[kukrisna]

well almost two months

basically im not taking my main audio rig back to college because i never really sat down to really enjoy music so just one can + amp + transit is good enough

now, over my winter break i burned in the HD580 and the K501 extensively with pink noise and they sound great

my question is will any of this potentially wear off since they're just sitting in the box for almost two months?

thanks!

-Keith

 

[Emon]

The existence of burn-in is very suspect to begin with, let alone it "wearing off." Don't worry about it.

 

[jmmtn4aj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emon /img/forum/go_quote.gif The existence of burn-in is very suspect to begin with, let alone it "wearing off." Don't worry about it.

Oh it exists. At least it did with those 20 buck AT IEMs I talked about awhile back.

But I doubt settling exists. Imagine an old pair of nylon socks that have been stretched so it isn't too tight around your foot. It isn't going to shrink back to 'like new' state by itself.

 

[NiceCans]

I could imagine that if left for many many years, in the right climatic conditions that the diaphrams could become stiff . . . ever see dried paper speaker cones?
But in all but extreme cases I would also imagine it to be a non-issue.

 

[evilking]

Definately not in two months. Althought they will sound different if you've used other cans in the mean time. The mind adjusts to new sounds quite easily, so you'll have to give them some time (listening time not burn-in time).

 

[Happy Camper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kukrisna /img/forum/go_quote.gif well almost two months basically im not taking my main audio rig back to college because i never really sat down to really enjoy music so just one can + amp + transit is good enough now, over my winter break i burned in the HD580 and the K501 extensively with pink noise and they sound great my question is will any of this potentially wear off since they're just sitting in the box for almost two months? thanks! -Keith

Break in is a physical effect. Unless you changed the physical status, no. Inactivity (short term) should not affect the flexibility of the material of the headphone (unless environment of storage was too hot/cold/moist/dry could degrade materials). Normal use should loosen them to the full extension you achieved at break in. Break in excercises the natural tendencies of the material. Like stretching our muscles before activity. I think this is why you hear the bass and sound stage have an improvement with this exercise. It has less impact on smaller/harder materials (IEMs). I would think the method of the IEM to drive the mechanisim ie armature driven device would have little impact. A rubber mounted cone would have an impact.

The burn in of electronics opens the most passage of electrons across a restriction in the circuit. Either minimizing the resistance or finding the least resistive path. Once done, it should be fine unless oxidation creates further resistance. In this case, a burn in would help. I think burn in helps in the small signal area of detail and imaging. It also helps in delivering the most power to the driver.

None of this is proven scientifically. Its just my opinion. I would like to hear from electronics physics experts on this topic.

Let alternative views begin.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kukrisna /img/forum/go_quote.gif my question is will any of this potentially wear off since they're just sitting in the box for almost two months?

For every hour the music is off, you lose one hour of burn-in. You must keep them playing music 24/7 for them to sound good.

 

[jmmtn4aj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper /img/forum/go_quote.gif The burn in of electronics opens the most passage of electrons across a restriction in the circuit. Either minimizing the resistance or finding the least resistive path. Once done, it should be fine unless oxidation creates further resistance. In this case, a burn in would help. I think burn in helps in the small signal area of detail and imaging. It also helps in delivering the most power to the driver.

This:
Quote:

finding the least resistive path.

happens immediately. A current definitely doesn't need several hours or days or weeks to find the least resistive path

To me, the suggestion that letting your components run changes the chemical properties of devices like capacitors and diodes sounds more plausible, although I still doubt that such a thing is significant enough to change the sound. Even when I was in enthusiast computing, electronic component burn in was already widely touted to work. Overclock the processors in steps to allow for burn in, so you will be able to over clock higher. But from my experience, the max I could overclock in one sitting was the max I would ever be able to do regardless of how long each 'step' was.

 

[colonelkernel8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz For every hour the music is off, you lose one hour of burn-in. You must keep them playing music 24/7 for them to sound good.

lol. I am sorry, I find that funny.

 

[JES]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif For every hour the music is off, you lose one hour of burn-in. You must keep them playing music 24/7 for them to sound good.

This is the wisest, most profound thing I've read on this forum. Ever.

 

[Happy Camper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmmtn4aj /img/forum/go_quote.gif This: happens immediately. A current definitely doesn't need several hours or days or weeks to find the least resistive path To me, the suggestion that letting your components run changes the chemical properties of devices like capacitors and diodes sounds more plausible, although I still doubt that such a thing is significant enough to change the sound. Even when I was in enthusiast computing, electronic component burn in was already widely touted to work. Overclock the processors in steps to allow for burn in, so you will be able to over clock higher. But from my experience, the max I could overclock in one sitting was the max I would ever be able to do regardless of how long each 'step' was.

If you are using a capacitor coupled amp, they want you to run those caps a while before critical listening. It has to have an impact on the signal/sound since it is in line. Processor signals (1s and 0s) may not be impacted, sound will.

 

[colonelkernel8]

check out my new sig quote

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by colonelkernel8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif lol. I am sorry, I find that funny.

I know, it's very funny how so many people haven't realized this truth yet...

One day they'll understand though.

 

[Happy Camper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif For every hour the music is off, you lose one hour of burn-in. You must keep them playing music 24/7 for them to sound good.

How about "their best". I usually turn on the system and do something else for some time before listening. Not that it sounds bad (or new equipment would never sell), it sounds like what I am used to.

 

[spinali]

Quote:

For every hour the music is off, you lose one hour of burn-in. You must keep them playing music 24/7 for them to sound good.

Okay, I know this is meant facetiously, but for electrostats, it's actually true! Break-in can be seen as the period it takes to get to full charge, and disconnection means you lose all that charge.