[serman005]

  yeah as desik said, with time the shape of the pads will tend to change(because the foam won't get back to it's original shape indefinitely, or if it's not leather, the surface might become dirty or worn out). in effect, the driver comes closer to the ear as time passes, the inside volume and shape could change, the quality of the seal may change too...  so the signature can change. I don't think anybody is challenging that old pads vs new pads usually don't sound the same.
so if you have little time to test the headphone, I suggested to keep the headphone placed over books or whatever to keep some pressure on the pads and badly pretend like it had been used longer. but I don't know how effective or significant this could be, after all I'd expect at least new foam to behave very well for some time.  
 
about pink noise, audacity. generate -> noise -> pink... and you create the file you need.

Thanks for that!

 

[Giogio]

Yes thanks for that, I will finally download this so famous Audacity.

 

[PotatoWhisperer]

When burning in headphones, do most people run it through their amps? I'm using an asgard and it runs pretty hot and concerns me. If I can burn it in just by sticking it in un-amped, I think I'd much prefer that. However are there any advantages to burning in your headphones with your dac/amp setup? 

 

[Roly1650]

When burning in headphones, do most people run it through their amps? I'm using an asgard and it runs pretty hot and concerns me. If I can burn it in just by sticking it in un-amped, I think I'd much prefer that. However are there any advantages to burning in your headphones with your dac/amp setup? 

What's wrong with turning on the amp/dac, listening to the headphones and then when finished listening turn everything back off again. Ask someone, who believes in all that crap, what it is exactly about the sound of the headphones that is so awful until they've run some magic number of hours and what they think the magic number is. Having owned several pairs of new cans, I've never heard anything which would put me off just listening to the damn things.
This whole concept of headphone burn-in, by playing to themselves, is weird, like giving someone your brand new car to break-in because the driving experience is so dreadful until it hits that magic number, or leaving it running when parked because, hey, it feels so bad when I drive it, it's not broken-in yet. Weird in the extreme.....

 

[sonitus mirus]

  When burning in headphones, do most people run it through their amps? I'm using an asgard and it runs pretty hot and concerns me. If I can burn it in just by sticking it in un-amped, I think I'd much prefer that. However are there any advantages to burning in your headphones with your dac/amp setup? 

 
With regards to the Asgard, it is designed to run hot and has a 5-year warranty.  I would not think twice about leaving it on for an extended period of time.  It will be fine.

 

[Magick Man]

What "break-in" that does exist is very minor (95% of it is your brain adjusting), and I've only ever heard it with dynamic headphones, not planars. Essentially, if you don't like a set of cans before they "settle in", you won't like them after, either.

 

[Ruben123]

Burn in is as real as other audiophile myths, in as most of the time it is a myth but there may be some truth in it.

You will see people screaming out loud how 200hr make a "night and day difference " (when you look at it, night and daybare probably more used than any other words on head fi including "the", "it" and "music"). Though when ab/x'ing a new vs burned in earphone you would be very good to successfully doing so. Same as with cables.

Though it may be that some earphones or headphone may change over time (just like some speakers).

 

[desik]

The difference is certainly not night and day, and it won't change the sound signature, but it certainly is there. One thing I learned after many hopes for the best with many headphones - If I don't like it fresh, I won't like it burned in either.

 

[serman005]

If burn-in does exist, why would it not also apply to planars (listening to my HiFiMAN as I write this)? Curious about this.

 

[rgmffn]

  If burn-in does exist, why would it not also apply to planars (listening to my HiFiMAN as I write this)? Curious about this.

In my 400i manual HiFiMan recommends 150 hrs break-in.  So they must think so. 

 

[Magick Man]

It's more time for your brain to adjust to the sound. Also, not to be a conspiracist, but that would be well over a month of normal listening for regular people, and beyond the 30 day return policy most retailers allow.

 

[desik]

Quote:

  If burn-in does exist, why would it not also apply to planars (listening to my HiFiMAN as I write this)? Curious about this.

LCD-2 have factory burn-in of 24 hours with pink noise. My only wonder is why other manufacturers don't do burn-in for medium-priced gear. If burn-in has effect, it would certainly increase feedback ranking and sales. But they don't deny the need of burn-in either.

 

[serman005]

  In my 400i manual HiFiMan recommends 150 hrs break-in.  So they must think so. 

Wow! I had no idea.Obviously, this speaks to how HiFiMAN, a respected company, feels about the topic. Thanks for the input.

 

[krismusic]

What's wrong with turning on the amp/dac, listening to the headphones and then when finished listening turn everything back off again. Ask someone, who believes in all that crap, what it is exactly about the sound of the headphones that is so awful until they've run some magic number of hours and what they think the magic number is. Having owned several pairs of new cans, I've never heard anything which would put me off just listening to the damn things.
This whole concept of headphone burn-in, by playing to themselves, is weird, like giving someone your brand new car to break-in because the driving experience is so dreadful until it hits that magic number, or leaving it running when parked because, hey, it feels so bad when I drive it, it's not broken-in yet. Weird in the extreme.....

This absolutely IMHO.

Burn in is as real as other audiophile myths, in as most of the time it is a myth but there may be some truth in it.

You will see people screaming out loud how 200hr make a "night and day difference " (when you look at it, night and daybare probably more used than any other words on head fi including "the", "it" and "music"). Though when ab/x'ing a new vs burned in earphone you would be very good to successfully doing so. Same as with cables.

Though it may be that some earphones or headphone may change over time (just like some speakers).

The phrase "night and day" always sets my BS detector twitching!

Wow! I had no idea.Obviously, this speaks to how HiFiMAN, a respected company, feels about the topic. Thanks for the input.

All that proved is that HiFiMAN are as gullible as anyone! Again IMHO.

 

[Ruben123]

This absolutely IMHO.
The phrase "night and day" always sets my BS detector twitching!
All that proved is that HiFiMAN are as gullible as anyone! Again IMHO.

Did you know that you can let someone mod your $3500 ak380 for only $800 (dap alone, amp is another $800) because it makes a night and day difference after the mod? You MAY NOT listen to it the 100 hours of burn in, because besides that the sound has to settle, you might think the mod didn't really work that great. Or is it because....