Agree, difference in performance after break in is minimal and often overblown here by folks experiencing buyers remorse and/or their ears adjusting to a component change. Most significant change happens within 50 hours, after that minimal improvement. When I play golf I like to walk the course. It takes longer and requires more effort but I get to experience the way the course unfolds as I get closer to my ball. Same here—enjoy the slight incremental improvements that break in can bring and get to know your speakers the way you watch a child grow into an adult. As is often said here—enjoy the journey!
Break In Failed
There is a new set of speakers on the way and after looking for tips on speaker break in, the topic hits left me smirking.
Good advice like face the speakers and wire one out of phase, use heavy blankets and leave on 24-7 for weeks.
The amusing part was exercising them at ~90dB for excursion during away hours. My current speakers have seen that level in my apartment for maybe an hour in the years since owning them. Did I fail at break in protocol?
I anticipate feedback recommendations of connect and enjoy the music after leaving them on for a couple of weeks at my normal listening levels, which has served me well in the past.
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In my experience, break-in time depends a lot on the types of capacitors that are used in the crossovers. The drivers themselves generally loosen up in 20 hours or so, but the capacitors can take much longer. Many film caps, such as some of the large copper foil in oil caps, can take hundreds of hours, and I've heard (never tried them) that Teflon dialectic caps can take up to 1000 hours. |
How can anyone optimize loudspeaker performance within 20 minutes? Figuring out preferences for room placement, toe-in and tilt takes a little bit of time. The drivers (and surrounds) need time to loosening up and the crossover components also need run-in time. A bad loudspeaker won't get transformed into a good loudspeaker, but a good loudspeaker can blossom into a really good loudspeaker with a little time and effort. Personally, I swear by the XLO Burn-In track, but there other methods. |
I admit not knowing much scientifically but agree with the out-of-phase and face-to-face method, having used it a time or two. I will say that the Scansonic MB 2.5s I bought years ago most surely did need a good mechanical break-in of the drivers and it was not an hour or two, more like many hundreds before sounding their best. Other Raidho and Scansonic owners have reported the same. I am with @ghdprentice in that this can be an enjoyable learning experience for you. Have fun with those new loudspeakers!
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