2. digital
  3. 1201132519

CD Player break in period

Guys, I'm not looking to start a debate on break in periods, if it's real, a myth, etc.

I have purchased a new Esoteric X-03 SE SACD player on 12/26/07 along with new Tara Labs The One (w/ISM) balanced interconnects. I let the player warm to room temperature as it was stone cold when I opened the box, evidence that it was either in an unheated warehouse or truck for a while-confirmed by my dealer. After a half a day, I hooked it up and the sound was incredibly poor. Very hard sounding, harsh mids and highs, narrow soundstage, no impact to bass, no definition. I am now on hour 674 and it's almost there. Soundstage opened up, detail is awesome, everything is, as I said almost there, but I still have a bit of a sting on female vocals. I have done an extensive amount of research and although Esoteric's website says break in should be 250 hours, I have found some information stating it would take 800 to 1,000 hours to sound excellent, with it still improving there after.

Again, I am not looking for responses disputing break in, that this is a fantasy and it must be some other culprit in my system (my dealer prchased the same player on the same day (same shippment) and he is experiencing the same).

I would love to hear about other members experience with equipment requiring a rather extensive break in period.

I appreciate your input.
128x128cerrot
gawdbless's avatar
gawdbless
1,235 posts
 
Hi John-
Not listened to vinyl personally since about 5 years ago, when I gave away my Linn LP12 (purchased new @1977) to my grateful brother, and still going strong! I was Impressed (very) with the turntable TW Acoustics? at the Denver show last year and the year before that also In the Aspara Acoustics room. When he played cd's It was easy to hear the superiority sound of the Turntable.
georgemg
69 posts
 
Hi cerrot

Last week I sold my A prestige and bought one esoteric X01 D2, I was very disapointed with the result, the esoteric sound was forward, the sounstage disapered, the high and mids harsh, some time the bass very strong but out of balance with the rest of music, so I began to try one answer how one machine of $19k result in this kind of sound, now I see some light --> burning. yesterday I turn on esoteric with a burning sacd from AAD, and luckly I have one new Joule mariane La300 preamplifier that needs to burn, so I turn on the preamplifer too, I am going left they burning for 7 days and listen the diference, I am using BMI hammerhead mk3 in the player, it was very good with prestige, but I saw here shunyata power cords are very good to use with esoteric, I would like to know the experience of others power cords from esoterics woners.
Thanks
cerrot's avatar
cerrot OP
1,700 posts
 
They do take a long time to break in but once they do... Thanks to Guido, who figured out that the power supply on the large esoteric were good enough that they didn't need power cables with digital filtering, I chucked a python vx cable for a regular python. Loved the difference and upgraded to the anaconda. I am very happy with my shunyata power cord on my esoteric.
montejay
285 posts
 
Hi Georgemg,

I wouldn't judge the Esoteric critically until you have anywhere near 500-750 hours on it.
You will be pleased but you need patience.Enjoy the process.

Regards,
Post removed 
More to discover