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Amplifier Break-in - It's Real

I just completed a major amplifier upgrade from using the power amp side of a NAD 375BEE integrated to a Coda No. 8 and can swear to reality of a necessary amplifier break-in period and the need for a great degree of patience. For the record the 375BEE is a great integrated and the power amplifier side is very good. I replaced the preamp some time ago with a Freya+, a significant upgrade. Regardless, the 375BEE has some limitations and I "needed" an upgrade. I have severe space restrictions for my gear/rack, so size mattered, and final candidates were Bryston and a latecomer in the Coda 8. The Coda had such great reviews/comments I went with it.

Days 1, 2 and 3 were pretty frustrating and I was concerned. My NAD setup had a very good sound stage and rich bass, neither of these were evident early on with the Coda. I thought it might be an impedance mismatch with the Freya (75 SE or 600 balanced ohm output) and the Coda. Some online specs show the Coda at a very low 1K Ohm input impedance, however before I bought I checked with Coda and they confirmed it is actually 10K ohms. Still I swapped out the new balanced cables for RCA's, no significant change. For the first few days I was turning on the amp in the morning and running it all day, but off at night. I decided to have patience, accept the need for break-in, and just start running 24/7. Lo and behold about three days into that process, during which I found some new respect for electronica, the sound stage and bass started to appear and have only improved. It was uncanny. IMHO there was no way I was imagining this change because contrast was so great from the NAD when I first plugged the Coda into the system. I know my system well and changed nothing else, aside from the noted interconnects, from one amp to the other. I realize I am mostly preaching to the choir, but am writing for the next person that plugs a new amp in and does not hear what they expect right away.

In case it matters, the rest of the system is KEF LS50, Gumby DAC, REL 7i sub and Pi 4 with Allo DigiOne running Moode.
zlone
rodman99999
5,988 posts
 
             "Read my articles "Audiophile Law:" =  "TRUST ME!" *

    Many (if not most) of us are familiar the fruits of Atmasphere's aural acuity, experimentation and creativity.

     What significant offerings, for the furtherance of our listening experience  (ie: equipment pleasing to the ear), have you generated, outside of your opinions?  
                 Awards won (presented by other esteemed ears)?

      My own lengthy experience and gleanings from the study of certain MODERN electrical theories aside; I'm much more disposed to accept Atmasphere's viewpoint, based on actual accomplishment.

                                But: that's just my opinion.
       

                             *The Naysayer Church's credo
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,590 posts
 
In my articles wherein I compared several products that were broken in to identical ones that were not - simultaneously, the outcome was not good for break in.
@douglas_schroeder You just about have to pull the equipment off the test bench after its been built to understand how this affects things. Any manufacturer worth their salt will put some time on the unit prior to shipping. Knowing the provenance is important.
yyzsantabarbara
4,490 posts
 
invalid, that is precisely the comparisons I have done, not only with an amp, but with several components together! Read my articles "Audiophile Law: Thou Shalt Not Overemphasize Burn In", and "Burn In Test Redux" at Dagogo.com, and you will see that even multiple components and tweaks were unable to cause change to the sound quality.
Are you trying to tell me that you are some sort of expert? I must tell you I have great hearing. So there is that to consider.
rodman99999
5,988 posts
 
                        "I must tell you I have great hearing. So there is that to consider."

      BUT- according to the Naysayer Church's, "Laws" (commandments); "Thou shalt not EVER trust your own twisted mind, lest you be deceived."

       Obviously- we all need their guidance and counsel, lest we fall into the deceptions that actually listening for ourselves CERTAINLY would entail.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,564 posts
 
Knowing the provenance is important. 
Great words to live by. My dad used to say, "consider the source", which is just another way of saying, keep an open mind.

All the best,
Nonoise
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