[sum]

I recently moved between cities and have been a bit delayed in getting my entire rig up and running. I have not had much time to listen to my headphones, but my k701s sat in the box for around 3 weeks without any playtime. Suddenly they sound rather congested to me. The remind me of what they sounded like out of the box. Previously they had well over 300 hours on them. My question here is, do headphones need to be re-broken in if they are left unused for any length of time? I have not noticed this with my RS2s or HD650s.

 

[EFN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sum I recently moved between cities and have been a bit delayed in getting my entire rig up and running. I have not had much time to listen to my headphones, but my k701s sat in the box for around 3 weeks without any playtime. Suddenly they sound rather congested to me. The remind me of what they sounded like out of the box. Previously they had well over 300 hours on them. My question here is, do headphones need to be re-broken in if they are left unused for any length of time? I have not noticed this with my RS2s or HD650s.

I a way yes, I have discovered that if I leave any one of my phones lying dormant for some time (long) they lose the "ease" when used again. This all also depends on the driver construction. I find that thick mylar based drivers will be less prone to this, but it is more apparent on thin & delicate drivers. A good blast of continuous music is all it takes to wake em up again

 

[kramer5150]

I never noticed a difference with any of my cans. But then I tend to use them all at least a little on a regular basis. RS1 is the main, A250 when I want to hear details, HD580 when I want to relax, K240s with DVD movies.

 

[danmagicman7]

It might be because you need to "learn" how to listen to your headphones. Your brain might just need a while to pick up on the sound signature and learn how to interpret low sounds and so forth.

It almost works like vision...you can have goggles that shift your vision 15 degrees to the left. After throwing a ball with these goggles you learn how to throw the ball. Once you take them off, you need to learn how to throw the ball again. Might not be directly relavent, but same kind of idea.

It kind of proves the point in my eyes that break in really isn't real...especially because of what you just pointed out and another member pointed out.

Logically, if I understand how others have rationalized breaking in of headphones, things "loosen up" mechanically. Now...tell me...how do things magically "tighten up" again. If you keep on bending a peice of plastic back and forth it will get more and more plyable. Now...if you let it sit for a year, it isn't going to just harden up again.

 

[unkno]

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmagicman7 It might be because you need to "learn" how to listen to your headphones. Your brain might just need a while to pick up on the sound signature and learn how to interpret low sounds and so forth.

Exactly what i was gonna say....maybe try listening to them for a few days and it might sound more natural again.

 

[fwojciec]

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmagicman7 It might be because you need to "learn" how to listen to your headphones. Your brain might just need a while to pick up on the sound signature and learn how to interpret low sounds and so forth. It almost works like vision...you can have goggles that shift your vision 15 degrees to the left. After throwing a ball with these goggles you learn how to throw the ball. Once you take them off, you need to learn how to throw the ball again. Might not be directly relavent, but same kind of idea. It kind of proves the point in my eyes that break in really isn't real...especially because of what you just pointed out and another member pointed out. Logically, if I understand how others have rationalized breaking in of headphones, things "loosen up" mechanically. Now...tell me...how do things magically "tighten up" again. If you keep on bending a peice of plastic back and forth it will get more and more plyable. Now...if you let it sit for a year, it isn't going to just harden up again.

Hear, hear!

 

[aliquis]

I doubted it but in the begining my MS-1 was very harsh but I don't find that is a problem longer. I have no idea if it's my head/ears which has changed or the phones thought.

Ah, re-broken, I seriously doubt it

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sum I recently moved between cities and have been a bit delayed in getting my entire rig up and running. I have not had much time to listen to my headphones, but my k701s sat in the box for around 3 weeks without any playtime. Suddenly they sound rather congested to me. The remind me of what they sounded like out of the box. Previously they had well over 300 hours on them. My question here is, do headphones need to be re-broken in if they are left unused for any length of time? I have not noticed this with my RS2s or HD650s.

Yes, it's very possible. Think of a pair of shoes not used for a longer period: the material may get stiffer and brittler again. But it won't take long to gain the wanted elasticity again. -- EMF has already summed it up nicely.
.

