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Speaker Burn In?

Many components including speakers are said to require burn in of some period of time before they will reach their peak performance. Speakers like Magnepan are notorious for long burn in periods. Even cables are said to require burn in. Now I an faced with a set of speakers that need upwards of 240 hours burn in before they will 'open up' and play their best.

When faced with a required burn in how to yo do that burn it? Do you simply let it run it's course of time during your normal playback schedule or do you run the system 24/7 until the required time has been met? Are there other methods that can be used? Is their an accepted preferred method? And does the volume being played for burn in have an impact? Do higher volumes 'drive' the component harder and therefore provide a better burn in or to moderate or low volumes achieve the same goal?

In the past I have simply ignored the burn in as an effort and allowed the time to occur 'naturally' during my normal playback times. But with my last several components I have been more mindful of burn in and the recommended hours to optimum performance. Right now I am burning in a pair of speakers. I am about 40 hours in on non-stop playback. My normal listening level is from 72 to 81 on my system. When I leave the house or go to bed I drop the volume to 60 to 63. It is audible and in fact at this early time (3:40 AM) locally it even seems a little loud. How do you deal with this process?

Important process or waste of time thinking about it?
mwheelerk
xti16
1,525 posts
 
01-01-12: Polk432
You may as well just play them. Always make the dealer burn them in first so you can hear them at their best, otherwise they probably already do, and the dealer made an easy sale. There is too much bullshit regarding speaker and wire burn in. 24 hours is enough. You will only THINK they sound better by waiting. I've had dealers mad at me for having them take the time to burn the speakers in, so that way they had no excuses if I didn't like the sound. My money is worth more that their time...because.... it is money that has been worked for and saved in advance. Not money they haven't earned yet, so don't let the dealer tell you you're wasting his time. That's what they're there for. Just play the speakers. No need to run pink noise or run one speaker out of phase. If they do not sound good after 24 hours, (I don't care how expensive they are) they will do your ears no good. Happy listening
I have to disagree with this statement regarding the time of burn-in. It may be true with some brands but I have survived 3 pair of Dynaudio C1 burn-in. My first pair I was not happy with the finish and after 450 hrs Dynaudio got me replacements. The 3rd pair was upgrading from the originals to the Signatures. Out of the box they are 90% of burned in ones BUT between 100 and 200 hrs they were just horrible. Honky/shouty mids - muddy lows and extremely bright highs. At around 350hrs they settled down and are doing my ears good :). That being said when I got the Signatures I borrowed my son's 'lesser resolving system' after 50hrs because I could blame the horrible sound time on that (hehe)

If you are impatient like me go for 7/24 otherwise just listen.
timlub
2,039 posts
 
I have built alot of speakers, my experience is that if drivers have larger coils and heavy suspensions, they do take longer to break in. You have to loosen that suspension and before they can reach their potential. Most Dyns have 3" coils in the 6" drivers are larger, these drivers take much more time than a speaker with a 10" woofer with a 1 1/2 coil, a mid with a one inch coil and a dome. I am currently using an MTM with 2 HiVi D6.8(same driver as a Totem Forest). When I first fired these up, I was very concerned, Weak bass, huge mid range glare... After about 40 hours the transformation started, by 100 hours I could listen to them, but not until around 400 hours did they finally totally blossem. These are now one of the best speakers I have ever owned.
I have seen speakers with lighter suspensions sound pretty dog on good in 100 hours or so... It clearly varies by speaker.
Set em up and let em play as much as you can. The enjoyment will improve and improve.
tan43
128 posts
 
I have three pair of speakers that I swap out now and then. Each time I do I have to let them play for a few days before they sound right. To me speakers sound right when they completely disappear. All of these speakers have many hours of play on them. I also have two digital and one analog front end. When I switch from one to another they also have to play awhile, but only maybe an hour or so.
I guess everything has to burn in, but still need to warm up before you can judge them. I just turn on cable radio to let mine warm up.
polk432
1,142 posts
 
Xti16. The point I am trying to make is that you may not like the speakers after you take all that time to burn them in, and it may be too late to get a refund. Better safe than sorry. Linn Katans (sound good to me) take up to 600 hours to burn in? I ain't buyin' that.
tmsorosk
1,013 posts
 
Although most speakers require run in time to smooth out, there sonic signature will remain the same. So what you hear when new will still be there later.
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