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Raven Audio Nighthawk Break in time period

We've all heard opinions about break in time for amps, tubes, speakers, cables, etc. Depending on item, I've heard differences where one sweet evening everything just seems to transcend the sum of the parts. The first day I hooked up my new Nighthawk I knew I clearly heard big improvements. Nevertheless, my wife said from the kitchen , "It sounds about the same to me!" Yesterday, after a week plus of hours of spinning discs, my wife shouted from her office, "Wow! It sounds like he's right in the living room.!" The jazz bass guitar was special but something had clearly happened. The tenor of the instrument was real. edgy, grainy in a live sort of way. A profound realism I'd never heard in my system before. (Neither had my wife) I played her favorite Pink Martini album and she had both goose bumps and tears in her eyes. She said, "I don't know how it can sound so much better!" For all those who have to pass audiophile upgrades pass your 'financial advisor' (i.e. wife) this upgrade at a little over $3000 was a big hit once home. No regrets and no negative after purchase sarcasm. Refreshing difference! 
allears4u
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allears4u OP
135 posts
 
I appreciate the high fives. If we all get quarantined with Covid-19 I have 1000 CD's to review. That's one thing I especially like about getting an system upgrade of this magnitude...its like hearing my favorite music freshly again. And even better with this set up, tube rolling opens up new horizons anytime I want!  
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
No regrets and no negative after purchase sarcasm. Refreshing difference!

That's the way its supposed to go. That's the way it always has gone for me for many years now. That's the way it always will go for as long as you continue to do your research well and select well. As I have said over and over again, if its good it will be good right out of the box and then only get better. If its not then it goes right back in the box. Its that simple. 

The changes you describe are the same as I have heard from so many different things over so many years the unavoidable conclusion is everything goes through the same or at least very similar evolution as it burns in. At first the sound is deeper, more liquid, and spacious. It may also be more dynamic but usually in a funny softened sort of way. You have the distinct impression of looking at a truly superb image, and yet are a bit frustrated, kind of like the way Playboy used that soft focus back in the day. Then over time the softness goes away revealing more and more levels of detail- but detail in a very liquid natural way not at all like the grain and etch that so many lesser components try and pass off as detail. 

Or as you so eloquently put it:
The tenor of the instrument was real. edgy, grainy in a live sort of way. A profound realism I'd never heard in my system before.

You scored a winner. This is what it feels like to grab the brass ring. Congratulations. 
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