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How much does volume matter when breaking in amps and cables?

I'm not here to debate break-in. I generally leave new amps, components, and new cables playing low volume for a for long periods to start the break in process. Just curious how much does volume play a role in breaking in such. I get that speakers probably need pretty good amounts to push drivers, but what about other components?


aberyclark
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
If they don’t believe in fuses, power cords or wire directionality who needs em? End of story. Call it Old School or stick in the mud, whatever. You’re a lot better at name dropping than I am, so you get A+ for that. 🤗
teo_audio
2,197 posts
 
If you want to do the same thing for no cost take a 12-24 volt AC wall wart, cut off the plug and go to it on your cables. Its going to do the same thing
...Sort of....

What happens in that case, is there ends up being an approximate 60hz-sh lumpiness to the sound, for about 100hrs. Typical break-in scenarios...
ramtubes's avatar
ramtubes
460 posts
 
If black holes were real why weren’t they discovered in the 1950’s?

If gravity waves were real why weren’t they discovered in the 1950’s?


I don’t think these analogies are at all apt to the situation. Audiophiles were dedicated listeners in the 1950’s and more technically knowledgable than most are now. People built their own amps, technical articles had "meat" not fluff. Read "Audio" reprints from the 1950s.

We needed the Hubble and other things to find black holes. We needed nothing but our ears to hear break-in in the 1950s. Audiophiles weren't as gullable then. They demanded real stuff, real advances and they didn't spend money like it was water back then. This hobby has really gotten so out of hand it sickens me.
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
@ramtubes  Here's hopin' you feel better soon! 👨🏼‍⚕️
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 

Who needs David Hafler, Peter Walker, Sid Smith, Bill Johnson, Frank Van Alstine, Ralph Karsten, Tim deParavicini, Nelson Pass, Roger Modjeski, and all the other Hi-Fi electronic designers? Uh, anyone who wants and/or needs electronics for the reproduction of music. You know, those who want a real Hi-Fi. If designing Hi-Fi electronics were left to audiophiles, almost all of us would be out-of-luck. For any audiophile who wants to build his own amp, Modjeski teaches a class in Berkeley, wherein he helps you realize your design idea. You are free to use any parts or fuses you like. ;-)

The above names don’t need to be dropped, the sound quality of their designs speak for their abilities. I’ve never heard one of them claim to work at any organization they actually didn’t (talk about name dropping and appeal-to-authority!), or to shamelessly boast about their products. They don’t need to, the sonic benefits of them are audible for all to hear. All that actually bother to audition them, of course. Some don’t feel a need to listen to those not containing "magic" parts. Now THAT’S a skeptic. ;-)

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