a component that doesn’t require a break-in could automatically inferior. Plus, an extended listening period will most likely give the listener/customer time to adjust to any new sound (or perceived change in sound) with placebo to go with a new purchase likely to lead towards a happy customer.