how long does it take to break in speakers?

[Jeff R.]

I would explain speaker break in as simply how long it takes to get used to the sound that is produced.


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[Anieba]

I'm pretty positive I wasn't imagining anything. Something definitely changed in reality, wether it be something in my brain or in the speaker.

 

[TLS Guy]

i just got a pair of ascend sierra 1's and a hsu vf2 mk4!!! so fawking stokedddd

I tried searching break-in time on previous posts but didn't have much luck, except that one guy said that break-in is only in your own mind. it makes sense to me that break-in is a real physical thing though, but yeah what do you guys think?

It takes as long as it takes to play the first note.

Breaking in, is just you getting used to tolerating the speaker's faults.

 

[theJman]

In the case of break in, I do believe there is some sort of mechanical break in, but that it is NOT so much that it is easily or meaningfully audible.

So you're disagreeing with me, yet conceding there actually is a break in?

Ironically you're doing exactly what I did too; simply providing an opinion. All I can relate is what my own experience has been, which is that every speaker and subwoofer I've evaluated had a break-in period. Our experiences differ obviously, but that's the extent of it really. There's no science experiment capable of proving either vantage point right or wrong.

 

[Swerd]

… Our experiences differ obviously, but that's the extent of it really. There's no science experiment capable of proving either vantage point right or wrong.

It has been demonstrated repeatedly by amateur and professional speaker builders that a small and measurable amount of mechanical change does occur in loudspeakers as they are first used, and that no audible changes occur as a result of that process.

If speakers do audibly change during the first hours of use, how could speaker designers select cabinet dimensions for proper bass tuning or design a properly functioning crossover?

I think mechanical break-in of speakers is a myth spread by marketing deptartments interested in preventing returns of products they sold.

 

[lsiberian]

The time it takes to open your favorite beverage and put in your favorite movie.

 

[theJman]

It has been demonstrated repeatedly by amateur and professional speaker builders that a small and measurable amount of mechanical change does occur in loudspeakers as they are first used, and that no audible changes occur as a result of that process.

If speakers do audibly change during the first hours of use, how could speaker designers select cabinet dimensions for proper bass tuning or design a properly functioning crossover?

I think mechanical break-in of speakers is a myth spread by marketing deptartments interested in preventing returns of products they sold.

Industry luminaries such as Brian Ding, Ed Mullen and Tom Vodhanel have all posted about the audible changes in their respective products once they've been broken in. Every one of those guys have probably forgotten more than any of us even know, so I'll stick with what they're saying myself.

 

[theJman]

The time it takes to open your favorite beverage and put in your favorite movie.

Game, set and match!

 

[Swerd]

Industry luminaries such as Brian Ding, Ed Mullen and Tom Vodhanel have all posted about the audible changes in their respective products once they've been broken in. Every one of those guys have probably forgotten more than any of us even know, so I'll stick with what they're saying myself.

The larger the corporation, the more influence the marketing guys have compared to the designers. Is that the case with any of those three you named? Such statements can't be considered a scientific conclusion without ruling out other corporate interests.

This is a simple answer to OP's question about break-in. Break-in has not been demonstrated to generate significant or audible changes in loudspeakers.

You are free to believe whatever you like about speaker break-in, but there is plenty of science available on the subject. And it leads to conclusions different than yours.

 

[jinjuku]

There is no way to break in speakers. Just use them and by stint of use the will be 'broken in'. No need to burn in cables. By stint of use they will be 'burned in'.

We aren't talking about a brand new car engine here.

 

[jinjuku]

So you're disagreeing with me, yet conceding there actually is a break in?

Ironically you're doing exactly what I did too; simply providing an opinion. All I can relate is what my own experience has been, which is that every speaker and subwoofer I've evaluated had a break-in period. Our experiences differ obviously, but that's the extent of it really. There's no science experiment capable of proving either vantage point right or wrong.

Lets look at all the aspects of a driver:

Suspension (both mechanical and electrical). The Voice coil. What else is there to break in? Once the VC is at temp it's at temp. Once the speaker is traveling through it's stroke it's traveled through it's stroke.

