Burn-in and source question (PX-100s)

[Vicious Tyrant]

I got some PX100s lately and I don't like them so much. Their sound just leaves me kind of blah. I do like the handy fold-up feature, and I like the idea of something nice and portable for my iPod.

So I was thinking about doing a burn-in, which I've never done before.

First, has anyone out there burned in their PX100s, if so was it helpful?

Second, what about the source? I was thinking of using a little cheap portable FM radio I have, so I don't have to have my iPod be in use for a couple days. Is it OK to use a crummy, tinny source for a burn-in? Or might I be forming some kind of bad sound signature?

Maybe a dumb question, but I thought I'd ask....

thanks in advance.

 

[BrookR1]

I never burned mine in. It did take me a couple of days to get used to their sonic signature. I would continue wearing them. After a few more hours, they'll get better.

 

[Mike112]

I don't know for sure, but I caught this thread a few days ago. Assuming the replies are correct, it should answer your question. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...highlight=burn

 

[ex0du5]

Don't expect to notice very much from the burn-in. The effects are mostly subtle.

If you don't like the sound signature now, I doubt you'll like it after burn-in. You'll either have to live with it, as I have with some of my cans, or just go ahead and try another set of cans.

 

[spinali]

Again, no real differences observed. This may not be your "sound," and you may want to migrate to another phone.

Or, you could take a stab at being "anti-break-in" and see if psychological break-in takes effect. However, I fear that so-called "psychological break-in" is considerably less real than the normal kind.

 

[Pangaea]

Just run some music thru them for a week. Its only time. Maybe you will see some difference.

If nothing else then you can sell them as "fully burned-in" PX100's.

 

[umcloud]

Anything in particular you don't like about the sound? I don't recall burn-in having much of an effect, but there are mods you can try. For instance, quarter-modding the pads should give you less bass and open up the highs.

As I understand it, the important thing with burn-in is just to get the drivers moving. So using the portable radio to burn-in shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Pangaea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by umcloud /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anything in particular you don't like about the sound? I don't recall burn-in having much of an effect, but there are mods you can try. For instance, quarter-modding the pads should give you less bass and open up the highs. As I understand it, the important thing with burn-in is just to get the drivers moving. So using the portable radio to burn-in shouldn't be a problem.

I know there are a lot of threads on this mod and I have read them but I still don't fully understand the best way to make the hole for this mod. DO you cut it/ burn it- how are people getting it so cymetrical?

 

[Meloncoly]

People usually take a circular screwdriver thingy and pound on it with a hammer, of course the diameter of the screwdriver thingy is about the same is not the same as a quarter. Someone want to chime in on what the screwdriver thingy is called?

 

[BrookR1]

Just press a quarter down on the pad and use an Xacto knife to cut a hole around the quarter.

 

[Pangaea]

It seems like this would be hard to get a good circle- doesn't the foam not held in place by the quarter rip?

 

[BrookR1]

not if you're careful and have a sharp knife

 

[scompton]

The circular screwdriver thingy is a socket. You center the socket over the pad and hammer it until it cuts the foam. Supposedly it makes a nice clean cut. I haven't done it myself, but I've seen a lot of threads describing it.

Edit: Burn in didn't do a thing for my PX100. Most of my headphones were bought used so I haven't notice burn in with them. With my HD485 and im716, I've notice a slight effect. It's not a change in sound but in how easy they are to drive. The more I listen, the easier they are to drive, up to a point. If I set them aside for a couple of weeks, they're back to hard to drive. I've especially noticed this with the im716 directly out of my iPod. Every day for about 4 days, I have to lower the volume to get the same sound level. I noticed this twice now.

 

[spinali]

That's a really interesting bit in info on these phones - that is, about you're feeling they're hard or easy to drive dependent on use. This almost makes these phones seem like electrostatics. In any case, I haven't noticed the phenomenon on my primitive equipment.

 

[donunus]

try the treble booster setting on your ipod