Forget the concept of break in.
Speakers sound different and having a pair for a long time sets the 'reference' in your mind. Often speakers just sound different and not necessarily 'better', especially when comparing two quality models in tandem. A good a/b instant switch listening test is really the best way to discern the subtle differences effectively.
That aside, i have not heard the new MA lineup with the exception of the Platinum bookshelf models as noted in
this more recent review.Price certainly sets a limit when looking at new models. I would rather wait about a year and see those 'new' models come onto the used market for half the price before buying. You can save a ton of cash going this way and if anyone buys 2k+ worth of speaker gear, odds are they take good care of it.
I do love the Monitor Audio sound though. If they only made the Silver series in a true 3 way design and i bet i would've bought them long ago. If you prefer slightly heavier bass, they have a great sound.
I know the "break in" topic is like religion or politics in some places... but I'd rather be safe than sorry when getting a new pair. As for listening differences, I do beleive it does some difference.
As a guitar player, i've been through SOOOOOOO many cab's you wouldn't beleive. I have 3 4x12's at the moment and I don't even jam anymore. And buying many of these cabs new, I have noticed a difference in sound after approx 20 to 30 hours (a month or so)put into them. I'm not saying its a
night and difference, but the speakers do losen up and it does change the dynamics of it. My main player is a VHT 4x12 that I purchased new and plled it out of the box myself, no floor demo. Picked it about 3 years ago, I've been running it with the exact same gear... same tube amp and tube preamp, always kept the same cables and I always use them in the same direction (one end IN the other OUT) and the cab as tightend up over the 3 years. In fact, when I purchased that VHT cab I bought 2 of them at the same time. I have always had the 2nd as a spare because they sound so great. These cabs are made of the same wood, use the same speakers, I changed the speaker wire on both cabs to thicker 12gage (using the same reel of cable), sealed the inside with window/door caulking on the inside to tighten it up and they sound different. One has hardly been played and the other is used every 2nd day. So yeah, I think this is also possible with home speakers. I'm basing this on listening to the speakers I tried over the years and the experience I have as a 15 + year musician gigging his cabs. BTW, my regular user name elsewhere is 4x12 just can't have enough of them
Like religion, no one thinks the same thing
