[BlackbeardBen]

1. Burn-In: No.  None of the changes that do happen occur in the manner ascribed to as burn-in.
2. Methods of burning-in (if yes, what?): N/A
3. Termination/interconnects: Good physical construction is important, and if you want blingy-looking cables, be my guest. But on the basis of sound? No, except for extreme cases.
4. Power filtering/prep: No, unless you have horrible wiring or a highly fluctuating line voltage. FYI, a surge protector will not protect against a close lightning strike.
5. Synergy amongst equipment: Matching transducers to appropriately powerful (and correct impedance) amplifiers, yes.  Otherwise, except for extreme (flawed) cases, no.
6. Replacement cables/recabling: No difference in sound as long as you don't use absurdly thin/horrible wire.  For build/looks/practicality/different terminations, yes.
7. Tube amps preferred over solid states: Actually, despite all of the solid-state gear I have and have heard I've never listened to tubes.  But design matters more.
8. Analog/Vinyl preferred over digital/CD: No for vinyl for convenience or sound quality.  As others have mentioned, it's the mastering that matters.  But, yes, for the charm.
9. More expensive gear is usually better gear: Speaking of average performance, yes.  But the variance is huge, so that doesn't necessarily mean much.
10. Do you place emphasis and value on ABXing: Yes, but unfortunately for hardware it becomes difficult (lack of necessary equipment - SPL meter and friend at a minimum, and an ABX box ideally) for most people to do.

 

[DearestDane]

1. Burn-In: Sort of.

2. Methods of burning-in (if yes, what?): Play music.

3. Termination/interconnects: Interconnects of decent mechanical quality and with golden contacts are rather inexpensive nowadays. Not a big deal.

4. Power filtering/prep: I intend to build battery power supply units for my head phone amplifier and DAC.

5. Synergy amongst equipment: I prefer to aim for neutrality in individual components.

6. Replacement cables/recabling: Yes, but not something that I put much focus on.

7. Tube amps preferred over solid states: Neutral, pragmatic view.

8. Analog/Vinyl preferred over digital/CD: Neutral, pragmatic view.

9. More expensive gear is usually better gear: High quality gear will often tend to be expensive, but there does not seem to be a simple connection between quality and price.

10. Do you place emphasis and value on ABXing: No. AB-testing, yes, but I really couldn't care less about the X-factor.

 

[Syan25]

Interesting response about Tubes VS Solid States

 

[Redcarmoose]

  
1. Burn-In: Yes, It seems to work on some stuff. Who cares why? Science only has all the answers to what they know now.  
2. Methods of burning-in (if yes, what?): I play music.
3. Termination/interconnects: Yes. For the longest time I would not believe there could be a difference. How could there be? Then I changed my mind. I did not need to do A/Bs as the difference spun my head around twice. Some people say if you go up to a big power transformer the hum you hear is mechanical and even if it’s the sound of loose wires moving something is making the wires vibrate. Electricity has a mechanical aspect, so why would you not do everything you can to expedite it to the next component in great form. Every interconnect component changes the overall sound in the end. Interconnects get a lot of confusion going among the crowd here because some systems have bigger dependence on them for sound quality. If people still cannot believe that they change things, make a custom set out of pure silver and another out of pure copper. After a 30 second go around with the two sets then ask yourself if the termination material could change an aspect of the sound? Then ask yourself if there might just be a possibility that the shielding would play a role in the sound? Building a great headphone system should be a lot easier than powering speakers in a room with all the room variables to deal with!
4. Power filtering/prep: YES, I can hear the grid change from 12am to 6am. My next step is power conditioning.  
5. Synergy amongst equipment:YES, Every little piece of gear changes the overall sound. Some systems are more codependent and some are less to the different componants.
6. Replacement cables/recabling: Refer to question 3. The cable supplying AC to the power amp is critical on some amps. This would be directly from the wall to the amp or from the wall to the conditioning equipment.
7. Tube amps preferred over solid states: Each has special properties. The amp has to match the other components in the loop.
8. Analog/Vinyl preferred over digital/CD: Digital is really easy and seems to offer more and more material. When vinyl is done right a magic starts to take place which has seemed unstoppable. I look forward to the day when digital can run with vinyl and bring its ease of use along.
9. More expensive gear is usually better gear: I always wanted my Toyota MR2 to drive like a Ferrari…………………….it never did.  
10. Do you place emphasis and value on ABXing: That is the best part of Head-fi meets! You may even meet some really cool cats.
 
Disclaimer: My views are not set in stone and could change at any moment.

