[adkimemory]

A few of my friends assure me that burning in is a completely psychological process, but I'm convinced otherwise.

do any hardcore audiophiles still believe that burning in is completely psychological?

 

[troymadison]

Its real.

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adkimemory /img/forum/go_quote.gif A few of my friends assure me that burning in is a completely psychological process, but I'm convinced otherwise. do any hardcore audiophiles still believe that burning in is completely psychological?

I believe the process to be true. However some of the "stories" I have read on this site of thousands of hours and still making major changes are (IMO) exagerrated.

 

[3x331m]

There's a thin line between science and art. The line draws when electro-mechanical burn-in stops and psychological burn-in continues.

Sometimes, I had my gear unused for a while, and when I listen to them again, I thought that they were better than before.

How to explained that ? My hearing loss has recovered after a resting period ?

 

[Cry Havoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adkimemory /img/forum/go_quote.gif A few of my friends assure me that burning in is a completely psychological process, but I'm convinced otherwise. do any hardcore audiophiles still believe that burning in is completely psychological?

Ask them if breaking in a new car is purely psychological as well. I mean, it's a machine, so it should always function the same, right?

Quote:

How to explained that ? My hearing loss has recovered after a resting period ?

Well, to me that's like wearing a pair of very red tinted glasses around for a day. You take them off, and all of a sudden the world is immersed in the most varied and wonderful shades of blue. That's NOT completely a psychological process by any means.

 

[adkimemory]

Does the process partly depend on the complexity of the equipment?

like, does the HD201 have less potential to "burn in" than the HD650??

 

[kpeezy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cry Havoc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ask them if breaking in a new car is purely psychological as well. I mean, it's a machine, so it should always function the same, right? Well, to me that's like wearing a pair of very red tinted glasses around for a day. You take them off, and all of a sudden the world is immersed in the most varied and wonderful shades of blue. That's NOT completely a psychological process by any means.

How do you come up with these terrible analogies all the time

 

[redrich2000]

I do't believe in it, but I do it anyway... just in case

 

[Cry Havoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpeezy /img/forum/go_quote.gif How do you come up with these terrible analogies all the time

It's a gift, I guess.

Still, my point is that when your brain gets used to something, it's not only a psychological process. There is some biology behind it as well.

 

[dura]

Keeps on amazing me; my Primare amp unexpectedly didn't seem to chance much if at all, even more unexpected was that my ls-cables really chanced a lot in the first 3 days (Kimber 8TC, before that I tried other LS-cables and burn-in was very mild, in some cases unnoticable, except for some Nordostcables that also chanced significantly, though not as much as the Kimers).
Why? I don't know, I can understand how conesurroundings in loudspekers need to loosen up, but further than that...?

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adkimemory /img/forum/go_quote.gif A few of my friends assure me that burning in is a completely psychological process, but I'm convinced otherwise. do any hardcore audiophiles still believe that burning in is completely psychological?

No.. But I'm willing to believe..

 

[Uncle Erik]

Depends on the component. A car is a horrible analogy. The valve seats, among other things, are engineered for a break in period. Most electrical components, such as capacitors and resistors, are not.

Mechanical devices such as headphones and loudspeakers do change over time. But probably not as much as some lead you to believe.

Resistors change value depending on temperature (generally) and will change over time based on heat. This is degradation, not a breaking in process. Resistors are never better than when they are new.

Capacitors form up in a matter of seconds, not minutes or even hours. Any manufacturer who says otherwise is snowing you. Further, there is NO reason a manufacturer can't "burn in" caps before building the amp. It's a simple matter. If a manufacturer insists burn in is necessary, only buy the amp after the manufacturer does the burn in for you. Insist on that. There is no reason to buy anything that isn't fully functional straight out of the box.

 

[stewtheking]

I'm fairly agnostic about burn in. I am not a believer in either camp. I am yet to really hear it for myself, but quite prepared to believe that (for SOME components) some burning or settling in can occur.

 

[Cry Havoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Depends on the component. A car is a horrible analogy. The valve seats, among other things, are engineered for a break in period. Most electrical components, such as capacitors and resistors, are not.

I realize it's a horrible analogy. But people I've talked to state that they're machines, so they aren't supposed to change when they're new. I think the burn-in process is a little overexaggerated, and I think that at ~100 hours, my 780s are probably mechanically as adept as they ever will be. But they did seem to change a lot in the early hours of listening.

 

[tk3]

I think it makes a difference for the initial XX hours, but some of the stories you read here are ridiculous.

Like:
Quote:

Originally Posted by some guy u guys were right headphone X was completely unlistenable out of the box they really hurt my ears, but after 2489284 hours of burn-in, i can now hear the difference. they've opened up and are heavenly now A++++++++++++ wood listen again!11

Well, maybe not that extreme, but you get my point.
Some people more or less put out statements like that.