[TKO]

Hi Everyone,

does anyone know if the graphs at Headroom are after a sufficient period of burn-in?

I looked on the website but couldn't find any information regarding this detail.

Any information appreciated.

Tony (Ottawa)

 

[MaZa]

Well, graphs from DT990 05 were available loooooong time before they wrote a review of it. They probaply took graphs from it directly out of the box, atleast with this headphone.

 

[warpdriver]

I remember Headroom posting that graphs don't change after break-in.

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warpdriver I remember Headroom posting that graphs don't change after break-in.

I think I recall this statement too.

 

[TKO]

Thanks for the replies.

I was curious given that some headphones, most notably the AKG K701's, come alive after a few hundred hours of burn-in/break-in, which should affect the graph given how the diaphragms of the K701 are designed.

Tony (Ottawa)

 

[warpdriver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TKO I was curious given that some headphones, most notably the AKG K701's, come alive after a few hundred hours of burn-in/break-in, which should affect the graph given how the diaphragms of the K701 are designed.

There are lots of things related to how things sound that don't show up in frequency response graphs.

 

[miscreant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warpdriver There are lots of things related to how things sound that don't show up in frequency response graphs.

you teaser! show a link or xplain some more!

 

[maarek99]

Burn in is all in the head. That's why measurements won't change.

 

[spinali]

Quote:

Burn in is all in the head. That's why measurements won't change.

Anything's possible, I suppose, and the world isn't going to implode over the issue. I hope that those who are interested will check out my Headphone Break-in Guide, linked below. It goes a bit beyond what the Head-Fi FAQ offers, with a look at both sides, links, and more.

 

[Nugget]

Quote:

Originally Posted by maarek99 Burn in is all in the head. That's why measurements won't change.

<>pulls up a lawn chair and a frosty beverage<>

 

[TKO]

One, with the appropriate equipment and laboratory, should be able to debunk this or prove it conclusively by using a brand new set of AKG K701s, then testing them again after 400 hours of "burn-in".

Text from this excellent review from Stereophile August 2006:
Stereophile Review - AKG K701

"About a week later, I checked in on the K 701s and that edginess was gone, replaced by balanced sound with a natural top-end sparkle and a ridiculously robust bottom end. What causes such a change? Some folks speculate that the diaphragm becomes more supple with play, or that the motor mechanism wears in. I don't pretend to know what goes on, only that a few hundred hours of vigorous play transformed the K 701s."

If this is the case then a graph of the frequency response should unequivocally show proof, or the testing methods become suspect... I have read, with interest, the testing methods at Headroom, and see no flaws in their testing methodology, which is why I posed the question, especially with regards to the K701.

Definitely an interesting subject that I wouldn't want to see treated as an urban myth but rather as a question crying out for a verifiable and repeatable experiment.

Cheers.

Tony (Ottawa)

 

[cerbie]

Much like how all opamps sound the same. Pushing specific sine waves through is not playing music. The waveforms will look nothing alike. In listening to music, the change from say 125Hz to 500Hz in short order is what's important, not how loud the pure 500Hz tone may be.

It's entirely possible a response graph made by playing tones will not change. However, playing real music and checking the difference before and after burn-in should give something meaningful.

Anyone who doesn't believe in burn-in need not spend more than $30, shipped, worst-case, to find out by personal observation (2xKSC75).

 

[nikongod]

it has been shown that the thelly-small parameters of MANY drivers do change with use. it stands to reason that this happens with headphones too.

 

[gdeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by miscreant you teaser! show a link or xplain some more!

brain burn-in isn't measured.

 

[Jamey Warren]

While frequency response graphs can give a person a pretty good idea of the overall sonic signature of a headphone, they don't tell the whole story. For an example of the sonic signature application, take a look at the difference in the Ultimate Ears headphones

To my ears, the 5Pro's get the overall balance just about right where the 3 studio is a little thin sounding and the 5EB is a bit excessive and the bass overpowers the rest of the sound.

I have not realized a difference in frequency response before and after but we haven't exhausted all of our possibilities. For one, we're a bit limited in resources over here and have a hard enough time just keeping current with headphone measurements. However, I think over time we'll be able to find some differences before and after burn-in. My first instinct is that the Harmonic Distortion may change but I think that a lot of what were hearing may be better measured by impulse response measurements.

I'm just thinking out loud and I'm not an expert. I do have a pretty good support team though and collectively we find some good stuff.

I will now put on my flame suit and run...