Placebo effect or burn in real?

[stukovx]

I dunno, was listening to my 701 with glite this morning and the sound was so good. Felt like I was standing right in front of Utada(jpop) listening to her sing Final Distance. I remember for one song of hers (time limit), the drums in it were overpowering to the point where they hurt my ears, but now they are subtle and her vocals are expressed even more.

Whatever it is, I'm in audio bliss right now. To think I use to listen to music with the stock earphones that came with my cd player -shudder-

Music never sounded so good

 

[Ko Nectic Jazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stukovx I dunno, was listening to my 701 with glite this morning and the sound was so good. Felt like I was standing right in front of Utada(jpop) listening to her sing Final Distance. I remember for one song of hers (time limit), the drums in it were overpowering to the point where they hurt my ears, but now they are subtle and her vocals are expressed even more. Whatever it is, I'm in audio bliss right now. To think I use to listen to music with the stock earphones that came with my cd player -shudder- Music never sounded so good

As every new head-fier, I did doubted of burn in effects... until I heard it on my first ms1. Burn in is obvious with speakers, but it does exist with headphones too.

"Believe !"

 

[Reputator]

A number of people use the method of first listening to the headphone out of the box, letting it burn in for many hours unattended, then listening to it again, and they'll tell you there's major change. I did that with my DT990 and I could hear improvement. That's a fool proof method to knowing burn in helps, because you're not given the time to get used to anything.

Headphones change very slowly, it takes a long time for anything to be affected. So if you notice it sounds better listening one moment and then five minutes later listening to it again, that's you, not the headphone. There's certainly an element in there where you adjust to the sound. Your mind can play tricks on you too, you think changing this or setting that makes it better, then later you realize it didn't do anything. Or you think one copy of a song sounds better than another, do an ABX test and realize you can't tell the difference. Things like that.

 

[stukovx]

I just remebered, I updated my x-fi drivers yesterday. Maybe that had an effect on the sound as well. Doesn't matter though, I'm lovin it.

 

[MayorSimpleton]

I believe in the burn-in thing to a certain extent. But I also noticed your were talking about the 'morning' in your post. My favourite listening time is first thing in the morning - my mind is clear, and my ears just seem to work sound better!

For me also, being a caffeine freak - I'm aware that the combination of morning + coffee = even greater sensitivity to sound

Pluck

 

[nsjong]

Real method if testing is get a "burned-in" pair of headphones right beside a brand new one.

Of course, it'll cost a bit of money but you can easily tell that Burn-in does exist.

If it works for speakers, why wouldn't it work for headphones?
They both use drivers.

 

[Sleestack]

I don't know about burn-in, but I do know things can sound different to me in the morning and in the evening. I also know it has nothing to do with changes in my system. It is simply that various factors affect my perceptions from the time I wake to the time I go to sleep, and I have little understanding of, or control over, those factors. I've never tried to determine if heaphone break-in is real or not because I don't feel that I could accurately remember my impressions from the early hours of use v. after hundreds of hours, let alone from morning to night.

 

[jbloudg20]

I do believe in the burn-in of drivers, as there is a mechanical component that can wear-in. I do NOT, however, believe in burn-in of cables.

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reputator A number of people use the method of first listening to the headphone out of the box, letting it burn in for many hours unattended, then listening to it again, and they'll tell you there's major change. I did that with my DT990 and I could hear improvement. That's a fool proof method to knowing burn in helps, because you're not given the time to get used to anything.

You're also given far too much time between listenings (100 hours+?) to remember how the can sounded. I do believe that cans change after many many hours of use but unless you have 1 new pair and 1 broken in pair to compare side by side as nsjong mentions I don't see that method very conclusive(fool proof) at all.

I have many of the same thoughts as Sleestack does.

 

[IEATTEFLON]

Yes I noticed certain changes for the better in an older pair of headphones from an identical new set. The older pair had less shrillness and a velvety pace that the newer pair couldn't emulate.

 

[aliquis]

Can't say I notice any difference on the MS-1 after 50h of listening compared to 2. If there was some from 0 to 2 I have hard to tell.

 

[Vul Kuolun]

Placebo.

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...hlight=burn-in

How stupid do you think a company like AKG is? Do you think they do not know about the exact behaviour of their products?

Do you think they´re some kind of lucky idiots which produce one of the worlds most advanced headphones, not knowing their sound "explodes" after 200 hours of use?

If they knew, don´t you think they would tell ya?
If they don´t know, do you think it´s possible developing such a good headphone, not knowing about the exact behaviour of the used materials?

Come on. You can´t be serious.

 

[Reputator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatDane You're also given far too much time between listenings (100 hours+?) to remember how the can sounded. I do believe that cans change after many many hours of use but unless you have 1 new pair and 1 broken in pair to compare side by side as nsjong mentions I don't see that method very conclusive(fool proof) at all. I have many of the same thoughts as Sleestack does.

It was only 36 hours for me. I remembered quite clearly.

 

[kramer5150]

We'll never really know if it is a placebo or an actual change untill there is a way to measure the transient response of the headphone.... new -VS- burned-in.

There are members who are unhappy with the sound of their cans post burn-in.

I for one did notice a sonic difference in my RS1 at the ~150 hour mark. It could be a placebo, but I don't think so.. the difference is too dramatic. But of all my cans that one was the most dramatic.

 

[cclragnarok]

Well, if I remember correctly, Filburt and another Head-Fier met for a mini-meet where they ABed a pair of burned-in K701 against a pair that hasn't been burned-in. They concluded that there was a difference between the two.