 

[danmagicman7]

A couple other things I am curious about. If the speaker is supposed to loosen up, wouldn't that mean it has a longer reverb time, especially in bass? Wouldn't that mean that bass would get more flabby rather than tighter?

Also, if break in really is because of mechanics loosening up...how come the "loosening up" and "break in" of these components always make the headphone sound better.

I have never heard anyone in any audio review in the speaker world or headphone world say that after break in the speakers/headphones sounded worse. One would think in all the cases of headphones, some headphones would notoriously get worse because they are deviating from their engineered sonical design, almost like "wearing out". However, this is not the case. However, in every case, people tell others to wait for better sound by letting them break in...hmm.

 

[]|[ GorE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmagicman7 A couple other things I am curious about. If the speaker is supposed to loosen up, wouldn't that mean it has a longer reverb time, especially in bass? Wouldn't that mean that bass would get more flabby rather than tighter? Also, if break in really is because of mechanics loosening up...how come the "loosening up" and "break in" of these components always make the headphone sound better. I have never heard anyone in any audio review in the speaker world or headphone world say that after break in the speakers/headphones sounded worse. One would think in all the cases of headphones, some headphones would notoriously get worse because they are deviating from their engineered sonical design, almost like "wearing out". However, this is not the case. However, in every case, people tell others to wait for better sound by letting them break in...hmm.

I salute you,sir.In an ideal world,your post would shutup those who believe in changes in some phones after 100,200,300 and even 1000 hours.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmagicman7 If the speaker is supposed to loosen up, wouldn't that mean it has a longer reverb time, especially in bass? Wouldn't that mean that bass would get more flabby rather than tighter?

It gets tighter because of the lowered resonance frequency and the lower Q factor of the bass resonance. Not easy to explain, but believe an experienced speaker builder with decent knowledge of theory! Speaking of «reverb» in the context of transient response isn't adequate anyway.

Quote:

Also, if break in really is because of mechanics loosening up...how come the "loosening up" and "break in" of these components always make the headphone sound better?

See my explanation posted in another thread which seems quite plausible to me.
.

 

[fjf]

I believe that it is you who is "broken in" by the headphone. You get used to the sound signature; if you stop using it, when you resume the use, you must again get used to it. Yes. You can be re-broken-in many times. The cans do not change that much IMO.

 

[fwojciec]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjf I believe that it is you who is "broken in" by the headphone. You get used to the sound signature; if you stop using it, when you resume the use, you must again get used to it. Yes. You can be re-broken-in many times. The cans do not change that much IMO.

I tend to agree with you completely. Those who proclaim that breaking equipment in is responsible for the changes in the perceived sound signature usually assume that the way equipment reproduces music is the only variable in the equation, and that the way human beings perceive is more-or-less passive, neutral and capable of objectivity - which is, frankly speaking, a nonsensical notion for anyone who studied or thought about psychology and physiology of perception.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fwojciec ...Those who proclaim that breaking equipment in is responsible for the changes in the perceived sound signature usually assume that the way equipment reproduces music is the only variable in the equation, and that the way human beings perceive is more-or-less passive, neutral and capable of objectivity...

I don't think that's true. Many of them are experienced listeners who are well aware of psychoacoustic phenomena and their own subjectivity. Keep in mind that most of us who believe in physical break-in have left their new headphones untouched after a brief initial (mostly slightly unsatisfactory) audition and only listened to them extensively after a certain period they considered enough -- expressing itself in a clearly more satisfying listening experience than before the break-in period.

Moreover nothing speaks against physical break-in phenomena, but there's a lot that speaks for them -- apart from many manufacturers --, and I've regularly measured them myself with speaker drivers (see the linked thread in my above post).
.

 

[danmagicman7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ It gets tighter because of the lowered resonance frequency and the lower Q factor of the bass resonance. Not easy to explain, but believe an experienced speaker builder with decent knowledge of theory! Speaking of «reverb» in the context of transient response isn't adequate anyway. See my explanation posted in another thread which seems quite plausible to me. .

Alright, then how do you explain the phenomena described in this thread?