Your opinion on burn in

South 43 - I believe once cables are burned in your done, the only time I worry about it is when I'm on vacation and come back or don't listen for a few days. I'll put a disk on and run it for a few hours. I don't notice any degradation, in fact it always sounds fantastic after I haven't listened for awhile, even cold, which tells me its my ears. I do think my system sounds better after playing for a while and I have tubes in the preamp and do not leave them on.

You know, your ears really do "burn in" for each listening session! I have noticed this each time I turn on one of my systems and start listening. Even if the tube amp and preamp have been playing for 45 mins or so, when I first sit down to listen, there is a quality about the sound that changes after I've been sitting there for 30 mins or so. It gets fuller, richer, no matter how long the equipment has been left on playing CDs to warm up. Another interesting phenomenon, and I believe I've read something about this on this and other forums (fora, really, but how pretentious):
if you are having a glass or two of wine or a couple of beers (and I assume this holds true for mixed drinks as well), the sound changes as the volume of liquid imbibed increases! Seriously! I actually find the sound degrades if I drink several glasses of wine or beer while listening. One or two enhances the sound, more than that and everything starts sounding thin and tinny.
This is bizarre but true, in my experience. I've been collecting gear and music and listening to music for 35 years, and drinking while listening probably for 20 years, and I noted this phenomenon quite some time ago.
Sarah

Pops I'm sort of leaning in your direction. I do find after a couple of days of non-use a smile comes when I fire up everything. My dac is a tube unit and I don't leave it on but I am thinking of changing that thought due to the digital circuitry. My thanks to all.

I have noticed that my system consistantly sounds better after 2 1/2 days of being left on. Sometimes I shut my preamp down at nights because it gets too damn hot. This doesn't seem to affect sound, but complete shut down definitely changes things for the worse. As to improved sound after 20 minutes or so, I would guess that it is your ears "warming up". Just like eyesight, ears can focus on sound, and it gets sharper with attention and effort. Also if you start at a lower to mid volume, and
raise the volume slowly, your ears adjust. If you start out too loud, it tends to "blow your ears out", affecting your ability to hear details.

I don't disagree with those who feel that it takes the "listener" awhile to adjust to "listening". I especially notice this phenomenon when going from one type of music to another, eg from smooth jazz (Diana Krall ballads)to serious rock eg, ZZ Top.

But I also notice it at the start of a listening session, and to tell the truth, I don't know if it's me adjusting, or the equipment warming up? Cheers. Craig