Driver breakin period, what’s the science?

The biggest and most measurable change happens as the big driver’s suspension breaks in. Usually this results in a very small reduction in the resonant frequency, and a change towards the manufacturer’s expected sound.

Some caps change quite a bit in sound quality, though in weird ways. I listened to Mundorf MKP caps breaking in with a pair of Focals, and I swear I had sounds coming from behind my chair until that finished. :) I have no idea why, but I proved it to myself and no one else. :)

Best,

Erik

i stand by my comments i made earlier that break in is real, and can be substantial in higher res systems

that been said, if you get new speakers and really don’t like the sound, it is unlikely the sound after breaking in will magically please you - usually the impact of break in is slightly more bass richness and speed, smoother treble, more openness in the lower treble and midrange

there will not wholesale changes to the sonic nature of the speaker

+1  If you don't like the speaker the first time you hook it up at home, break-in is not going to magically transform it.  If you do like what the speaker is doing, it's only going to get better--more so--over time.  I don't think you can generalize about tweeters, midranges and woofers--each brand and model is going to be a little different.  The materials science aspect of break-in has already been addressed.

I believe the break-in period will be one hour longer than the warranty.

Zu does the break in at the factory, 100-200 hours before shipping out...I did not like the Vandersteen 3 after only a few hours playing (at a friend's shop), thought they were awesome and bought them after they had played about 200 hours...