Break In Question?

+1. @mylogic 

  This discussion is about dogma.  On one side are those that believe the break in phenomena is a brain adaptation over time, and on the other are those that believe the components themselves are undergoing some physical changes.  And some might think it’s a little of both.  As with all questions of dogma the believers will in the main adhere to their positions as infinitum.

  From a practical perspective I would play a component for some length of time but  have it be audible to the listener.  Then you are covering all bases 

@mahler123 Ref. Dogma

l am totally in agreement. 
 

The old saying, “l can’t believe my eyes” is similar to views on this discussion, with a slight adaptation. More apt is the, “l can’t believe (for sure) my ears”

Over time l have often changed my mind after hearing improvements only to find at a later date l don’t perceive the same gains, and wonder what all the fuss was about. Was it due to mains quality? warm up time? or just plain things like, how strong was the coffee, or my temperance of mind that effected my first judgement.

This “dogma” as you say will prove to be everlasting as we can not swap ears between ourselves, or evaluate what other listeners perceive.

Listen to Rick Wakeman, “Temperance of Mind” on Strawbs, “Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios” (not the 40th Anniversary version) for a rollercoaster of musical variations. A convolution of many musical styles…. A jumble of human emotions….. Just like all the conflicting views in this whole discussion.

@douglas_schroeder - Thus, the answer according to everything I have said is clear, that if you had two pair of the same headphones, broke in one pair and then compared it to the new one, you would hear no change.

You sure seem to know a lot about what I have heard, but unless you've been to my house and listened and compared, you're talking out the top of your head with zero evidence and zero data. And you're calling that 'science'? 

What you say is just not true, and you are denying my experience. Is your book a work of fiction, too? Have a nice life. 

Audio tubes are also electronics. Tubes benefit very much from run-in. 'Nuff said.

Only mechanical things need some run-in to reach optimal performance. Electronics - no.

How simple minded.  That is how a layman understand the universe.  There is no such thing as "mechanical" or "electrical". 

It's just a way human beings classify things in order to understand the universe.  Everything are just electrons, neutron, and protons.  If you want to dig deeper, then there are quarks.