Break In Period???

[shokhead]

I dont belive in burn in of new electronics,maybe older tube stuff. I do think its a good idea to let stuff warmup abit before you use it.

[JoeE SP9]

I have found that components do sound different after a burn in. Several years ago I purchased a very highly rated portable CD player. Because of the rave reviews I plugged it into my rig. After using it for about a week I heard a very audible difference (playing background music) from one song to the next. I replayed the first selection and it sounded different. I realize this is all subjective but when the change is enough to bring me out of the latest edition of the Dune series there is something going on. When I was working as a biomedical engineer we always burned in new electronics for 100 hours. This was mostly to weed out premature failure. I don't think it made any HP heart rate monitor display a crisper picture on the CRT.

[RobotCzar]

I have found that components do sound different after a burn in..

Joe,

I don't doubt that you found the compoents sound different after burn in. But, I do question the source of that difference. I mean, it could be that your hearing or perception changed. Considering that your mood, your health, the weather, what you ate, etc. could all affect how well you hear (or what your hear) we could be talking about a change in you rather than in the components. (Changes in the compoents can be measured and we could be sure of their changes after "burn in".).

Scientists have long ago established that your beliefs and expectations can and do affect what you hear. You could be expecting a difference and therefore "hear" one. Perhaps your perception improves after listening for a time, that is possible isn't it?

So, you actaully found that components sound different TO YOU after a time. And, you can't be sure what the cause is. Isn't that a more accurate statement?

[JoeE SP9]

Joe,

I don't doubt that you found the compoents sound different after burn in. But, I do question the source of that difference. I mean, it could be that your hearing or perception changed. Considering that your mood, your health, the weather, what you ate, etc. could all affect how well you hear (or what your hear) we could be talking about a change in you rather than in the components. (Changes in the compoents can be measured and we could be sure of their changes after "burn in".).

Scientists have long ago established that your beliefs and expectations can and do affect what you hear. You could be expecting a difference and therefore "hear" one. Perhaps your perception improves after listening for a time, that is possible isn't it?

So, you actaully found that components sound different TO YOU after a time. And, you can't be sure what the cause is. Isn't that a more accurate statement?

I was only reporting on one specific component. A portable CD player. The difference in sound was from one selection to the next while playing music at background levels. Your attempt to rephrase what I said is inaccurate and rather presumptuous. I did not believe that components could change their sound as much as the one portable did. I have never heard that sort of change before. I purchased my first piece of audio equipment in 1967 and this was the first and only time I've heard an difference like that. I am a BS EE and have a decent knowledge of components and circuit design. I am at a loss to explain the difference that I heard. This is/was not a case of "wishfull" thinking. I neither wanted nor expected to hear any difference. I was distracted from the novel I was reading by the change in sound character. If someone had told me they had experienced this kind of change I would be skeptical also.

[shokhead]

Batteries?

[JoeE SP9]

Batteries?

Good one but I was running off the wall wart. At the time I had read about 100 pages and it was the second CD of that session.

[noddin0ff]

So, you actually found that components sound different TO YOU after a time. And, you can't be sure what the cause is. Isn't that a more accurate statement?

I have never heard that sort of change before.... I am at a loss to explain the difference that I heard... If someone had told me they had experienced this kind of change I would be skeptical also.

I don't see the inaccuracy or the presumptuousness. He's only suggesting that factors other than the component influence the perceived sound, as any skeptic would. It's a neat story; we'd all like to try to figure out what caused the difference.