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Jeff Rowland 501s burn in ... a strange experience

I have received today my monoblocs 501 and borowed a ML 39:
ML 39
NBS monitor III
Capri
NBS Monitor III
monoblocs 501
NBS Monitor IV
Infinity Renaissance 90

around 2:p.m (Europe) I have installed the system:
sound very detailed, beautifull soundstage imaging & focus, great energy,
on the negative side, some high frequencies too harsch a little bit venomous

6 hours later (system working all the time) complete change ... do the monoblocs suffer jet lag? ... ;-)

the sound has become very fat and heavy, has the energy of a sleepy hypopotamus, everything is slow, too warm, without focus, like coming from bad tube components ...

from one extreme to another... how is that possible, so extreme, I am ???

any suggestions?

thanks
clavil
wavetrader
260 posts
 
My experience is componets on initial startup will sound very good but bright and brassy. Then turn dark...closed and fat. Especially if the NBS cables are new...but the amps will continue to morph also. 100 hours should do it and be a lot better.
xti16
1,525 posts
 
Just keep them 'burning in'. So far every new product I have purchased sounded great out the box then in time (from 20 hrs - cdp to 100hrs speakers - 50hrs int amp) they sounded miserable. Oh yeah cables too (almost 500 hrs for the PC's). From those points which all varied they only got better. Personally I would keep burning them in. Maybe some JR owners could tell you how long those amps take to burn in.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
I have a different ICE amp, and what you are witnessing is well documented. Eventually it should sound fine. After break in you should try rolling what else you have in your system. Power cords should be upgraded first, and then you will find sources and speaker cables being of crucial importance to great sound. When you get it right...... you will know it.
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