Speaker Asylum

General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

Return to Speaker Asylum

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

Is it speaker "break-in" or "listener acclimatization" ? Or, a combo of both things ?

72.36.1.26
Posted on August 20, 2021 at 10:17:29
peppy m.
Audiophile

Posts: 2242
Joined: February 19, 2021
 Having "broken in" a several new and different speakers over the years, I keep on wondering if my ears might have always been doing more "breaking in" than any pair of speakers I've owned has ever done.

Part of the reason I wonder so ?

Well, for example:

When I switch out some "revealing" sounding speakers (ones that I have been listening to for a long time) for some "mellow" sounding ones, the replacements can sound completely wrong. to me. But only for a time. Once I get used to hearing those "mellow" sounding replacements for a while and switch back to the "revealing" ones again ? Then those "revealing" speakers can sound wrong - but once again, only for a while...

The moral of the story ?

It might be very important to give any new pair of speakers a long, extended listen before passing judgment on their *relative sound quality*. Because, after all, the fly in the audiophile ointment might very well be OUR OWN EARS - once again.

What Think Ye ?

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
A bit of both, posted on August 20, 2021 at 11:24:40
Brian H P
Audiophile

Posts: 1291
Location: Oregon
Joined: December 18, 2012
 Any mechanical system with flexible elements will limber up with use over an initial period. Think new pair of shoes -- stiff and uncomfortable at first, becoming more comfortable after you've walked around in them for a while. Woofers the same way. The suspension elements (surround and spider) will limber up a bit, resulting in a small but measurable increase in Vas, and maybe a lowering of Fs by a few Hertz. You might find subjectively that the sound becomes a shade more "relaxed." At least the speakers won't give you blisters before that happens.

And of course your ear/brain system needs a little time to adapt to a change in presentation after you've become accustomed to a particular sonic palette. The greater the difference between two pairs of speakers (or amplifiers, or phono cartridges, or whatever), the longer it may take to re-adjust your expectations.

 

RE: Is it speaker "break-in" or "listener acclimatization" ? Or, a combo of both things ?, posted on August 20, 2021 at 12:17:27
Story
Audiophile

Posts: 10458
Location: NJ
Joined: December 11, 2000
 people say they hear differences in the entire system depending on the time of day. Why? There have already been books and posts and website data written on this. How you manage your hearing every day and even what time of day matters.

The only real reference you have in a true sense of the word is a musical instrument played by someone else in your room. Everything else is a shot in the dark and a bit of good or bad fortune thrown in.



 

I either like them Immediately or there is no Hope ! ............nt, posted on August 20, 2021 at 14:51:47
Cut-Throat
Audiophile

Posts: 18286
Location: Minneapolis - St.Paul Area
Joined: September 2, 2000
Contributor
  Since: May 16, 2021
 nt



 

Yes but it's not what you would think, posted on August 20, 2021 at 16:36:29
airtime
Audiophile

Posts: 11287
Location: Arizona
Joined: February 4, 2003
 Back in the 90's I built about 5 or 6 Dynaco A25 speakers using new drivers. So I had a unique way of learning about break in.

All of them sounded the same for the first 10 hours. But over that time what I did notice was both ends of the frequency response became a little stronger. The tones were there but improved with break in.

Now do I believe that magic is going to happen - NO. You will know from the first minute you're listening to those speakers if they are going to work out.

 

RE: Is it speaker "break-in" or "listener acclimatization" ? Or, a combo of both things ?, posted on August 20, 2021 at 20:05:30
George S. Roland
Audiophile

Posts: 1470
Location: N W Pennsylvania
Joined: March 20, 2004
 Both break-in and hearing adjustments account for what you're experiencing. And it certainly mirrors my experience. I have owned about 15 pairs of speakers in my day. Several were purchased new, others bought used, and, presumably, broken in.
I recently bought a set of North Creek crossovers for my B&W Matrix 801 II speakers. George Short, their maker, sent me a description of what changes I would notice in the sound after 100 hours, 300 hours and so on. Everything he said was dead-on accurate and easily audible.
No audition in a store or another's listening space will give you an accurate sense of what you will hear with your gear in your space.
And, yes, I have found that I need to listen to new components for at least two weeks before I get a really good sense of what's really going on. First impressions can be dramatic and exciting, but need to be tempered with some time living with the speakers.
Heck, I find my hearing varies a bit from day to day.
Enjoy your music and don't worry. Things will sort themselves out over time.

 

RE: Is it speaker "break-in" or "listener acclimatization" ? Or, a combo of both things ?, posted on August 21, 2021 at 05:56:21
Steve.
Audiophile

Posts: 250
Location: East Coast
Joined: July 2, 2007
 I think its more acclimation, tweaking the position etc......

 

I will go with both, posted on August 25, 2021 at 04:36:45
Hyfi
Audiophile

Posts: 733
Joined: January 30, 2002
 I took delivery of a pair of Fyne Audio F502SPs in January. They didn't sound anything like the demo pair out of the box. They changed back and forth both good and bad, before settling in. I never had a pair of speakers with this much detail and clarity or accurate bass. My previous speakers were Clearfield Continentals, wonderful mids and clear and a pair of Dynaudio 82s, lots of bass but lacking the top. I searched for speakers that excelled in both places but did have to get used to a whole new sound. After 6 months, I am very used to them and they definitely did change from out of the box for the better.

 

Page processed in 0.023 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]