Headphone break in?

I'm not familiar with the science of headphone drivers (or drivers generally), so I can't comment on 'burn-in' of the components. 

However, I think it's reasonable to say that the phenomenon of 'burn-in' involves a significant subjective aspect as well, that maybe is just as important as driver burn-in (if there is such a thing according to relevant experts). In my experience, headphones are like glasses (if you have multiple pairs, you know what I mean): the different lens shapes, maybe some lenses are polarized, some are slightly older prescription, etc. If you put them on one after another, they seem mildly different, but noticeably so. But once you wear them for about half an hour, you forget that they felt weird when you put them on. 

Headphones are similar. They each have their own sound signature to which you adjust or adapt your hearing, the way your eyes adjust to the lenses in your glasses. You learn how to listen to your headphones, and how to appreciate its strengths and how to reconcile yourself with its weaknesses. 

That's all to say that, I think 'burn-in' is just as much a matter of how we adjust ourselves to the hardware we have as it is a matter of that hardware going through a process of well-wearing.

@undefined 

Like all mechanical things (machines) speakers, headphones, and audio components "burn in" this means the settling of parts to the manufacturer's engineering standard. The same is true with a brand new car. 

I understand your opinions are humble, but that logic sounds very much like something an ASR minion would say.

That we are simply fooling ourselves in to hearing differences that are not real...

I'm not aware that I said anything like '..we are simply fooling ourselves into hearing differences that are not real.' Seems more like I set the objective aspect aside since, as I said, "I'm not familiar with the science of headphone drivers," and so obviously would have nothing illuminating to say regarding that side of things. 

To say that there is also another aspect of 'burn-in,' for the ordinary, non-engineer, that is subjective is not to deny that there is an objective component. That I refrained from saying anything about the objective aspect is not to be understood as my denying that there is an objective side.

I am a member of ASR, and of Head-fi, and TapeHeads. Not sure why being on ASR makes me an 'ASR minion,' rather than just someone who likes to browse different audio forums. Is there a mandate that there is to be no intermingling between them?

Thanks, though, for reminding me why I've not posted on here much lately. Good discussion.

@undefined 

Misunderstanding.

Didn't say you were a minion specifically.

Didn't call you out.

Just saying.

And you're welcome.

@mastering92 : Well said. I have nothing else to say, but reinforce what you already articulated.