 

[Redcarmoose]

  
1. Burn-In: Yes, It seems to work on some stuff. Who cares why? Science only has all the answers to what they know now.  
2. Methods of burning-in (if yes, what?): I play music.
3. Termination/interconnects: Yes. For the longest time I would not believe there could be a difference. How could there be? Then I changed my mind. I did not need to do A/Bs as the difference spun my head around twice. Some people say if you go up to a big power transformer the hum you hear is mechanical and even if it’s the sound of loose wires moving something is making the wires vibrate. Electricity has a mechanical aspect, so why would you not do everything you can to expedite it to the next component in great form. Every interconnect component changes the overall sound in the end. Interconnects get a lot of confusion going among the crowd here because some systems have bigger dependence on them for sound quality. If people still cannot believe that they change things, make a custom set out of pure silver and another out of pure copper. After a 30 second go around with the two sets then ask yourself if the termination material could change an aspect of the sound? Then ask yourself if there might just be a possibility that the shielding would play a role in the sound? Building a great headphone system should be a lot easier than powering speakers in a room with all the room variables to deal with!
4. Power filtering/prep: YES, I can hear the grid change from 12am to 6am. My next step is power conditioning.  
5. Synergy amongst equipment:YES, Every little piece of gear changes the overall sound. Some systems are more codependent and some are less to the different componants.
6. Replacement cables/recabling: Refer to question 3. The cable supplying AC to the power amp is critical on some amps. This would be directly from the wall to the amp or from the wall to the conditioning equipment.
7. Tube amps preferred over solid states: Each has special properties. The amp has to match the other components in the loop.
8. Analog/Vinyl preferred over digital/CD: Digital is really easy and seems to offer more and more material. When vinyl is done right a magic starts to take place which has seemed unstoppable. I look forward to the day when digital can run with vinyl and bring its ease of use along.
9. More expensive gear is usually better gear: I always wanted my Toyota MR2 to drive like a Ferrari…………………….it never did.  
10. Do you place emphasis and value on ABXing: That is the best part of Head-fi meets! You may even meet some really cool cats.
 
Disclaimer: My views are not set in stone and could change at any moment.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Double Post Again....Sorry

 

[upstateguy]

1. Burn-In:
2. Methods of burning-in (if yes, what?) 
3. Termination/interconnects:
4. Power filtering/prep:
5. Synergy amongst equipment:  YES
6. Replacement cables/recabling:
7. Tube amps preferred over solid states:
8. Analog/Vinyl preferred over digital/CD:
9. More expensive gear is usually better gear:  MORE EXPENSIVE GEAR USUALLY LOOKS BETTER AND THAT HAS VALUE.  SOMETIMES MORE EXPENSIVE GEAR HAS MORE RESOLUTION.
10. Do you place emphasis and value on ABXing:  YES
 
 
I mostly agree with the OP.  NO to everything except where noted.
 
 
It's good to see that most of the new crop of members have their heads planted firmly on their shoulders and resist believing the mythology which permeated the past.
 
This is the Sound Science Forum.  If you have no proof for your claim, it is an anecdote. 

 
USG
 

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

This is the Sound Science Forum.  If you have no proof for your claim, it is an anecdote. 

So this thread and topic is anecdotal at best.  By your criteria of 'Sound Science' everyone responding should have the same answer so only one response should suffice.  

  In fact, this thread should be removed from the sub forum.
 

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

So this thread and topic is anecdotal at best.  By your criteria of 'Sound Science' everyone responding should have the same answer so only one response should suffice.  

  In fact, this thread should be removed from the sub forum.
 

Why do you want to remove this thread?  The OP asked a series of questions.  No claims were made.
 
USG
 

 

[Redcarmoose]

Many scholars in other fields use the term "myth" in somewhat different ways.^[5][6][7] In a very broad sense, the word can refer to any traditional story.<sup>[8]

Wikipedia Myths
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MaxPlank
In the scientific world sometimes stories do suffice when things can not be proven. Max Plank made a story regarding the light emitted by heated metals not being consistant. He could not prove his theory but went with it until a time came when it was to be proven. This is science.</sup>
 

