To all audio research experts out there. how long is this break in process, really? i am about 40 hours of playing time and 150 hours of "on" time into the process for the ARC Reference Phono 2.
Everything sounds like Mickey Mouse. Everyone who has walked in has told they are certain that I have the speed adjusted too high, but i have double checked. is this a matter of patience, or could something be wrong?
Audio Research recommend 600 hour for full break in of new units. As I did not want to wait I used a cheap CD player in repeat mode with a resistive attenuator ( a passive preamplifier) during three weeks to break in the unit.
But even taken from the box it sounded wonderful every time during the first LPs. Some people say that Audio Research gear sounds good taken from the box, then becomes "high pitched" versus 200 hours and only at 400 hours re-gains bass. I noticed this effect it in the CD8, but did not check time of play.
To all audio research experts out there. how long is this break in process, really? i am about 40 hours of playing time and 150 hours of "on" time into the process for the ARC Reference Phono 2.
Everything sounds like Mickey Mouse. Everyone who has walked in has told they are certain that I have the speed adjusted too high, but i have double checked. is this a matter of patience, or could something be wrong?
First if it's using Teflon caps, and I suspect it is, they can't sound downright awful for the first 150 hours. In fact, the unit can sound defective. So I'd give it the time ARC recommends.
If you want, you're welcome to stop by and borrow my Thor Audio phono burn in unit. It simply creates a reverse RIAA curve from a CD input and one can use that to break in the phono section in a couple of days.
Sounds to me like a defective unit (RIAA curve wrong, likely due to bad component or poor connection). I can't imagine it needing break-in to improve something as gross as a "Mikey-Mouse sound" right out of the box. I agree with Steve; take it back to your dealer and A/B with another unit if possible. - Don
Having used many ARC preamps and phono stages which were all brand new, I had never encountered such 'mickey mouse' syndrome. They are sound fine and after break in of around 60 hours, bass becomes tighter, over all sounds is clearer and images are more rock solid. My friends with Ref series models do not report any anomaly on initial playing as well.
Got to upgrade my 7 year ARC VS 110 to a circa 2008 VS115 amp (brand new) about 3 weeks ago. There is a leaflet that 'warns' users that 600 hours is needed to fully break in the amp. Well, at 2 hours a day non stop, I figured it might take 10 months to reach the magic number. I do not like leaving hot tube electronics on while I go out, so I have to be here monitoring, and listening to it somehow. So far, I estimate to have logged in maybe 20-30 hours, and I am careful not to come to conclusions with this new amp. I can feel there is that need to break it in thingy, something which I had not had before with my new amps. Things are not very focused and there is a 'honky' and nasal sound on wind instruments at loud levels. I should hope these are due to lack of break in. But overall, I'm happy with the change as the sound is even more transparent with a more laid back presentation. Strangely, ARC has reduced the input sensitivity by 2db, which may mean a little upward adjustment in my pre amp's volume pot.
my old amp's input impedance is 100k ohms and this new one is 150k ohms. I don't know exactly what this translates to, as my old amp matched my pre-amp pretty nicely.
OK..but you are not the one having the problem. I am simply suggesting that the problem of the OP may stem from an incorrect impedance setting in his phono stage relative to what his cartridge would prefer to see - hence the "mickey mouse" sound. Just a wild guess.
