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Cartridge Break-In

Installed new cartridge and was just wondering about break-in techniques. Manufacturer recommends 50 hrs of playing time to presumably work in the suspension components. Obviously, playing a record would work best, but would simply placing the tonearm/cartridge on a non-spinning record and leaving it there also contribute to break-in? I'm thinking it really wouldn't be as effective since the suspension has only been displaced, but is not kept in motion the way playing a record would cause. Here's where it get strange, suppose I placed my turntable (a non-suspension design) on top of my subwoofer and played some bass oriented music thru my CD player? I could play with the volume level to control the amount of acoustic transfer from the sub to the turntable/arm/cartridge and thereby "excite" the cartridge into some sort of, hopefully controlled, motion. Alternatively, I could place the turntable directly in front of my woofers and play music at a high volume from a digital source. Would any of these "techniques" even roughly accomplish what playing a record does as far as cartridge break-in goes?

Just speculating on a hypothesis.
128x128onhwy61
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
I enjoyed reading some of your proposed alternatives, especially the one about the subwoofer ;~) I think the best way is still playing records as Steve said. However, you can break in a cartridge while you're away by using the Cardas sweep/burn in record. It has white noise bands that are continuous (don't run out.) The record is made of extra hard vinyl just for this purpose, and if you leave your whole system on at low/moderate volume, you get some additional burn-in for your system too.

RE the recommended break-in time: I don't know why cartridge manufacturers all seem to quote such low break-in times! If you ask around, you'll discover that most folks will tell you a new moving coil cartridge requires a minimum of 100 hours (150 just to be sure) so I don't understand the manufacturers' lack of candor on this pooint. And that would take about four to six days playing the Cardas record 27/7. Which is what I did, and it worked just fine. However, I heard no difference after the first 60 hours (the manufacturer recommended 30!) It was bright and glarey, and I thought I'd made a terrible mistake! But after 100, everything changed and continued to get better and better until 125-150 or so.

It would be a lot smarter for the manufacturers to be honest and not raise expectations unnecessarily.
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
Cartridge break-in time varies by person. It is the amount of time that it takes for you to get used to how it sounds.
eddaytona
216 posts
 
I used to think break-in time was the amount of time to talk yourself into deciding you made a good purchase. But, after installing a Blackbird cart I now think cartridge break-in is at least 100 hours. There is no way I convinced myself that the cart I heard out of the box is as good as the one I have now.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61 OP
5,186 posts
 
All I'm trying to figure out is if there is a quicker way to get through the break-in process. For mechanical objects break-in is a very real process, but then again I've talked to people who have had success with motor engines who rev it to redline the minute they button up the engine. Anyway, I chose to believe. After 3 hrs. of use the cartridge is tipped up in the treble and the bass is uneven, but the midrange is glowingly warm. I've set the Concentra phono board to 47k ohm loading and 55dB gain. Too soon to tell if those are the final settings.
thomasheisig
568 posts
 
When you have the Audio Technica 637 Stylus Claner then the break in is done after 3 hours.
Otherwise I agree with the min. 50h
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