You can’t cheat an honest man and never smarten up a chump. - old audiophile axiom 🤗
Break in time that extends to months or maybe even years!!
While we have all heard of gear that needs immense amounts of 'break in' time to sound its best, usually gear that involves teflon caps, I question whether this very long break in time is the job for the consumer? Is it reasonable for a manufacturer of audio gear to expect the consumer to receive sub-par performance from his purchase for potentially several months ( years?) before the true sound of the gear in question can be enjoyed? Or, is it ( or should it be) perhaps the job of the manufacturer of this gear ( usually not low priced) to actually accomplish the 'break in' before releasing it from the factory? Thoughts...
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- 114 posts total
Regarding the LHC, this is from Wikipedia. Initial lower magnet currentsEdit In both of its runs (2010 to 2012 and 2015), the LHC was initially run at energies below its planned operating energy, and ramped up to just 2 x 4 TeV energy on its first run and 2 x 6.5 TeV on its second run, below the design energy of 2 x 7 TeV. This is because massive superconducting magnets require considerable magnet training to handle the high currents involved without losing their superconducting ability, and the high currents are necessary to allow a high proton energy. The "training" process involves repeatedly running the magnets with lower currents to provoke any quenches or minute movements that may result. It also takes time to cool down magnets to their operating temperature of around 1.9 K (close to absolute zero). Over time the magnet "beds in" and ceases to quench at these lesser currents and can handle the full design current without quenching; CERN media describe the magnets as "shaking out" the unavoidable tiny manufacturing imperfections in their crystals and positions that had initially impaired their ability to handle their planned currents. The magnets, over time and with training, gradually become able to handle their full planned currents without quenching.[80][81] The LHC is down for a major upgrade, when it comes back up it will be called the High Luminosity LHC. Sounds kinda like a god... So yes, the LHC required a break in period, and yes, like us audiofools, the physicist at CERN have an insatiable urge to upgrade. |
Thanks, my only point being that break-in is a real thing, but I certainly don’t know how long it takes. Speakers, amps, caps will likely take different lengths of time. Now, can I interest anyone in a newly designed amp using superconducting magnets? Break in will be 20 to 30 years at the specified power output. |
- 114 posts total