[pp312]

It's not so much a case of remembering how a phones sounded, since auditory memory is notoriously unreliable, as of being instinctively less averse to it. For instance, I found the 702 unlistenable out of the box. I just hated it--eek! It took several hundred hours of break-in (without listening) before I could bear the sound for more than a few minutes. IOW, my aversion had lessened. It was no longer boring into my lugs to the same degree. Ditto as time went on. Currently I find them rather light and bright with a somewhat metallic colouration but "within the ball park", and miles from what they were out of the box. (How anyone can say their AKG 701/702 sounded fine out of the box is beyond me!). So it's not a question of me remembering exactly how they sounded originally, as of remembering how much it hurt to listen, which is a different thing.

 

[lynxkcg]

I've got a pair of HD-515s that I got in 2002, and they certainly sound better than they did then. But they have thousands of hours on them. I've been listening to them almost daily for 7 years. I found a cheap pair for my girlfriend and we ended up returning them for IEMs, mainly because she has a tiny head, but also because they sucked compared to mine, the detail just wasn't there. Stepping up to amplification a few years ago was obviously a much more noticeable change.

 

[brendon]

^^ Excellent ! So what you are saying is that you already had a HD515 and you bought a new HD515 and they did not sound the same as you old pair correct ? If so then you have just added a lot more credibility to the burn-in believers. Its not enough however as the non believers will still conclude that it does not exist simply because they have not heard of it themselves.

 

[FrozenGecko]

This should really be expanded to more tha njust headphones =p

What about amps? =p

 

[PenDragon]

I wouldn't say it's even up for debate. Anyone who doesn't believe in burn-in needs to do some blind tests with headphones, before and after burn-in.

So obviously, DOH, of course it's real.

 

[MaZa]

After hearing my HF2 change in bass and treble regions, yes. Subtle, but noticeable. I do not believe in x-hundred hour burn-ins though, that is just dumb idea. Most changes I have experienced with few new out-of-box headphones I've had have all happened withing first 24 hours of continous use.

 

[roadwarrior]

the best way to burn in anything is just to use it. full stop.

 

[pp312]

And if it sounds like crap until it's burnt in? Why listen to crap?

 

[pp312]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mink /img/forum/go_quote.gif And another thing I found out: my X-Can does very little in improvement over the headphones out of my Marantz integr. amp.

No surprises there. I've never found any improvement with dedicated amps over good quality integrateds other than, perhaps, slightly tighter bass.

 

[bhansen]

Got a new pair of D2000's about a month ago. Haven't listened to them compared to an out-of-the-box pair, but I know for a fact that they sound night and day better now than they did at first (have about 200 hours of burn-in on them).

 

[AmanGeorge]

Compared a well-burned in K701 to a brand new K702 a few months ago. Sound was dramatically different, which I find it difficult to attribute to the paint job. I now know for a fact that burn-in exists based on my experiences, but would still be open to the idea that the degree to which burn-in changes a component probably varies from component to component, and maybe some don't change much with burn-in at all. But some, for sure, do change, quite noticeably.

 

[DanielCox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 /img/forum/go_quote.gif And if it sounds like crap until it's burnt in? Why listen to crap?

Most of us don't buy **** gear on purpose.

 

[spinali]

Re: all this talk about "psychological burn-in":

I've not read any accounts of headphone users who have experienced break-in with used phones. Why is it that people seem to experience break-in only after buying new phones? Might break-in be more than simply psychological?

 

[sampson_smith]

That's a fairly good point, Spinali.

 

[iancraig10]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmanGeorge /img/forum/go_quote.gif Compared a well-burned in K701 to a brand new K702 a few months ago. Sound was dramatically different, which I find it difficult to attribute to the paint job. I now know for a fact that burn-in exists based on my experiences, but would still be open to the idea that the degree to which burn-in changes a component probably varies from component to component, and maybe some don't change much with burn-in at all. But some, for sure, do change, quite noticeably.

My new K701 has changed dramatically from new. They're less edgy now than they were out of the box.

I didn't adjust to them in any way. I tried them new - hated them. Took them off and left them on Pink Noise for a long time then listened again. My jaw hit the floor. They are now my favourite headphone!!

I've never heard such a lot of change before so like someone has said earlier, it may also be to do with what the gear is. (Plus psycho effects perhaps - althoough I was on the verge of dumping them straight away)

More Pink Noise and I'm hoping just for a tiny bit more 'mellow'.

Ian