There are some relevant comments in this thread, although nothing about volume: How to improve sound from Pinnacle BD-1000 plus A/V receiver?

I used to believe in speaker break-in, but after trying over several months (to no avail) to break in a pair of Infinity Primus P362's that initially, out of the box sounded too bright, I contacted Infinity's Sean Olive and asked him how much longer I should continue the process.

Here was his reply:

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As far as "breaking in" the loudspeakers, this should have no effect on the performance or sound quality of the speaker; unfortunately this one of the many audiophile myths that, in most cases, has little scientific merit. Of course, over time, you may perceive the speakers have changed or improved because you may have adapted to their sound. That is a psychological effect that is not related to any physical change to the loudspeaker itself.

Let me know if I can be of any more assistance. Thank you.

Dr. Sean E. Olive
Senior Manager of Acoustic Research
R&D Group
Harman International
8500 Balboa Blvd.
Northridge, CA, 91329
Tel: (818) 895-5776

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In the end, instead of recommending further break-in, Dr. Olive requested the speakers be returned to Infinity where they were tested, found to exhibit excessive brightness as I described, and adjusted/parts-replaced to match their reference unit.

Meanwhile, over at PSB, Paul Barton has conducted experiments on speaker break in and has found nearly no measurements to support the notion that driver performance changes over a typical "break-in" time period.

(if anyone here has any test and measurement data that point towards a break-in effect, I would love to see that data, and I mean that in a genuinely curious way, not a huffy "show me the data" way...)

So based on these two experts' opinions, I would say that break-in is not required.

However, if it makes you feel better, by all means break the speakers in. Try wiring one of the two speakers out of phase, placing them face-to-face, and then playing a mono source fairly loud for several days. Or alternatively play them at medium-loud level for roughly 72 hours (a long weekend) continuously.

Or just listen to them and enjoy the music, knowing that if they do change over the first few hours of play, such changes will probably be subtle and not likely to dramatically alter the tonal balance of the speakers enough to invalidate any initial impressions you may have had of the speakers. This has always been my personal experience with various makes of speaker, although I'm sure there are many in the forum who will attest to a much stronger break-in phenomenon (which I am not disputing, just questioning).

Happy listening!

The manual with my Paradigm speakers suggests that the sound will improve after 3-50 hours of play and I agree. I noticed that the speakers became warmer and deeper after being allowed to break in.

Why is that we have to break them in seperately. Just start listening to your music (as much as you can) at moderate volumes eventually it will break in. Is there anything wrong with this approach? Atleast this is what I did with my speakers.

I think that is what you're supposed to do is just listen. The speakers will break in with use.

A speakers sound certainly changes over time! The surrounds, and Spiders loosen up which leads to an increase in bass and dynamics and high frequencies become more extended and open over time. I worked with literally hundreds of new speakers and they all do it. Even Electrostatic drivers take time to break in which surprised me when I replaced the panels in my Martin Logan CLS speakers a couple of years ago.

The most dramatic break in will take place in the first 100 to 150 hours. I'd recommend playing orchestral music to help break them in because of it's deep bass, high frequency content, and dynamics. Leaving them play for a week or two while at work at a moderate volume level will do wonders.

Fascinating subject.

I've asked many designers that I've gotten to meet and almost all agree that break in occurs, and that when they design, they keep 'broken in' drivers on hand for designing use.

I have a pair of speakers that for a given day, start out sounding one way, then get it going on after about 20-40 minutes of use.

As they say, "Even my wife comments on it."

So, put me in the 'pro' break-in column on speaker break in.

Then, the question is, do they reach a steady state or do they continue to improve over even greater lengths of time.?

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Fascinating subject.
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Then, the question is, do they reach a steady state or do they continue to improve over even greater lengths of time.?

And, amazingly, they only get better, never worse.

Kal

I wonder if our notion of speaker break-in, focused as it is on mechanical exercising of driver materials, is flawed, or at least incomplete. I wonder how much of what we _might_ be hearing is due to electronic crossover break-in and warm-up, as well as transient interaction effects with the driving amplification?

Both factors could conceivably affect the frequency response of the speaker, especially at small time-scales.

What do other people think about break-in, both electrical and mechanical, in speakers as well as other hi-fi components?

