Do speakers take time to warm up?

tatyana69,

Please demonstrate for me the following:

*That electrical resistance altered by temperature of a speaker driver or crossover makes an audible difference.

*That a capacitor takes longer than a few microseconds, or at most a second, to charge, and that it is audible. i.e. that the character/operation of the cap changes audibly over time, i.e. 10 to 20 minutes or more.

*That some speakers take longer to "warm up" while others do not, and that it is audible. 

I already demonstrated in my Audiophile Law: Thou Shalt Not Overemphasize Burn In that electronics and cables that are "broken in" and warmed up have no bearing on the sound in comparison to ones that are new and started up from a "cold" start. What are you doing to demonstrate your assertions? How about you get two identical speakers and run one for a few days, and use a switcher to switch between one system that is new and just started up, and one that is "broken in" and warmed up? I suspect you won't, because it takes time and money. If you are only going to talk, without putting any effort into your declarations, I'm not impressed with your attempt at putting me in my place. 

I suspect that you cannot support any of the challenges I have given to you. I am content to hold my opinion until such time as you or anyone else can demonstrate the requirements I have made above.   

Please demonstrate for me the following
*That some speakers take longer to "warm up" while others do not, and that it is audible.

People hear it and adjust to it every day, as has been demonstrated by the numerous responses to this post. If YOU can’t hear it so be it. Just accept you can’t and leave it at that: people’s hearing acuity differs.

I’m not impressed with your attempt at putting them in their place.

douglas_schroeder2,357 posts05-31-2020 1:17pmPlease demonstrate for me the following:


Good grief - as peskywabbit has written - it is not up to us to prove to an idiot what is obvious if you had any ears, and you actually listened to different speakers or cables, or indeed anything. We contribute actual experiences to this forum, whereas you contaminate it with drivel.

tatyana69 and pesky_wabbit, I will set you straight, so that you do not continue to misrepresent my argument. I am not saying that there is no audible change to systems as they are being used. I am saying it is not due to the equipment. The presumption that is commonplace in the community is that as the gear changes, the sound changes, i.e. "warm up", and "settling" as mechanical, electrical, etc. changes that are audible. 

I am saying that the changes that seem to occur, which I have said previously I hear on a regular basis ( and which you have ignored) are not due to the equipment changing, but due to perception of the listener. So, please stop mischaracterizing my argument as though I am saying there is no change in perception. Thank you! 

Further, you lose credibility when you resort to insults. You did not have a strong argument, which I pointed out, so you return my inquiry with mockery. In other words, you admit you have no substantive support for your position other than your perceptions. You tacitly admit you think your ears are more consistent than electronics. I say you're horribly arrogant to hold that opinion, as if your perception of the sound quality is not subject to mood, pain, tiredness, alcohol consumption, etc. I suspect the measured performance of a system will not change over the 20 minutes to hour that you are looking for it to warm up, yet you declare that the ears can hear it. You have zero basis for your claim other than your opinion. 

I presented my comparisons for evidence. Did you bother to read my article wherein I compared two identical systems in different states?  I used to think the equipment changed sound due to warm up, burn in, etc. Eventually, I decided to put my perceptions to the test, and I actually did comparisons. What have you done besides asserting that you hear differences due to the equipment changing? Have you ever compared identical sets of gear in different states to draw conclusions? If not, what makes you think you have any basis for arguing against my observations from actual comparisons? I say you have none. 

I have never said that the sound of an audio system cannot seem to change over time. You dismiss my argument that the listener's perception changes over time - without providing evidence that I am incorrect. That is a convenient way to mock me, to ignore that I state changes happen, but that they are from perception rather than the equipment changing in performance. You only hurt yourself with such transparently biased discussion. 

You seem to know little about me and my reviewing, or else you wouldn't make such an ignorant comment about, "... actually listened to different speakers or cables, or indeed anything." One glance at my reviewer's bio will quickly reveal that I have listened quite intently to a wide range of equipment, and put together hundreds of audio systems over the years. I switch between different genres of speakers regularly, about twice a month. As a result, I hear the phenomenon that some call "warming up" of speakers on a continual basis, but I attribute it to myself adapting to the sound of a different system. Prove that I'm wrong, rather than attempt to insult me. I don't think you can.

Finally, I reinforce that spending time on "burn in", "warm up" and "settling" is marginal audio. It's a waste of time. If I am not happy with the sound, I can get superior results in three minutes with a change of an interconnect or power cord. I don't need to sit and hope for improvement - I make it happen. I suggest audiophiles do not waste their life waiting for things, but if not happy, make changes. My systems sound fanatic from the first moment to the moment they are turned off. In many listening sessions, does the music seem even more engaging after 1.5 hours? Yes, but who can prove it is due to the gear changing sound? You certainly cannot. 

It is possible that I put up more audio systems and conduct careful listening to them in one year in my home than you may have built in your lifetime. So, your mockery means little to me. If you are not going to discuss this in a mature way, I'm done talking with you.

If I am not happy with the sound, I can get superior results in three minutes with a change of an interconnect or power cord

This is just an imaginary change. It cant be measured.