 Regards, ProfHoff 543 ============================================================== Water does emit radiation, it is just not visible. It is all a matter of the temperature. One of the earliest issues in the early history of quantum mechanics was just the problem you are alluding to, that is: What is the "color" that is the distribution of the frequencies of light (actually electromagnetic radiation because we can't "see" either ultraviolet, infrared or microwave radiation directly). The experimental measurement of the distribution of intensities, call it I(f,T), that is the intensity of light at some frequency "f" emitted by a body at temperature "T" ("T" is in kelvins, that is 'absolute temperature') could not be explained by classical mechanics and classical theory of electromagnetic radiation (Maxwell's equations. Max Planck showed that the correct formula that gave the correct distribution of emitted frequencies was: I(f,T) = [(8*pi*h*f^3) / c^3] * (1 / exp(h*f / kT) -1), where pi = 3.14159..., h = 6.626x10^ -334 joule sec (Planck's constant), k = 1.381x10^-23 joules/K (Boltzmann,s constant), c = 2.998x10^+8 meters / sec (the speed of light), f is the frequency of the light, and "T" is the temperature in kelvins. The important point is that the intensity distribution I(f,T) depends only upon the temperature, T. When you heat a piece of metal to 800 or 1000 kelvins part of the emitted radiation, I(f,T), is in the frequency range of visible light, so you see it glow from red-ish to yellow-ish to blu-ish as the temperature is increased. At the boiling point of water, about 373 kelvins, little or no emitted radiation, I(f,373) is in the frequency range of visible light. Rather it is in the infrared region which we can "feel" as warm, but cannot see visually. Vince Calder

 

 

[youngngray]

1. Burn-In: Sure

2. Methods of burning-in (if yes, what?): Just play music for a couple hours, but nothing more than that.

3. Termination/interconnects: Gold on interconnect plugs, not necessarily for SQ but for durability reasons because gold is much more resistant to corrosion.

4. Power filtering/prep: No

5. Synergy amongst equipment: Not in a magical "These go great together" sense.

6. Replacement cables/recabling: No

7. Tube amps preferred over solid states: No

8. Analog/Vinyl preferred over digital/CD: CD for convenience

9. More expensive gear is usually better gear: Overall, usually, but there are some exceptions.

10. Do you place emphasis and weight on ABXing: Oh yes, as long as its performed properly.

 

[Syan25]

I love your Bill Cosby quote! 
Quote:

1. Burn-In: Sure

2. Methods of burning-in (if yes, what?): Just play music for a couple hours, but nothing more than that.

3. Termination/interconnects: Gold on interconnect plugs, not necessarily for SQ but for durability reasons because gold is much more resistant to corrosion.

4. Power filtering/prep: No

5. Synergy amongst equipment: Not in a magical "These go great together" sense.

6. Replacement cables/recabling: No

7. Tube amps preferred over solid states: No

8. Analog/Vinyl preferred over digital/CD: CD for convenience

9. More expensive gear is usually better gear: Overall, usually, but there are some exceptions.

10. Do you place emphasis and weight on ABXing: Oh yes, as long as its performed properly.

 
 

 

[Marcus_C]

 
[size=medium]

1. Burn-In: No
2. Methods of burning-in (if yes, what?): No
3. Termination/interconnects: No, as long as contact is good
4. Power filtering/prep: No
5. Synergy amongst equipment: Yes, no idea why, my ears seem to believe in that one.
6. Replacement cables/recabling: No, unless the old cable is broken, then there can be quite a large improvement.
7. Tube amps preferred over solid states: Not for audio quality, just for the pretty colours!
8. Analog/Vinyl preferred over digital/CD: Not for audio quality, just music quality.
9. More expensive gear is usually better gear: I think so, though could be placebo.
10. Do you place emphasis and value on ABXing: Not really, there will always be a bias, even if you're not aware of it.
 
 
​

[/size]

 

[Redcarmoose]

Isaac Newton 1842 to 1727       
Does Hermetic Philosophy believe in God?
 
 
 
 
 

 

[kite7]

1. Burn-In:
 
For headphones I agree somewhat depending on what headphone it is but for dac and ss amps no.  I generally sit more on the no side but I do it anyways for headphones because it doesn't hurt nor does it take up any of my time; the leave it and forget it approach.
 
2. Methods of burning-in (if yes, what?): 
 
Pink noise, random pop muaic CDs at considerably louder volumes not suitable to listen at for about a week or more
 
3. Termination/interconnects:
 
Gold just to stop corrosion, sound doesn't matter
 
4. Power filtering/prep:
 
Never tried
 
5. Synergy amongst equipment:
 
I only believe in synergy between headphones and the amp that is driving it.
 
6. Replacement cables/recabling:
 
No, tried a very nice popular cable (which will remain unnamed) and did not notice much regardless of my bias of hoping to hear an improvement.
 
7. Tube amps preferred over solid states:
 
Never tried tube amps, I never liked the idea of replacing tubes. I don't like added warmth
 
8. Analog/Vinyl preferred over digital/CD:
 
I only listen to digital, no experience with analog/vinyl
 
9. More expensive gear is usually better gear:
 
Headphones : Yes
DAC : No
Amp : No
Cables : No
 
10. Do you place emphasis and weight on ABXing:
 
Yes, if I don't perceive a noticeable difference I don't think it is justified that I keep the equipment. Two virtues I consider a lot here, temperance and fortitude. If someone says there is or isn't any differences, I still would like to hear it for myself. My own experience is the final word.