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

Ozzy, Purely anecdotal. cbrents, I worked in three dealers selling very high end stuff and for the most part we treated our customers like children. Which does not mean we didn't bend over backwards for them just that our explanations to smooth over issues was anything but scientific. So in part we were probably responsible for several popular myths. My favorite was telling new Acoustat owners that you had to keep them plugged in for two weeks to let the charges settle down on the diaphragm any time they were discharged. How fast do electrons travel?
geoffkait, my wife does all that. She gets me to cook for her that way. She has not managed to get me to vacuum yet.

Near as I can tell the whole break-in thing goes back to horses. Wild horses do not particularly care to be ridden. We say they are spirited. You have to break their will. You have to break them. If anyone knows about anything further back than that let me know.

Then you think there's a debate with amps? Try Porsches! The factory has a recommendation, and for many the factory is sacrosanct. Even when they learn the factory says different things in different countries about the exact same car! 

The truth turns out to be the one thing that really needs it is piston rings. Only full throttle loads very early on (from the first few miles) are capable of properly seating the rings. Which knowing that isn't it interesting Synergistic Research gets big improvement using a Tesla coil to zap a million volts through their brand new cables?

But do you think any manufacturer is gonna tell their customers to do that? Warm it up, run it to redline, as hard and as often as you can. Run a million volts through it. Yeah. Right.

No. They are gonna say baby it. They are gonna say it takes hundreds of hours. Because by then, in both cases, you are gonna get used to it. Whatever "it" is. 

No. They are gonna say baby it. They are gonna say it takes hundreds of hours. Because by then, in both cases, you are gonna get used to it. Whatever "it" is.

This is why break-in of audio gear is about returns. 

mijostyn,

Doesn’t sound like you were a very good salesman to treat people with such disrespect.

ozzy

My Class D amps take about 48-72 hours to warm up. I don't know why.


All that needs to happen is for them to be off overnight, and I have to wait for them to sound their best, so I leave them on, but not playing.


To me, this would suggest it isn't a matter of break-in as much as warm up.


My current warm-running linear integrated on the other hand sounds great as soon as the music starts.