Burn in. myth or not?

hi,
what are peoples opinions of burn in on kit and on how long it takes?
for me there are 2 possibilities.
1) it's real and kit does change it's sound from new. it could take days, weeks or months but there is a change.

2) there is no significant change in the sound. it's just the listener getting used to the new sound.

thoughts?
cheers


julian

 

Cue Tones to torpedo you newley floated thread Rear Admarial Julian, closely followed by second wave from U commander Wolfgang and pack Captain Pate H.

 

TBH, I have never noticed much difference between new and 'burnt in' kit. Although I can see how speakers might benefit from some run-in time.

 

I think it depends on the kit, if it has a lot of moving parts, speakers TT etc then I think it takes longer and matters more, I'm still divided on electronics, seems as long as they're warm then they sound doesn't seem to differ, I also think that there is some getting used to the kit, as well, when we start to hear the more subtle differences.

 

Predictably, (2) I reckon. Except cartridges, which seem to need a week or two to settle down. And tubes, which do take a little while to sound at their best (20 minutes or so on average from cold IME). Maybe speakers, although I remember an article somewhere (may have been HiFi Plush) where they measured a speaker before and after "burn in" and found no measurable difference at all.

-- Ian

 

So 1 and 2 then Ian ?

 

i saw the speaker piece in hf+. interesting as they used essentially the top half of the speakers i use and i could swear that they 'burnt in' over a period of a month or two.
possibly a combination of the 2? burn in from new for a week at most and then just familiarity afterwards?
cheers


julian

 

Not too sure myself. I think it matters to some extent. When my CDP came back from repair recently (it had suddenly stopped playing discs, but would still spin up), it initially sounded a little bit harsh. Left it on repeat for a day or so and it did seem to revert back to how I was used to.

However, everyone has different opinions on the subject, so I guess at the end of the day, it's down to an individual opinion and what your ears hear!

 

Well, having just spent 10 weeks observing differences on a daily basis in the sound since I installed new mains cable I firmly believe it exists. Cetainly I've heard similar changes with each new box or cable I've added.

I'm also fairly sure some people don't hear it probably because they listen to other aspects of the sound yet I know of a couple of people who claim to hear burn in with fuses.

 

Tom. you could be right - I changed speaker cable a few weeks back and it certainly has become more open and detailed as the weeks have progressed. To my ears, anyway

 

But speakers are mechanical, surely "burn in" only applies to electronic components.

 

I got a new CD player a week past Friday.... the sound has been changing ever since. Initially it was quite thin and bright, now much more depth to the sunstage and depth of tone. Its been on repeat for more or less a whole week, only began to sound 'right' on Thursday.

 

Naimie bollocks, cable burn-in, my arse.

 

I've never experienced any change in sound of any equipment with burn-in allthough I would accept that speakers might burn in as they are a mechanical moving device after all. My Dynaudios allegedly require 6 months of burn in...good job I got them s/h then

Since no true A/B test can ever be done (blind or not) to test burn in I find it even more suspect.

Michael.

 

I'd go for this one, would you believe...

AFAIK some speakers do exhibit (brief) physical run-in times, but the effect of the listener getting used to the new sound probably considerably outweighs any actual physical differences in most cases. And the temperature of, for example, the voice coils makes a difference too (although it's one I'd confess to never having heard myself) - that's warm-up rather than burn-in though presumably.

As to electronics getting burnt-in, well, I can't say I believe in that.

 

Both my old integrated and present CD player took nearly 2 months to burn in.

My replacement tweeters also took some time to bed in.
So I definitely believe in it.

 

Good ol' James! Couldn't have said it better myself (although I suspect that the disease is not restricted to permanently Naimed ones)! I can understand the need for preliminary bedding-in of moving mechanical parts, such as speaker cones and CD players, but I know of no scientific basis for non-moving electrical/electronic components and wires causing a change in sound with increasing use. I personally think it's the people themselves burning themselves in and getting used to the sound. I personally have never heard any difference in electronic components over time. Come to think of it, I've never heard any difference in CD players or speakers with time either (this being a non-audiophile is sooooo wonderful).

 

Those of you who accept that 'burn in' occurs, could you explain what actually burns in on a cd player and the 'special' power cord I bought for it for instance? Really interested in your thoughts

 

Yes, I'd be interested in that too!

Fuse burn-in? Now I've heard everything.

-- Ian

 

i.e. you don't think we can Well of course you're right, I can't. All I can say is that over a period of weeks I have found the sound varies and not always for the better. e.g. There has been consistent reporting that while burning in 6mm2 T&E mains cable the bass reduces significantly during weeks 4-5 before coming back with greater force at week 6. I can't prove it scientifically and there have been way too many arguments about what is being observed for me to rise to Bubs jibe, but surfice it to say I've heard enough from those with similar experiences to accept that burn in exists.

As I said earlier I'm quite happy to accept that nnot everyone hears it, I'm convinced that we do not hear/listen for the same qualities in sound/music. They are not deaf anymore than I am deluded.
:MILD: