I have been married for almost 11years - I think breaking- in is important period to be sure....but it is not true that it will always sound better afterwards. Most of the time, it is just the DENIAL. If it does not sound good in the first two or three days - it never will. Trade it !!!!
Mariusz |
Guys,
I have a pretty high end system and a pretty good ear and have been doing this for quite sometime. I consider myself a very critical listener and am not "just getting used to it". I have used my words carefully. I assure you the sound is/was unbearable. For the record, I have not experienced this at such drastic means before. |
In my experience break-in can be quite dramatic and disheartening. Unlistenable to amazing in about 25-50 hours of run time. Certainly not the hundreds of hours you have experienced. Subtle changes/improvements over the next 100-200 hours.
Chuck |
I agree with much of what Dodgealum is saying. I do believe in burn in time, as I have heard subtle, but meaningful change occur over time. However, in the case of the ridiculously long burn in times mentioned here, I'm more inclined to believe that it is simply your ears adapting to the sound than the sound of the cd player changing.
I also agree that "unbearable" sounds a bit harsh, especially for a $7K cd player. I am not a fan of Esoteric players, but I would not say they sound unbearable. They have there strengths, dynamics, power, details, and in the right system I'm sure some will love them. I do prefer a more musically involving, richer and dimensional sound from my digital source, which is why the Esoteric's are not for me. However, I think "unbearable" is a bit melodramatic.
Cheers,
John |
I'm trying to keep an open mind here but I'm really having difficulty believing that a $7K cd player can sound "unbearable" regardless of how many hours of break in. These kind of statements simply baffle me. In my experience, break in results in a subtle change in the sound that a lay person would never even notice. When those of us who have been at this for a while and know our systems well put on our "analytical ears" we can discern these subtle changes. Again, I could be wrong since I have not had a chance to hear my player yet but if mine sounds "unbearable" with the first CD it is going back to the dealer. I have another concern--that people unwittingly use break in time to grow accustom to bad sounding equipment. They want to believe the piece they bought sounds good and so over time it begins to but instead their ears just get used to the sound they are hearing (which they accept) rather than the sound of the equipment actually improving. This is why I have a rule when I demo speakers--I listen to about 30 seconds of a very familiar cut. If it sounds "wrong", I'm done. (Sometimes I will then listen for another half hour or so just to try and learn something). If it sounds "right" I settle in for an extended session of analytical listening. If I don't do this what can happen is I start convincing myself that the speaker that sounds "wrong" may actually sound better than I originally thought. In other words, my ears begin to adjust to the sound and it becomes more acceptable. |
Dodgealum, I have contacted a few Esoteric X03-SE owners as I was very concerned that there was something wrong with my player. The few I spoke with are in the same boat, one at 250 hours found player unbearable (I could not listen to mine) and two told me that it took 800 hours and they were shocked that it was even better after 1,000 hours. Please let me know your thoughts. |
try a stock (inexpensive) belden power cord. i had a levinson 383 integrated amplifier and added an aftermarket cord, which resulted in a sound that was too bright (although it did add a bit more definition). when i put the stock cord back onto the amp it sounded alot more "relaxed". the amp was expensive and i was greatly relieved and left well enough alone. |
Cerrot,
I had the same experience as you with this player. In addition to the issues you mention, my demo unit had an exceptionally loud transport during play (heard from listening area during play in a dedicated audio space). It was returned.
It may have been a faulty unit. I also wonder if those who purchase the unit get hung up on the "apparent" good build of the unit and therefore never really "hear" the unit.
YMMV. |
My take would be that I doubt it would be the Tara Labs cables causing this 'sting' on female vocals, more likely the Esoteric. I've owned a couple Esoteric units, and listened to a few more. That seems to be their house sound. Very dynamic, powerful and detailed, but not the richest or smoothest player out there. Esoteric will have it's fans, as do all components and cables. I'm not saying they are not good, but I know that they are not my cup of tea.
Who knows though, maybe with another 800-1000 hours you will adapt to the sound.
FWIW, I do believe in burn in, and more so than Dodgealum does I guess. I think that 100-200 hours will get you 95% of the way there though. Especially if you spend some of that time running the Ayre/Cardas burn in cd.
Cheers,
John |
I will be very interested to hear what others report. I just unboxed my X-03SE and, once my speakers arrive, the listening will begin. I have to say that I find your experience perplexing. I do not dispute that equipment will improve in sound as it is "run in". In my experience some equipment, loudspeakers for example, require more break in time than other components. However, the number of hours you report seems VERY extreme, as does the really poor reported performance of the unit during the early break in stage. Although I may end up eating my words once I get mine fired up, it seems to me that 5-10 hours should bring any component (other than speakers) to around 90-95% of its performance capability. The last 5-10% occurs gradually over time and is sonically pretty indistinguishable from what is achieved in the first 5-10 hours. I've found this to be the case with wire as well as electronics (again, not speakers, whose dynamic drivers do require some limbering up). I hate to suggest this but if I were in your shoes I would be investigating whether your machine may have been damaged during shipping, perhaps due to exposure. Your dealers claim doesn't really mean too much since he has little interest in disabusing you of the notion that the player needs more break in time to reach its potential. I may get bashed here but I have to say that if, after 500 hours, the player doesn't sound right there is either something wrong with it or there is a problem elsewhere in the signal chain. I'll report back after I get mine up and running and if I end up experiencing something similar I'll fess up and take my lumps. |
Break in is a fact on electronics and speakers, but whether it has broken in and is now sounding optimum, or still has some way to go, depends IMHO on whether you have ever heard one operating under optimum conditions and are comparing it to that experience. What you are now experiencing may be the units optimum performance but your components just lack synergy in getting you to where you want to go. It may be that Tara Lab IC's might not be the best match (for you), or for that matter, your pre-amp or amps.
FWIW. |
