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Cartridge burn-in

Hi to all analog friends here,

Any time I purchase a new cartridge, when I set it up and sit down to listen to it, I cringe a little. It always sounds stiff, harsh, glassy, shrill. Then, after a few days/weeks of playing, it appears to 'break in' and start sounding relaxed, more musical, sweeter, less straining, presenting the music with better flow and finesse.

Common wisdom teaches that the cartridge, being a mechanical component, needs to loosen up its suspension. So, the only way to really hear what the cartridge is capable of is to play it for at the minimum 20 to 30 hours (some sources even say 50 hours).

OK, makes sense (kinda). But an alternative explanation is also possible: whenever we replace our current cartridge with a new one, the new one will sound different. Maybe it is this different, unfamiliar sonic character of the new cartridge that is causing us to feel that the sound is harsh, metallic, unpleasant, strenuous? Then, after a few days/weeks with the new cartridge, our ears and our listening habits get adjusted to the new type of sound, and we grow to like it.

This gradual conditioning to the new type of sound is then called 'cartridge break-in'. But maybe the cartridge doesn't really break-in; maybe it is our ears and our listening habits that gradually break-in and get accustomed to the new sound?

What do you think?

crazybookman
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,348 posts
 

@rvpiano that stinks! 

macg19
682 posts
 

I bought an Aidas Rainbow 3 months ago from @solypsa which sounded great on day one but now sounds truly magical. It seems like it has really opened up recently. Wild guess but maybe 100-150 hours play time.

The Hana ML it replaced did not sound dramatically different even after 6 months of use, but did need improve quite a bit after a couple of long sessions over a weekend - maybe 20 hours break-in time. 

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,348 posts
 

Yes the Hana ML sounds very good right out of the box but with about 30-40hrs you can hear the improvement in the bass and mids. 

lewm
12,553 posts
 

There’s absolutely no question in my mind that cartridges need break in when new or even when they’ve been out of service for a week or more. I use a Cardas test LP to bring mine back to life. Bands 2a, b, and c on side1.

dogberry
576 posts
 

The bloody hard thing is to know when to dismiss a cartridge as...err...not what you wanted. I can agree that they continue to change for up to 100 hours. Most of the change will be heard in the first 20 hours. But if there are cartridges that are absolute shitgibbons before 100 hours, and become angelic world-beaters after 100 hours most of us will never appreciate them. Makers of such esoteric cartridges ought to run them in before sale, don't you think?

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