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I wonder if our notion of speaker break-in, focused as it is on mechanical exercising of driver materials, is flawed, or at least incomplete. I wonder how much of what we _might_ be hearing is due to electronic crossover break-in and warm-up, as well as transient interaction effects with the driving amplification?

I personally think speaker break in is electrical AND mechanical. While some people don't believe that electronic parts break in almost everyone seems ready to believe the mechanical parts can break in. So I tend to talk more about it as a mechanical effect so that people will take it seriously, instead of thinking about it as just some "wacky audiophile thing" about which they do not need to worry.

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I wonder if our notion of speaker break-in, focused as it is on mechanical exercising of driver materials, is flawed, or at least incomplete. I wonder how much of what we _might_ be hearing is due to electronic crossover break-in and warm-up, as well as transient interaction effects with the driving amplification?

I personally think speaker break in is electrical AND mechanical. While some people don't believe that electronic parts break in almost everyone seems ready to believe the mechanical parts can break in. So I tend to talk more about it as a mechanical effect so that people will take it seriously, instead of thinking about it as just some "wacky audiophile thing" about which they do not need to worry.

And, as someone mentioned, they probably break us in, too.

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I wonder if our notion of speaker break-in, focused as it is on mechanical exercising of driver materials, is flawed, or at least incomplete. I wonder how much of what we _might_ be hearing is due to electronic crossover break-in and warm-up, as well as transient interaction effects with the driving amplification?

I personally think speaker break in is electrical AND mechanical. While some people don't believe that electronic parts break in almost everyone seems ready to believe the mechanical parts can break in. So I tend to talk more about it as a mechanical effect so that people will take it seriously, instead of thinking about it as just some "wacky audiophile thing" about which they do not need to worry.

I think that break in involves heat as much as anything. The materials need to get some heat-cool cycles to stabilize. Think of it like vulcanizing. Also, the voice coils in the speakers heat and cool, this changes the distances between the coils and the magnetic fields, changing the response of the drivers.

Heat will also change the values of electronic componets. An amp will change it's performance as it's transformers heat up. Or so it would seem.

Its typically the speaker's spider that needs breaking in. Apparently, some manufacturers may use a different type of spider material that requires essentially very little break in. Knowing this, its their chance to bad-mouth other brands that do need break in, by saying there should be no breaking-in. The various speakers I have bought new all sounded not good right out of the box. And, no.. its not about getting acclimated to the new sound. That is such a lie! I believe those manufacturers who claim that break in should not be needed are being sly in their marketing approach. Its to make their speakers look good, and the people who do not buy their speakers do not know how to hear. Return what you just bought quick and buy theirs that sound good out of the box,ploy. Just look here! (right click each link and open in new window, or you will be taken away from this page)

http://thestateofsound.net/2014/02/07/breaking-in-your-new-speakers/

http://www.eminence.com/2011/06/speaker-break-in/

Saying that we just get used to the sound is pure BS! Either that, or those who say there is no break-in period have systems sorely lacking in transparency. I am a musician and I know when something is in-tune and out of tune.

50 hours would be the bare minimum. OP will begin to hear the difference after 200 hours of break-in.

Alright, a five year old thread brought back to life just in time for Halloween!

And now that I'm here, think about this. A spider and surround that is designed to provide consistent performance for ten years or more, would change its properties in a matter of hours?

Itsy bitsy spider that lives in a spout...in a rainy part of the world...????

Now, has anybody seen that Muffette lady lately?
I'm hungry for curd & whey.....

Bill - on the Hill
Practicing Curmudgeon & Audio Snob
- just an “ON” switch, Please –

I saw the date of this post and wondered why there were not a lot more posts up here. I'm surprised that anyone would think that a speaker or any mechanical part would get to a place where it stops maturing. Not only does the speaker change within the first "breakin" period, but it also matures with age as well as changes every time you play it from a cold start up.

Speakers and all parts in audio change with humidity and with current changes in the system. With something as powerful as air pressure, mechanics and sound pressure our speakers are responding to constant change, just as a musical instrument does as it is played.

michael green
MGA/RoomTune

I can't absolutely deny that there may be changes on some level, but I have been unable to hear any if present. Is that a problem or a benefit?

But, anyone who has ever bought a new pair of Dynaudio speakers has probably landed in the "speakers do break-in" camp. Well, if they kept them past the 200 hour mark, anyway.

