For all the burn-in skeptics

[Yorgi]

It seems the debate about whether or not burning in headphones makes a significant difference to their sound signature is one of those subjects that never seems to stop cropping up. This probably has a lot to do with the common claim that our short term auditory memory is poor while it takes a considerable amount of time to burn in cans.

Today at work, I had a very interesting situation that allowed me to put this subject to test. I had the opportunity to compare my 200+ hour fully burnt in HD25-1s to a colleagues brand spanking new HD25-1.

The difference between these two cans was truly night and day. As anyone who has heard the HD25-1 knows, they have serious bass output that is punchy and goes low. The new cans had very poor bass extension and grainy highs. I could not hear much difference in the mids. There may have been a slight difference in midrange but I did not have the time to perform an extensive test. Even my colleague, who has little experience with high end audio, could not believe the difference. The source was an iPod into my Corda HA-1 Mk1. Songs used were from Norah Jones and Massive Attack.

I see many argue that Sennheiser would never ship a product not ready for use straight out of the box. In my opinion they are actually doing this because these cans sound crappy when new and to my ears extremely good once they have been properly burned in.

 

[Duncan]

The same is very true for the Sony EX71...

People often complain about the highs, and I've seemingly not had a problem for a long time, even the bass wasn't too overblown to me... then, on the Saturday just gone, I listened to a brand new, out of box pair of EX71s that Bangraman bought, and I threw them out of my ears in disgust, they burnt a hole straight through my ear-drum

Horrendously bright, searingly so - where as the pair that i've had for heading steadily for 2000+ hours of use have almost a calm treble... restrained, not neccesarily high quality, but certainly not searingly bright. (Yet, in the early days, I remember the EX71s had a bright, obscure treble when I first listened to them as an 'upgrade' to the EX70...)

Burn In, or Burn Out, you decide... either way, something DOES happen to headphone drivers...

 

[jink]

I've found burn in to be true. My co-worker bought some 280's recently, and they have sounded really shrill and lacking in bass. I suggested we burn them in and stretch them out, and now they are sounding wonderful with just overnight burn ins (3rd night). Already the bass is more pronounced, and the treble doesn't give me a headache. The clamping force doesn't hurt anymore either, making me really like the 280s. I can't wait to hear them after 100+ hrs. =)

My 595's didn't have such a dramatic increase in sound quality, but the bass did get a little bit more pronounced. The midrange started picking up the slightest bit, and overall they started to sound warmer, but nothing to write home about.

Can't wait to hear the a500's coming in. =)

 

[MD1032]

My SR-80's finally reached a point one day where I realized "wait a second...there's definitely a difference here". Sure, it took like forever, but there's a definite increase in bass response.

 

[averydonovan]

Same with the AKG K271. They sound pretty weak out of the box, but give them a couple of weeks and they improve dramatically. They are most definately the most burn-in sensitive cans I've had so far.

 

[Nak Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duncan Burn In, or Burn Out, you decide... either way, something DOES happen to headphone drivers...

I think most of 'us' agree on this part especially the mechanical (and mind =) stuff. Mine almost always get better overtime compared to out of box condition. It's those night and day differences that I'm still skeptical.

Currently burning K501 for hours ... these phones should've come with installation manual and CD !! (the bass thx track =) After full day of thumping, bass is improving ... but still 'late morning and noon' differences - still far away from K271s bass.

 

[Shang-Ti Chen]

It takes at least over 1 year of normal listening to reach the final completely opened state.

 

[elephant6rawk]

I just recently got my ATH-FC7s in the mail on Tuesday.

Upon getting em, I listened to a couple songs, and while the sound quality was good, I was sorta disappointed; the highs actually sounded rolled off while the bass was way too bloated.

I left it to burn in for only something like 10 hrs, and the difference was immense; the sound was overall balanced and warm.

They're such fun cans.

 

[Talonz]

I'm no skeptic myself as I've heard burn-in on my MS-1, but I would really be interested in a frequency response curve for two identical pairs purchased at the same time.

*puts flame suit on*

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talonz I'm no skeptic myself as I've heard burn-in on my MS-1, but I would really be interested in a frequency response curve for two identical pairs purchased at the same time. *puts flame suit on*

Of course, companies QC policies and standards do play a part, but - using the EX71 as my example once again, there is a very tangiable (as Bangraman stated) degradation of the EX71 drivers when you put a lot of hours onto them. Bangraman put it down to sweat / outside moisture being a potential cause... messing with the diaphragms... anything is possible

 

[JaZZ]

Where's Mike?

 

[3lusiv3]

This is really more of a guess but...It seems to me that the pro/DJ headphones such as the HD 25-1 and K271s may have sturdier drivers that take longer to loosen up than consumer headphones so therefore may take longer to reach their loosened up/burned-in state. Could this be the case?

 

[bangraman]

The level of how and what happens depends on the phones. Physical burn-in (or gradual degredation leading to noticeable response change) is very much a component of dynamic phones, and although other types of phones may burn in less or not at all, the psychological component is also important. This is why you shouldn't scamper to release a review / view of a phone the moment you get it, because people reading it from the view of becoming an owner (for long-term use) wouldn't get a valid view.

 

[Kirosia]

I believe in burn in a bit. The psychological effect would probably make for my perception. I need to get used the sound of XX.

I wonder, what would mike say? I know, something along the lines of:

"Burn-in doesn't exist, period. It's not possible. I'm the king of the world. Stax electrostats forever. Mwa ha ha ha ha! "

 

[jpr703]

I'm a believer. I've noticed a big difference in both Grados and Sennheisers after they've been exercised for a while.

When I first bought my 225s I pulled them up the box, plugged them in, and began to feel disappointed. I had heard about break-in so I hooked them up to a stereo in a spare room and let them play for several days straight. When I put them back on to retest the sound, the difference was immediately noticeable.

Now I won't even listen to new equipment until I know its had at least some sort of break-in period.