Do you ever find yourself preferring a component before break-in?

MadFloyd · Mar 12, 2013

This seems to happen to me all the time. I get a new component and it sounds startingly good out of the box.

Then it starts to break in and the bass gets looser & muddier, highs start to recess, etc.

I recently experienced this with a new DAC and an Equi=tech transformer install.

Anyone else? Or am I just plain nuts?

Steve Williams · Mar 12, 2013

I find similar results with ARC equipment which seems to shine out of the box and then just as you say things sound not so good until after break in

microstrip · Mar 12, 2013

Steve Williams said:
I find similar results with ARC equipment which seems to shine out of the box and then just as you say things sound not so good until after break in

Steve,

You were faster than me - I could have spared you the time of answering in order to allocate more time to the great report on the new room.

Exactly as you said. By the middle of break in (200-300 hours) ARC units sound more dull and lees well defined, then suddenly start improving. I know of it, I have break in too many ARC units recently.

rockitman · Mar 12, 2013

Happens with cables too. In my case MIT Oracle.

garylkoh · Mar 12, 2013

Happens with wine too. They can start out voluptuous and fruity, and then go into an astringent phase, and then mellow out to be rich and unctuous.

rockitman · Mar 12, 2013

Perhaps the same can be said about wives ?

FrantzM · Mar 12, 2013

Did the equipment actually change or did you start paying attention to its flaws, once the novelty of its particular sound has worn off? Just wondering ...

jazdoc · Mar 12, 2013

Interesting thread because I am breaking in cables as I type. I'm a believer in the concept of break in and find the process interesting. I do feel that this is yet another reason to audition in your system before buying!

microstrip · Mar 12, 2013

FrantzM said:
Did the equipment actually change or did you start paying attention to its flaws, once the novelty of its particular sound has worn off? Just wondering ...

Frantz,

Wondering is nice ... But you already know the answer - those who believe in break-in will tell the equipment changed, non-believers will ask for DBT tests to prove it.

Can you give us a straight answer - do you believe in break-in of electronic devices, such as preamplifiers, amplifiers or DAC's?

FrantzM · Mar 12, 2013

microstrip said:
Frantz,

Wondering is nice ... But you already know the answer - those who believe in break-in will tell the equipment changed, non-believers will ask for DBT tests to prove it.

Can you give us a straight answer - do you believe in break-in of electronic devices, such as preamplifiers, amplifiers or DAC's?

microstrip

How do you know what I know?
So Break-in is a belief? Good.

As for your question on break-in I don;t have a quick easy answer. I witnessed break in on speakers I had, Magnepan speakers. For electronics I can see many reasons why this could be the case. The question remains of how much the equipment has changed or the owner becoming more comfortable with it. I don't have an answer for that. You seem to, by all means educate me.

microstrip · Mar 12, 2013

FrantzM said:
microstrip

How do you know what I know?
So Break-in is a belief? Good.

As for your question on break-in I don;t have a quick easy answer. I witnessed break in on speakers I had, Magnepan speakers. For electronics I can see many reasons why this could be the case. The question remains of how much the equipment has changed or the owner becoming more comfortable with it. I don't have an answer for that. You seem to, by all means educate me.

I was guessing - I should have written "But we already know the answer" and them you would write "How do I know we agree?"

You admit break- in speakers. Just for your information Toole completely denies it using exactly the same argument you use for electronics - the owner becoming more comfortable with it.

My opinion is mainly formed by witnessing break-in in many components, and occasionally comparing well seasoned equipment with the same model taken out of the box. But these later tests were not blind, so they are just good personnel knowledge, but not enough to educate people.

andromedaaudio · Mar 12, 2013

I might be a non audiophile cynic

, but LS units do need break in period , i took a lot of them out of the factory box for mounting from various suppliers , i would say they fully stabilize after a month or something , the first couple of days it changes the most , the spider loosens up the cone rubber flexes /gets looser ?

MadFloyd · Mar 12, 2013

I guess what I was trying to say is that, after full break-in, I often prefer the out-of-the-box sound.

Often it starts with too little bass (which I'll take over too much bass) and I'm very happy; after break in I have too much bass again. :-(

andromedaaudio · Mar 12, 2013

I suspect you have another problem somewhere in the chain , speakers /placement??

MadFloyd · Mar 12, 2013

andromedaaudio said:
I suspect you have another problem somewhere in the chain , speakers /placement??

No doubt.

mep · Mar 12, 2013

microstrip said:
I was guessing - I should have written "But we already know the answer" and them you would write "How do I know we agree?"

You admit break- in speakers. Just for your information Toole completely denies it using exactly the same argument you use for electronics - the owner becoming more comfortable with it.

My opinion is mainly formed by witnessing break-in in many components, and occasionally comparing well seasoned equipment with the same model taken out of the box. But these later tests were not blind, so they are just good personnel knowledge, but not enough to educate people.

Does this mean that for once you disagree with Toole???

microstrip · Mar 12, 2013

mep said:
Does this mean that for once you disagree with Toole???

Mep,

Yes, in several aspects in several occasions. The "Sound Reproduction" is a great book about audio, but it is not the Book of Truth!

Please see what I wrote recently about it

microstrip said:
(...) I also have read the Toole book and loved part One - Understanding the principles. However after I went through the first pages of part Two - Designing listening experiences, I understood that it would not cover my main interest - stereo listening. I enjoyed this part, there are plenty of interesting details and technical aspects, and his style showing the limitation of current knowledge and possible solutions is also very enjoyable.

microstrip said:
(...) This subject (correlation on measurements with sound quality in loudspeakers) is a common source of disagreement. Toole did only establish correlation between some measurements and statistical listener preferences in well defined conditions, that are far from the typical conditions used by high-end audiophiles. His opinions about electronics and audio accessories such as cables and power devices are well known, and I respect them, but I disagree on them. If your criteria on sound quality is the same as used in the references above I can partially understand your endorsement of actives.

However, not all people have the same weighting of the multiple sound quality parameters as the Harman group. What you and others consider weak or non conclusive can be strong for audiophiles. As they say IMMV. (...)

Johnny Vinyl · Mar 12, 2013

The greatest change I've experienced with break-in is with cartridges and some speakers. Other than that, I'm not a big believer in break-in.

HedgeHog · Mar 12, 2013

rockitman said:
Happens with cables too. In my case MIT Oracle.

Does that mean you like your MITs less now?

GaryProtein · Mar 12, 2013

garylkoh said:
Happens with wine too. They can start out voluptuous and fruity, and then go into an astringent phase, and then mellow out to be rich and unctuous.

Unctuous?? You mean greasy? I never heard that adjective applied to wine.

rockitman said:
Perhaps the same can be said about wives ?

Yes!

Do you ever find yourself preferring a component before break-in?

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