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SHM SACD's need to be burned in

I recently purchased Aja on a SHM sacd. I have never purchased any single disc at this price,but the chance of aquiring one of my favorite albums on SACD made me go for it.
I was so excited the day it arrived. I warmed up my system for a half an hour and popped it in. WHAT A DISAPOINTMENT!
The bass was bloated and the highs rolled off. It was inferior to my two redbook copies sonically(MFSL ultradisc and 1999 remaster).
I went on various forums to see if others had the same opinion as mine. To my surprise what I gathered was that playing these SHM SACD's about ten times to burn in improves the sound. I didn't beieve it but I had the disc already so .....
I played it on repeat on my cdp for two days straight. I then warmed up my system the same way and expected little change.
Much to my surprise the base tighten up,the highs improved and the soundstage organised itself. If I hadn't heard this for myself I never would have believed it.The mofi wasn't in the ballpark anymore!
Anyone else with a simular experience?

Regards,
montejay
montejay OP
285 posts
 
Hi Rcprince,
I never turn off my cdp, and do not even use the standby mode ever. Let me also add that I stopped the burning in process a few hours before my listen session last night.
I am as shocked by this as you and Rwwear are and am not surprised by your doubts.
mceljo
1,357 posts
 
You should purchase another copy of the SACD and see if you can tell the difference if someone else loads the player.

Also, you should see this effect on other CDs if it's real.

How does a laser change a disk? If it did, then they should also continiue to change over time and eventually wear out.
daverz
487 posts
 
I'm sure it's your squishy wetware that "burned in", not a piece of plastic.
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
Maybe you changed a setting in the esoteric. The poor sound you described is what esoteric's sound like when the multiple channel is selected in the menu.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
I don't know what all the skepticism is all about. Why shouldn't a new type of plastic polymer change after exposure to a laser? There are all sorts of semi explainable phenomena in magical land of audiophildom.
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