Speaker break in?


Does anyone know what the break in process is all about? Myth or fact? What is being broken in? Is there an optimum break in time? Low volume or high volume? I would appreciate feedback. My Revels (M20s) did sound better after a period of time. Why? The M20s sounded so much better than my previous speakers; I'm not sure if they were getting better or I'm just hearing more. Anyone with first hand experience? Set me free Audiogoners...
thanks in advance,
128x128warrenh

Showing 1 response by soix

In my experience speakers undergo some of the biggest changes in break-in of any component, I think largely because they involve not only internal cabling and electronics but also the mechnical movement of the drivers. I'm now breaking in a pair of speakers(notorious for extremely long break-in times) that were all but unlistenable for the first few weeks of playing time, but have recently started to settle in. I broke in another pair from the same manufacturer a few years ago and experienced the same thing, and they continued to change significantly for at least first two to three months of constant playing. The company says it is a combination of the materials such as the thick rubber surrounds and spiders as they gradually loosen up that plays a large part in the drastic change in sound over time, and this time varies quite a bit from maker to maker depending on design and materials used. I was told that if I wanted to expedite the process I could turn up the bass/treble controls to their max settings, but I'd be careful with the volume so as not to do any damage. Although I have also noticed some change in electronic components, break-in has not been nearly as severe as with speakers in my experience, but still significant.

Unlike the other Tim, I hate the break-in process -- although it is interesting to go through, I'd much rather just get right to the good stuff. It's also a shame that many people seem to judge equipment before it's been fully run in, which doesn't help anybody. You should talk to Revel as to their recommendations on break-in time/method if there isn't any info in the manual.

Tim