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proper burn in for cd player

I recently purchased a Denon 5910 universal player with Hot Rod Audio modifications about a month ago. The thing sounded great out of the box compared to the player that I had before. I was told it will only get better with burn in time. I have been listening to the player with my favorite music about two to three hours a day. It does sound smoother than when I received it.

I was wondering if there was a commonly used method for burning in a player? I see burn in cds advertised, but I don't really understand the process.

Thank you for any help on this subject.
kevine
12 responses Add your response
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
This has been discussed many times on Audiogon. There are those that believe in it and those that don't.

Simply from an engineering design perspective, a drift in response over time is an undesirable drawback in a high quality audio component. Most equipment manufacturers will try to make their designs reliable and stable under a variety of operating conditions including temperature, load and over time.
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jgiacalo
446 posts
 
I don't understand the process either but it does seem to yield improvement although it takes anywhere from 50 -100 hours. Easiest way is to use a cd with a wide dynamic range and put it on repeat. Let it run day and night - low volume is OK - for 2-5 days. You'll hear the difference.
armstrod
612 posts
 
Low volume? If we're talking about burning in the CD player only, why does your amp even need to be on? How would the CD player know the difference?
rtilbury
39 posts
 
I think there is something to burn-in. I bought a brand new onix 88 player and thought it sounded way to lean when I first put it in my system. My older yamaha I thought sounded better. After about a week of leaving it on, it settled in and really is a great sounding player now.

Also your ears need to get adjusted to the sound...
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Armstrod,

Ever tried using a vaccuum cleaner with the air intake plugged?

Of course the amp needs to be on, or else the flow of electrons inside the CD player will be trapped, which can be very bad unless you loosen the screws on the CD player lid to allow electron pressure to dissipate.

LOL ;-)
mapleleafs3
190 posts
 
The Cd Player needs to be plugged on a seperate circuit from your pre amp. after 48 hours its as good as it gets, allways leave it turned on.
kevine OP
38 posts
 
Thanks for the responses. I think I will try leaving the player on repeat mode at a low volume with the amps on--at least through the weekend. I was also wondering if there is anything to those so-called burn-in discs. Are they designed more for the other equipment in your system?
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warrenh
2,299 posts
 
There is something to burn in, but I don't understand it. Leave your cdp on all the time, and you don't have to keep the amp on to do burn in. One has nothing to do with the other. Every player is different, of course, so be confident with what your ears tell you. My tympanics usually find that 100 hours, tops, works best. I haven't shut my Prima off in three years. fwiw, warrenm
kevine OP
38 posts
 
Two of you have responded with the recommendation of leaving the player on all of the time. I'll give it a try. Thanks for the input.
pjl2122
83 posts
 
I have sold Audio for over 30 years .A cd player ,or seperates can take up to 300 hours in some cases especially
if you have Black Gate caps ,or Relcaps for example .
I allways just put the cdp on repeat and let it fly .the pre or amp need not be on!
gbmcleod
456 posts
 

Capacitors take time to burn in, as do resistors. Also, copper wiring. This has been known since High End components were made, particularly in the 1980s, when High End components proliferated.

 

Just put the CD player on repeat 24/7. No need to have sound on; you're not burning in the amp or the interconnects, only the internal circuits in the component itself. If it were wiring, or an amp, speaker cable or speakers, you would need to have signal going thru it at around 70db or so. How long it takes is something you would inquire of the designer.

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