[SovereignJerk]

Seems to be a polarizing topic. Just wanted to put in my experiences. I've always had a pair of Sony MDR-7506 laying around. Always thought they were pretty good, I mean they're industry standard for recording. Apparently, our perception of sound goes way beyond just being able to mix a record. Because when I first bought a pair of Grado SR-125i cans, I could tell a difference out of the box. I ended up selling the cans a few years later, but music never did sound the same. I didn't put much stock in break in, I mean I still don't in any sense that you have to do it. The box that Grado cans arrive in say as much. Just listen to your cans normally and after a couple months or so they'll be all they can be. I noticed it with the SR-125i's, and just recently with the SR-60e's. Night and day? Not like the difference between Sony MDR-7506 and SR-60e (which are probably more of a difference in closed vs open design), but definitely a difference. It is not something I've ever noticed before, but like I said.. little experience. Looking forward to putting in quality time with my SR-225e's that just came in.

But whether 'breaking in' does anything mechanically like Grado claims, or if the changes are in the way you're perceiving the sound, I can say that I'm personally convinced that using them makes them sound better. I'll add that if you get a pair of headphones and you don't like them, return them. I'll also add that you shouldn't buy a set of cans, and then leave something running on them to hasten any break in. Just use them normally, and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[rel2]

My experience, patently unscientific and undoubtedly influenced by my mood, the weather and whatever I'd been drinking or smoking... I digress. Purchased a set of Senn 650s last year. I listened to them for a few days while I was working on my PC. I wasn't overly impressed. They seemed somewhat strident and lacked any sense of stage so I decided to break them in for awhile and listen again to see if I wanted to keep them. Coincidentally, we were going away for a couple weeks which allowed the Senns to cook on PBS FM for what turned out to be nearly 350 hours. I used the local PBS station because they have some of the most diverse programming I'm aware of, music, talk, animal noises (?) anyway, I turned up the volume until I could hear the cans from across the room. OK, that's the science part. About a week later I was able to devote some concentrated listening time to the "Broken In" cans. In a nutshell, the headphones underwent a sex change where they no longer reminded me of the same cans from a month earlier. Bottom line, did breaking them in improve them? In my opinion a resounding yes. Did it elevate them to a sound as good as Sennheisers next tier cans? I doubt it. They are what they are and I enjoy them now knowing that this is probably as good as they'll ever sound. And for sure, I've heard much better and far worse cans. Don't know if this will interest anyone but it's been my humble foray into a headphone "Break In" comparison performed over time from new.

 

[SovereignJerk]

I suppose I should say I might listen to my headphones at least 1 hour a day but no more than 3. I might have gone some days without using them. I probably listened to between 20-40 hours of music on the SR-60e's before I noticed the overall quality was better. I've been searching for that sound I had on my broken in SR-125i's. The SR-60e's didn't cut it out of the box, but it's a lot closer now that I've had them awhile. Real close, yet there was a certain lack of detail or definition that I recall. The SR-225e's sound really good out of the box. Already noticing subtleties in songs I either never noticed or couldn't make out. Part of the fun.