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Break in time that extends to months or maybe even years!!

On another thread, we have a well known and well respected piece of gear ( and great sounding too, IME) that according to the member who is reviewing it, needs in excess of 1000 hours to fully break in!! 

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...
128x128daveyf
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
A break in is a whole lot better than an out break.  🤗
mitch2
3,976 posts
 
@fundsgon 
I have never to an Irish pub in Montreal  
However, I heard their ballet is an excellent attraction
arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth
1,572 posts
 
@ebm 

 I agree.
McCormack dna-750s’ pair have been upgraded to Teflon caps.

 Probably,not broken in yet. 
 They do have a much different sound from turn on- and the first hour, to leaving powered up for 24+ hours. 
I’m sure my last post delved into this, it is true,
 there’s a colder sound, and the mids and bass just don’t sound right. After 24+ hours of just being in the “on” position, with the preamp, and CD player.

 The first couple hours are colder, less goosebumps for sure.

 Turned on Friday evening after work about 5-6 pm, left on til Saturday evening, the sound is so much different, it is a night and day difference.

 I’m a huge believer, and it is true, when. The components are warmed up, they are relaxed and just have a nice tone to them.
especially when I play the CDs of the LP’s I recorded to them, they do have a nice warm sound,no fatigue at all. The few pops and ticks are very welcome, as I love the album sound.  
 Even the Yamaha receiver and SL-1200mkII  I use to play into my computer to record the LP’ I LEAVE. ON FOR at least an hour to warm up.
 I do notice a difference.  
As far as a year,.

 Mine are never left on continuously, off for storms, vacation, and when not listening.  Good reading in here.
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,043 posts
 
Albert Einstein once wrote on a blackboard: “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.”
fundsgon
150 posts
 
Albert Einstein could predict the orbital precession of a star around a black hole, but not even he could predict the break-in period of a pair of bookshelf speakers.

But seriously, I recently purchased a pair of speakers. I demoed them at the dealer with my amp and CD player. The dealer would not sell me the demo pair because, according to him, they took forever to break in. The new speakers sound fabulous right out of the box, but aren’t quite as dynamic as the demo pair. We shall see if they become so, but for now the music brings tears to my significant other. Well, maybe me too, on occasion, after a few drinks.


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