Read Wes Philips' review of the Focus 140. I laughed and nodded my head in agreement through the whole review.

http://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/506dynaudio/

Breaking in speakers and the theories behind it is a very fascinating subject. For the past hour I have read all kind of views and opinions and my opinion is that anything mechanical and something that moves may need a "running in" period of some description but for how long one should "run in" their speakers is a question I have yet to find an answer to. I will probably never find the answer to this either. If it was something that was majorly important, the hi fi dealer and the manufacturers would reiterate before walking out of the shop that it is absolutely essential and vital.

Before I stress one or two concerns, I would like to say that up until a week ago, I was running Monitor Audio RX6 floor standing speakers. At the time I thought they were fab and I guess they are nice speakers that sound good - the cabinets are also well built. My Dad bought a pair of B&W 602 S3's some years ago brand new from his local hi fi dealer and he swore that they would be better than my Monitor Audios so I moved my RX6's out of the way and replaced them with his B&W's. I was super impressed with the clarity, the bass and the absolute control that these speakers had on my favourite music. I could hear a world of difference between the MA and the B&W's. There was no denying that after a couple of hours of trying many of my records that I preferred the B&W's....maybe this was because It was a fresh sound and my ears were so used to the MA's that I enjoyed a fresh perspective. I decided that maybe I should look to see what speakers I could get that were current and I did look at B&W specifically. After seeing many reviews of the 685 S2's I simply had to go to my local hi fi dealer for a demo. I chose 10 cds that i knew inside out and took them to the demo. Initially I wasn't blown away with the bottom end. I felt there was a significant lack of bass but it was evident that these B&W 685's had massive scale. They sounded so wide, so detailed, smooth and incredibly controlled. I had never heard Madonna's "Vogue" in this way. It was brilliant and I was convinced that these speakers were even better than that of my Dad's 602 S3's. I bought them with a nice set of B&W stands. I couldn't wait to get them home (Monday 24th November)

When I got them home, I kept the music at reasonable volumes and just enjoyed them and excited to try what I already test at the hi fi centre and more. I was aware that I couldn't drive them hard, especially so soon. I am blown away with these speakers at home even more so than before because the acoustics of my living room compared to the demo room at the hi fi centre is a big difference. The bass is now much more audible at home and I am keeping them as far away from the wall as I can get away with. I have had all types of music on from pop to rock to blues to jazz and orchestral. The orchestral stuff is better for testing hi fi for dynamics, clarity/detail, bass and width in terms of soundstage. I have had them on for at least 10 hours now, maybe more. I've had them cranked up enough to hear the power of these things but still not enough to cause damage. These speakers are truly amazing. The detail is just mega and the sheer control it has on much of my music is unbelievable. I guess smaller speakers are better and fast reacting and therefore much more room to produce a tighter sound.

I am concerned about one thing though and it happened today. I was playing the latest Depeche Mode album, "Delta Machine" and the frequencies of the synthesisers are so harsh throughout the record and I fear that it may have caused some damage. I say this because I think I can hear the slight crackling on other records during high frequencies. Maybe it's my mind playing tricks on me because I think it's there. Please can anyone offer any advice??? I wish I never played the album now :(

Rachel x

If the speakers are going to have a problem, you want it to happen sooner rather than later. Having said that, double check your wire connections at the amp end and the speaker end. Sometimes a wire that isn't solidly connected will exhibit that sort of thing.

If you still notice the problem after tightening all the connectors, including the interconnects, turn it up and down to see if it is related to the volume level. In any event, that's what the warranty is for and the dealer shouldn't give you any grief over replacing a driver if it needs one.

I very, very seriously doubt you damaged a driver.

i do think speakers seem to warm up some in the first month out of the box. i know the effect was subtle but quite clear with the LS50. at first they were a bit tiringly accurate and lean.

but i think our own "adjustment" to the new nuances of sound coming out of the system play an equal role at least in this process. in fact, it seems every time i listen to music my ears or brain need to warm up so i get into the listening zone.

i also use -at first- something like the Sheffield Labs break-in CD, and leave it on while i am gone. not because i think it works better than simply playing music, but simply because it can't do any harm, either, and since i bought it once, hey, i might as well use it. :-)