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Burn in vs perception

Posting here in speakers, but could probably go in any of the forums. Question of the night: how much of burn in of components is actually burn in of our perception? That is, is burn in partly us becoming accustomed to a change in sound.
 

I’m listening to my SF Amati Traditions that at first I found a bit strident, but I now find lush, dynamic, and generally brilliant. I bought them as 1-year old demos so theoretically they should have been played enough to be broken in. I haven’t changed anything in my system—I have been working on my room with more stuff, but that’s it.

Sometimes reviewers or arm chair audiophiles (me) will state that said component needs to be plugged in and left alone for weeks until it gels with the system. Could this simply be our own perception burn in OR is something real happening here?

For speakers I can buy it (woofers need to loosen up and all), but I almost always buy used, and I almost alway a) find a difference of a new component (good or bad), and b) in time, I couldn’t tell you what the change was. Maybe just me, but our brains are pretty good level setters.

I willing to bet this can be a large part of “burn in”.

 

 

w123ale
1971gto455ho's avatar
1971gto455ho
525 posts
 

So add it up burn in is bogus this time… yay !  Over and over it goes, on and on for ever. Like some I’ve been at it for 50 ish years but fortunately I didn’t get sucked into the crap part of the audio world. 

w123ale OP
108 posts
 

Interesting insights. I’d agree that there is a difference between extended warm-up and burn in. I find my tube pre (c2300) is improves after half hr or so and my DAC (Weiss) settles in after an hr. Burn in I have only experienced with speakers and tubes. I do feel the 300 hr burn in recommendations for cables and such seems dubious—can we really tell the difference after weeks of listening? If I’m a/b testing, subtle changes can be difficult to perceive after five minutes. How much of changes we hear with time have to do with our own moods, ambient noise, etc.

jhnnrrs
117 posts
 

Audiophile: 

   "So I've done what was recommended and let this cable burn in for 300 hours, but it still sounds the same.  I'd like to return it for a refund."

Salesman:

   "I'm sorry but the return for refund period has lapsed.  I'd be happy to buy them back from you for say, 10 cents on the dollar?"

 

ghdprentice
7,536 posts
 

Tube burn in tends to be very short in comparison to the solid state components and wires. Ten to twenty hours for tubes. 

johnfritter
64 posts
 

I won't argue as I am but a simple idiot. 

I will say this though. If anyone really wants an answer to this. I found it amazingly simple. Build yourself a headphone amp. Say something simple like a Bottlehead Crack. If you don't notice a huge night and day type difference from hour 1 and hour 20. I don't know what to say. I will never say I have a great ear. I can hear but also have some hearing issues. 

After that experience I no longer argue. In my experience I can't deny, it is real. 

Cheers.

J.F.

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