bigshot
Headphoneus Supremus
woo! woo! you should see my golden ears glowing in the moonlight!
So for the lazy newbie. Can't I just let them break in naturally over time? Is there a difference between actively breaking them in for several 10's of hours in succession vs. just using them regularly for a few months?
So for the lazy newbie. Can't I just let them break in naturally over time? Is there a difference between actively breaking them in for several 10's of hours in succession vs. just using them regularly for a few months?
I am just curious to know if there is a different effect either way. Just using them to listen to music regularly vs. burning them in constantly for 50 hours, for example. Do the sonic results differ in the end?
Maybe the "lazy" way is more "organic" non forced way of breaking in headphones?
Yet, actually, how can "breaking in" headphones ever sound like a good idea?
Id like my hd800's to sound as good as they are from the day I first used them for years to come and isn't "breaking in" just another form of wear and tear?
Don't headphones conform to most things ie the lower the use the less worn/stressed they are, or "fresher"?
almost nobody cares, it's like asking if there is a special way of walking when you get new shoes. the reality of burn in is moderate at best and probably dependent on what the driver's membrane is made of. but a driver can do 2 things, forward and backward to vibrate some sound. so maybe using square waves at 130db loudness right out of the box will not help your headphone live long, but else it's all a little silly.
my personal opinion: just listen to your music and forget about all that.
That's what will always happen anyway. I almost prefer pre owned because I don't have to think about it. Music first. A great thing about this site is the support for over analysis. All the comparison makes it fun. I will search to see if there has been a clear comparison.
The thing is, most devices and their components for the consumer market are manufactured to tolerence. Basically, no two headphones are identical. They can argubly be very similar, but not identical. Is the difference enough to effect the sound? Sure; in some cases yes, in other cases no.
Then there's basic physics. Listening to sound at any given time (unless in labotatory controlled conditions) will be different than the last. Temperature, air pressure etc. are all variables. Is it enough to effect sound? Again, in some cases yes, in other cases no - but even your own tympanic membrane can be effected by this, regardless of your headphones. Even your mood effects how you 'perceive' sound.
Additionally, any mechnical parts (outside of lab controlled conditions), change over time. Enough to change sound? Sure.
All these variables change from one day to the next. Change is irrefutable. Anything else is psychology and personal preference.
That's my 2 cents anyway.
I totally agree with that and could even go further to say that sound (music) can also alter your mood (at the risk of this being obvious anyway)
Personally if I ever bought a used pair of headphones Id totally clean the ear pads fully before use, but that's just me.