Speaker Break-In - What Physically Changes During Break-In To Enable Better Sound?


All,

Have seen people and manufacturers mention that speakers need to be played for a while to break-in / open up.  Would like to know what physically happens to the speaker components to enable better sound during the break-in period.  Please share your wisdom on this.

Thanks!
michiganbuckeye
@audiozen 

This is a speaker forum not a car forum. There are actually no pistons in a speaker. I hope this makes sense.
Even if a mechanical device ( high end or other) is pushed to its limits for testing purposes within a short period of time that the factories time constraints allow, it does NOT mean it's been through its break in cycle. It's no different than any combustion engine or any other (electric or other) motor . Porsche with its gt3 used to recommend a 1000 mile break in, before pushing it to its limit or before a full output is realized. Do you think they use inferior parts in that motor? I don't see how any properly designed and build  driver will operate with full efficiency until it has been thoroughly broken in. This is physics, not marketing.
shadorne-Hmmm...now let me see..when watching a close-up video on YouTube of a mid-range driver excursion test the cone is constantly moving back and forth on a suspended surround. The constant back and forth motion is caused by a piston moving constantly in and out working just like a car piston which is why the inventor of this type of driver, Edgar Villchur, called it a piston driver in 1952. You really need to do your homework.
Speaker break in is correlated to how many hours you spend in the listening chair. As you sink in your chair over the hours waiting for the drivers to come of age, you will fall slightly below the initial elevation of listening axis. This is called SLOUCH EFFECT. Thus, as the speaker becomes relatively taller to your ears, you feel the sound improves. It’s properly known as SPEAKASS BREAK IN. So, in actuality, it’s your listening chair that breaks in, not the speakers. ;)