Burn In... the Age Old Question, Cables, Components, and Speakers

So burn in doesn't matter with wire, there's no such thing, and so I bought a Cable Cooker.  

Yeah. I'd take his advice. 

Its nonsense like this that makes humor so darn hard around here. Try and crack an obvious joke, people take it seriously. Which is a real problem with humor, because you know when you have to explain the joke its just not funny any more. So sad. 

One of the many reasons burn-in is so misunderstood is there's so many crap products out there. Everyone who can be bothered to learn to listen (an admittedly minor number, but go with me here) knows if its good it will sound good right out of the box. If it doesn't, send it back. But all those same good listeners also know everything does indeed improve, and often times quite a lot, the first few hours and days. 

This means we have a situation where certain people can take advantage of you, if you are not a good listener, by telling you your turd is actually a diamond in the rough and just needs more time. So you wait and wait and people being what they are cognitive dissonance kicks in and you convince yourself its better. Hey. It happens. 

Fact of the matter is yes everything does burn in. Even no moving parts. Hardly matters if at all what is played through them. Just need to get some electrons and fields moving around. As for mechanical parts, takes less time to break in a speaker surround than the capacitors and wires in the box. 

Its sad we are even talking about this. Is this not the internet? Do we not have search bars? Do a search. Read. Figure it out. Learn. Get the joke next time. 

The problem with playing all Pink Floyd, one day you will be playing Rachmaninoff and in the background of the quietest passages you will hear, "matter of fact its all dark."

Second, do components need to burn in ?

Most components are very low maintenance and not needy at all. All mine are perfectly happy to just sit there not even being turned on, sometimes for days at a time.

Third, I’m mostly sure that speakers NEED to burn in because the last time I bought new ones (Focal Arias) I got home, hooked them up and could not wait for the amazing sound that I knew would spring forth, but alas, they sounded like a pair of White Van Speakers and my heart sank into my stomach. Then as I was getting everything set to return them, (about 3 hours later) I returned to the music room and to my amazement I was listening to the best pair of floor standers I have ever heard.

Which was the point all along, to let us know you are happy with your new speakers. Congratulations. But please play a mix of music or you will be forced to dump the best speakers you ever heard to get rid of the heartbeat in the background.