There is nothing special you have to do with a speaker or cable. Just use the thing eventually it will be 'broken in' if that is your desire. No need for pink noise for 40 hours. That is just patently ludicrous.

I have a bet for you: I'll build a high quality set of speakers. I'll pink noise one for 40 hours, and pink noise another for 1 hour. You tell me which is the 'Broken In' speaker and you can have them. 9 out of 10 coin flips.

 

[Irvrobinson]

We aren't talking about a brand new car engine here.

Which for normal street use with modern engines has only a little more basis in fact than speaker break-in. One nice thing about cars is that there's just as much marketing nonsense as in audio, so one can feel at home in both hobbies.

 

[jinjuku]

Which for normal street use with modern engines has only a little more basis in fact than speaker break-in. One nice thing about cars is that there's just as much marketing nonsense as in audio, so one can feel at home in both hobbies.

Agreed. My last new car (99) they had a break in procedure: Drive it normally for 2500 miles. That means don't do any dumb stuff (redline the engine etc).

 

[Anieba]

Could the new, "stiff" suspension not be hampering the movement of the cone to where it makes an audible difference once the suspension is broken in? Maybe some people cant hear it (which may be why there is always a great debate).

 

[Irvrobinson]

Agreed. My last new car (99) they had a break in procedure: Drive it normally for 2500 miles. That means don't do any dumb stuff (redline the engine etc).

See, that's the funny thing, after a few hundred miles, occasionally pushing the engine to just below redline is a good thing, because it scuffs the cylinder walls to the highest normal point of travel early on, rather than establishing a wear pattern that doesn't include the forces from high RPM. And the things they tell you not to do during break-in, like drive for hours at a constant RPM, are really not so good for your engine anytime during its life.

Then there's the synthetic oil myth (you can't properly seat the rings during break-in with synthetic oil), the clearcoat paint myth, various wax myths (these are my favorites), the oil additive myth, the gasoline additive myth, the lifetime coolant myth, the lifetime lubricant myth... you know, perhaps there are more auto myths than audio myths.

 

[jinjuku]

Could the new, "stiff" suspension not be hampering the movement of the cone to where it makes an audible difference once the suspension is broken in? Maybe some people cant hear it (which may be why there is always a great debate).

I'll agree with the people that say speakers sound better after 'break in' when they can pick the 40 hours of play through vs the 1 hour. Until then they can shut the heck up.

 

[Pyrrho]

Industry luminaries such as Brian Ding, Ed Mullen and Tom Vodhanel have all posted about the audible changes in their respective products once they've been broken in. Every one of those guys have probably forgotten more than any of us even know, so I'll stick with what they're saying myself.

What you are doing is committing the logical fallacy known as "appeal to authority."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority

 

[j_garcia]

See, that's the funny thing, after a few hundred miles, occasionally pushing the engine to just below redline is a good thing, because it scuffs the cylinder walls to the highest normal point of travel early on, rather than establishing a wear pattern that doesn't include the forces from high RPM. And the things they tell you not to do during break-in, like drive for hours at a constant RPM, are really not so good for your engine anytime during its life.

There are specific methods for breaking in a new motor because there is a definite reason for it, and it is proven to work and yield results long term. There is NO proven method for breaking in a speaker. I've heard a LOT of ridiculous things, rarely the same thing, and never any evidence of them actually providing any benefit or even a reason why there could be a benefit.

I just bought my pair of FS52s on Tues and they are still sitting in the boxes. Going to hook them up tonight and see how they sound. I will then report back over hours and days as to the "broken in-ness" of them. I can tell you right now, my Carnegies don't sound different today than when I first fired them up a few months back and that's just fine with me.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...

I just bought my pair of FS52s on Tues and they are still sitting in the boxes. Going to hook them up tonight and see how they sound. I will then report back over hours and days as to the "broken in-ness" of them. ...

What you really should do is just play one speaker for however long you can stand not hooking up the other, , and when it is unbearable anymore compare the new and the used FS52s.

 

[j_garcia]

What you really should do is just play one speaker for however long you can stand not hooking up the other, , and when it is unbearable anymore compare the new and the used FS52s.

Either way, I am expecting a very short report.