How much does volume matter when breaking in amps and cables?

Tecknik, interesting point. In fact, I do not know of a high end manufacturer, that states their equipment sounds optimum as soon as you plug it in and start playing music. So many products owners manuals, written by the engineers and designers, talk about the breaking in process. As far as kosst and others, they are measurement people, and go by the " if it can't be measured, it can't be heard ". Just need to ignore them, 'cause they keep coming back. Enjoy ! MrD.

just got some new (for me) Dynaudio monitors...the manual says all their speakers need a few weeks of break-in,,,I think some engineers work there...I know they do measurements...

a few years ago I bought a used Aesthetix Romulus CD player that hadn't been used in 6 months.  I called Aesthetix and was told it would take a month plugged in for it to return to full performance...

Two other items I found needed break-in: my Sony 940C 75" TV and my KitchenAid 29 cuft. frig.  The TV had a overly sharp looking picture.  After 30 days, the image smoothed out.  Then I calibrated it.  The frig was worse as it made many noises, shooshing, creaking, whirring, etc. noises.  After 6 months, a long time, it became nearly silent (4 years later, same).  I attributed that to compressors, motors, etc. breaking in.  

I am a cable beta tester for a manufacturer.  I can never tell if a cable is worthy until after it breaks in for at least 24 hours.  Most of the cables sound good but have affectations which limit my enjoyment using them at the beginning.  After 24 hour burn-in at 1.5 to 2 volts for ICs, a frig use for IEC / A/C cables and unknown voltage/current for speaker cables just through use, I get a definitive result, better, about the same or worse than the existing design.  

Mechanical devices like speakers and automobile engines may have a break in period as things loosen up a little. Many amps particularly tubes amps and preamps sound a little better after they warm up for a few minutes. But, breaking in of electronic devices and cables is total and compete MYTHOLOGY perpetrated by "experts" in the audio business and believed by gullible individuals that do not know how to evaluate their own hearing which can change with barometric pressure. While I am at it, there are good cables and bad cables. Good cables do not alter the signal, bad cables do. It is much easier to make a good cable than it is a bad cable. Putting a fancy chain mail jacket on it or adding a box full of nonsense does not a better cable make. It doesn't even justify the higher price. Next I am going to get my head cut off by people who have to figure out a way to justify the ridiculous amount of money they spent on BS.

I feel better now:)