Running in speakers?


After aborted attempts at securing a Bel Canto Dac1 purchase (see posts on Hellohifi debacle)to the UK. I decided to spend the money I didn't have on new(ex-dem) speakers-a lovely pair of Proac Studio 150's. After intially being blown away by a more 3d soundstage and plenty more detail I am now starting to note perhaps some of the harshness et the high end associated with these speakers before they run in-it's also acknowledged they take a long time to run in. Any tips on this? I live in a flat so extended periods (ie overnight)with the volume up isn't practicle. Does the volume level matter? Thanks in advance. Ben
bencampbella3c8
Yo'Ben.Just do what you can,given your circumstances.It will just take longer.No wine before its time.I too, live in a flat;also called an apt here. How long were they demo'ed? Seems like demo stuff should already be broken in,plenty.Stick them in a closet,covered with blankets,wired out of phase,facing each other,get a burn in cd,and good luck and good hang in there!
i'm not sure you will see an improvement with additional run-in but here's a tip (certainly not original): place your speakers face-to-face as closely as you can and run them out of phase (reverse cables at amp or speaker posts on 1 channel v. 2nd). this will allow you to play the speakers at relatively high levels with much less audible sound being produced. i recently broke in a pair of avalon eidolons, which also require 300-700 hrs. of play. i used the technique noted and also covered the speakers with thick, light quilts to further muffle them. they played continuosly for >400 hrs. with barry white: icon of love on cd repeat. this is a god-awful cd but has the best continuous low-level output of any disc i know (it's been used by my dealer/friend, who owns it, on several pairs of difficult-break-in transducers.) i don't envy the listening restrictions in your flat. my sound room is on the 1st floor (basement in us) while our bedrooms are on the 3rd; even with these distances, i had to turn down the volume on many a night during this tedious process!