[higbvuyb]

  I appreciate Tyll's contribution in this as in everything, but measurements can currently tell us only so much: you have to experience things for yourself.

That's easy enough.
 
http://rinchoi.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/the-effect-of-break-in-vsonic-vc02.html
 
See how you go with an ABX test.

 

[Claritas]

  That's easy enough.
 
http://rinchoi.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/the-effect-of-break-in-vsonic-vc02.html
 
See how you go with an ABX test.

 
Thanks for the link. (I find his blog hard to follow because of the format.)
 
I don't have the headphones that he requires for the test so I can't make a valid comparison, but I listened to the tracks and they sound different. The not burnt in Vsonic was brighter and somewhat congested.
 
I've already done a test with HA-S500, as I wrote above.

 

[higbvuyb]

   
Thanks for the link. (I find his blog hard to follow because of the format.)
 
I don't have the headphones that he requires for the test so I can't make a valid comparison, but I listened to the tracks and they sound different. The not burnt in Vsonic was brighter and somewhat congested.
 
I've already done a test with HA-S500, as I wrote above.

If you do a sighted test, there's no surprise you hear what you expect to hear.

 

[tkddud21]

I think it is not necessary for headphones..

 

[Boogeyman]

I don't have a terrible amount of experience on the subject, but over the past few months I've been switching between some SR60s and SE-A1000s. For about 80% of my listening I preferred the Pioneers, but recently the Grados have been taking over and sound better than I ever remember them sounding. I don't know if it's electronic burn in or just something more mental, but something has happened for me.

 

[Claritas]

  If you do a sighted test, there's no surprise you hear what you expect to hear.

 
It wasn't a sighted test (though the psychologist who helped me with it knew which was which).

 

[higbvuyb]

   
It wasn't a sighted test (though the psychologist who helped me with it knew which was which).

Cheap headphones (and even expensive ones) have differences because of manufacturing tolerances. You can't really compare them validly unless you do something similar to what Rin did, i.e. record before and after (on the same set) on a dummy head with identical headphone placement.

 

[Beocord]

I've never experienced big changes with burn in. When I buy new headphones I give them a quick listen then burn those in with pink noise and something bassy to get the drivers moving. Many times I've had headphones that sounded not so impressing out of the box but after some burn in those have become quite nice. How ever that does not mean burn in is real. I try not to listen to my headphones while burn in so my brain doesn't get used to the sound and just adapt to it. That is not enough though...
 
When I buy a pair of headphones and those sound disappointing out of the box, I think that it's ok...These need some burn in. After burn in things are good but it might be just my brain saying that the headphones are better now after initial disappointment. The headphones are good because I have invested money in them. On subconsious level I'm having hard time accepting I've bought a pair of headphones that are not that impressive. This theory is supported by the fact that biggest improvement after burn in was with Beyerdynamic T1. The most expensive headphones I have owned. It might be that burn in just gives me more time to accept my purchase for what it is.
 
After that factor is eliminated I've been unable to tell a difference before and after burn in. I have 3 pairs of digitech pro monitors (hm5/fa-003 clones). One has about about 500 hours on them, one has less than 100 and one has maybe an hour or two. I can't tell a difference between them. My mind has no need to compensate for anything so all those digitechs sound the same to me.
 
Some companies do recommend burn in but that means nothing. Think about it... More you use the headphones more accustomed you become to their sound and so you are less likely to return them. Also if you burn in headphones for 10 days it is more likely you miss the expiration date of returning the headphones. High end companies such as Stax burn in their headphones before they sell them but that makes sense for quality control reasons. That is the main reason I burn in new headphones these days. Just to see those are still properly working after some 50 hours of usage.

 

[NewWaveAudio]

I just bearned in my MDR X10 and the vocals are a lot louder.

 

[boylit]

I have a question:
 
Burn in w/ the same tracks (stereo signal) vs. Burn in w/ the same tracks (mono signal). Will this create a difference in sound and/or L-R imbalance issue?

 

[Claritas]

I have a question:

Burn in w/ the same tracks (stereo signal) vs. Burn in w/ the same tracks (mono signal). Will this create a difference in sound and/or L-R imbalance issue?

I like your question. It shouldn't make a difference.

 

[NewWaveAudio]

I added this video to a playlist, and played it on a loop for three nights. Works great!
Burn in: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB3LdIwA91Q4rHM6iMzVf_C_VbM5Rgn4B