Burn in

JayDee

Well-Known Member
Feb 4, 2020
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All - has the topic of “Burn In” been done to death?

I have been listening to two new products. A new Townshend Ref passive pre amp and the totaldac D1-Driver.
I was told the passive did not need a burn in period. They were wrong. It took a week and if i had not stuck with it I would have missed out on the best pre amp i have ever heard

I was advised that the totaldac would be better after a week.

At least i was advised this time and how true was this. It is completely different after a week of use and went from disappointing to one of the best upgrades i have done in that period

i also feel the same applies to interconnects / cables.

Does everyone really give new equipment the time to bed in and relax or do people give up too early?

i would have missed the two best additions to my system if i had been impatient.
 
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analogsa

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Apr 15, 2017
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I would never consider breaking in anything with music. Inefficient and excruciating.

The issue of break in of a TVC is interesting. The process should only be complete after every position of the attenuator has passed through the break in routine.
 

JayDee

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Feb 4, 2020
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JayDee

Well-Known Member
Feb 4, 2020
36
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53
I would never consider breaking in anything with music. Inefficient and excruciating.

The issue of break in of a TVC is interesting. The process should only be complete after every position of the attenuator has passed through the break in routine.
Does that mean every one if the volume levels needs breaking in in its own right?
 

analogsa

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Apr 15, 2017
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In the case of a TVC there are the transformer windings and the switch contacts. I think playing at max output level would exercise the transformer fully, at least that is what I do, but still leaves the switch contacts in their virgin state. Realistically, only a few positions are really important for critical listening.
 

JayDee

Well-Known Member
Feb 4, 2020
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In the case of a TVC there are the transformer windings and the switch contacts. I think playing at max output level would exercise the transformer fully, at least that is what I do, but still leaves the switch contacts in their virgin state. Realistically, only a few positions are really important for critical listening.
Thanks. That is really helpful
 

marty

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Apr 20, 2010
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All - has the topic of “Burn In” been done to death?
....i would have missed the two best additions to my system if i had been impatient.

JayDee,
Welcome to the forum. The topic of burn-in has been discussed many times, but much of it is dispersed over many threads. Use the search engine and feel free to explore. Some good discussion can be found here:
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/ac-power-cable-break-in.12845/
and although that discussion is about power cables, the discussion of burn-in here is equally relevant to interconnects and other electronics as well.

Bottom line: burn-in is generally a necessary nuisance to endure to achieve optimum sound quality.
Marty
 
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Lowrider75

Well-Known Member
Dec 4, 2019
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All - has the topic of “Burn In” been done to death?

I have been listening to two new products. A new Townshend Ref passive pre amp and the totaldac D1-Driver.
I was told the passive did not need a burn in period. They were wrong. It took a week and if i had not stuck with it I would have missed out on the best pre amp i have ever heard

I was advised that the totaldac would be better after a week.

At least i was advised this time and how true was this. It is completely different after a week of use and went from disappointing to one of the best upgrades i have done in that period

i also feel the same applies to interconnects / cables.

Does everyone really give new equipment the time to bed in and relax or do people give up too early?

i would have missed the two best additions to my system if i had been impatient.

Even manufacturers state an approximate burn-in or break-in time. Well, mostly for cables.

And yes, I've given up too soon on the break in process.
 
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Gregadd

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Apr 20, 2010
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Burn in is applicable to almost everything. It is only controversial in audiophile circles. I suggest least effective in audio cables. I say this given the low level of current passing through them. Power cords excepted.
Aa the saying goes, it couldn't hurt. Get a thiirty day return guarantee. If it has not birned in by then get ypur money back.
 

CSG

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2012
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So, OP, your aural memory is so good you remember how something sounded a week earlier compared to now?? Dang, you must have a helluva pair of ears!
 

Uk Paul

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Sep 27, 2012
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So, OP, your aural memory is so good you remember how something sounded a week earlier compared to now?? Dang, you must have a helluva pair of ears!

Nope, that's very easy..
 

analogsa

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Apr 15, 2017
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I suggest least effective in audio cables. I say this given the low level of current passing through them.


Which brings some interesting questions: is it current or voltage that do the magic? Or a combination?

And how do really low signal conductors like tonearm wire and MC transformer wire get broken in? This is why I am suspicious of this process occuring effectively by just playing music.
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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You raise good points. My argumemt is intuitive and not science based.
 
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Alrainbow

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Dec 11, 2013
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Burn in is applicable to almost everything. It is only controversial in audiophile circles. I suggest least effective in audio cables. I say this given the low level of current passing through them. Power cords excepted.
Aa the saying goes, it couldn't hurt. Get a thiirty day return guarantee. If it has not birned in by then get ypur money back.
I am an agnostic in all burn in. but my brain Tells me I’m nuts to feel it’s not. In my lifetime of fixing and making old audio great again it’s obvious break in is an obviously real. Caps are one of the obvious parts to be noticed and tubes is second. I owned a pair of eml mesh 2A3 tubes monsters by most all others. I tried them a few times always a quick take them out. until one day I forgot as I got busy as they played. As time went on the piano is getting better no more dink it now has bloom and slowly became a better piano. Or took over 30 hours to settle in it became my best tube.
 
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