For Your Edification and Enjoyment re "Burn In", etc.

Audio_audition, Building hundreds of rigs of all levels, from lower end HiFi (i.e. approx. 5K) to much more significant (100K) all systems have capacity to reveal changes from such things as power cords, interconnects, treating CDs (Back in the day; it was one of the very few cheap activities - I distinguish it as a treatment rather than tweak - that did result in an audible change), etc.

The system I did the testing for the current article was approx. $60K MSRP. You were happy to dismiss the article/findings with a mocking comment of the Peachtree integrated used in the first article. That turns out to be a great choice now, as persons such as your self who express skepticism about the quality of the system used in the comparisons are shown to be wrong, as several of the variables under comparison were the same in both tests. The rig used in the second article was approx. $60K. This demonstrates nicely how systems at lower MSRP can teach the audiophile the same principles as rigs at higher MSRP. One might expect that, as this is all HiFi gear. Now, if you want to talk about testing a $300 plastic fantastic system from Best Buy, all bets are off! :)

You seem to find glee in argument, even when shown to be wrong several times. I’m not interested in extending correction to you indefinitely.

Daveb, thanks for your reply, but you seem to have missed the point entirely. Allow me to explain. It is necessary when writing an article on methods/tweaks that purportedly cause audible change, when comparing two systems, to report on whether there is an audible change. 

Perhaps you don't find that terribly important, or helpful. Great, thanks for your input. But if you haven't noticed, there is an audio industry that has a very healthy tweaks market, and many methods that are questioned/debated with regularity. That someone should step up and write about it, combined with comparisons, may have pertinence to many. Maybe not you, fine. You have made your point, which was oblivious. Enjoy your listening.    :) 

Doug,
The core problem is that you think your opinion has more credence than the opinion of others. I believe that for publications, the reviewers quality of writing is of more consequence than the ability to hear. When you add this preconceived notions, personal and professional industry affiliations with the need for ad revenue we have a fundamentally broken model in which true objectivity is illusive. This is especially true of the big 2, but is unavoidable at all levels. You cant blame the listener for succumbing to a myriad of subconscious factors and then deny that you are immune to any of these. At the end of the day it is simply one enthusiasts opinion and one with which I disagree. A simple disagreement is the whole of it. 

We're pretty far away from our original conversation but,
I had to break in Scansonic MB2.5 speakers as they required a lot of movement for stiff rubber surrounds. It was weeks of face to face, out of phase playing. I listened periodically and the fullness of bass (albeit a tiny speaker) did increase very noticeably. With the brand-new sound I'd have returned them. I did know of this req'd break-in beforehand. It worked as specified.

Have not had the occasion to compare 'broken or burned-in electronics as most of my gear was/is used (for cost/benefit ratio). Likewise no knowledge on for wire burn. Can't imagine tubes don't need it.

Blind and long-term listening tests both have a place for me, especially with cables and other tweaks, real or imagined.