2. analog
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Cartridge burn-in

Hi to all analog friends here,

Any time I purchase a new cartridge, when I set it up and sit down to listen to it, I cringe a little. It always sounds stiff, harsh, glassy, shrill. Then, after a few days/weeks of playing, it appears to 'break in' and start sounding relaxed, more musical, sweeter, less straining, presenting the music with better flow and finesse.

Common wisdom teaches that the cartridge, being a mechanical component, needs to loosen up its suspension. So, the only way to really hear what the cartridge is capable of is to play it for at the minimum 20 to 30 hours (some sources even say 50 hours).

OK, makes sense (kinda). But an alternative explanation is also possible: whenever we replace our current cartridge with a new one, the new one will sound different. Maybe it is this different, unfamiliar sonic character of the new cartridge that is causing us to feel that the sound is harsh, metallic, unpleasant, strenuous? Then, after a few days/weeks with the new cartridge, our ears and our listening habits get adjusted to the new type of sound, and we grow to like it.

This gradual conditioning to the new type of sound is then called 'cartridge break-in'. But maybe the cartridge doesn't really break-in; maybe it is our ears and our listening habits that gradually break-in and get accustomed to the new sound?

What do you think?

crazybookman

Showing 1 response by tablejockey

tablejockey
3,780 posts
 

Just another thing we audiophools think we need to quantify and come up with techno explanations.

So you buy a $10K cart for your uber setup, install it and it sounds...just okay, because you have to "wait" for a "breakin?"

I don't think so.

Your cart properly setup should sound essentially as good as it will right out of the box.

Things need to "loosen up" and so on...I'll buy that to some degree, but essentially you should get what you paid for.... right from the get-go.

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