Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler speaker break in

I just got a pair os 22's and a vp150. Read a lot of posts about them needing to break in. What exactly will I notice once they brak in?

That would depend on what you noticed initially. If the highs were too prominent, they will become less so. If too reticent, you will notice them become more prominent. The same will be observed for the bass and mid-range. If you noticed(or imagined) no gross deficiencies at first you will notice no change at all and will be in agreement with the measurements which show no changes of audible significance.

I have often wondered why if psycho acoustical factors only are responsible for "break in" why do speakers on the dealers showroom floor sound different than the ones right out of the box. Then after using them for a while they start sound more like they did at the dealers. I don't get it. I do know that while listening to some speakers at my dealers place recently I never felt or thought they needed some "break in." Anyone have the answer?

HOLOGRAM,

there is definitely a break in period for the speaker itself. i find speakers never sound the same out of the box as they do a few weeks later. It's like a pair of shoes, they need to break in a little. you must also not forget that, in the store, they usually have the speakers set in ideal conditions, and hooked up with some very high quality equipment. they also have the seating position of the listener in a very good position to hear the speakers properly. this definitely contributes to why speakers sound better in a store than they do at home right out of the box.

That would depend on the type of store you are shopping in. Most stores utilize banks of amps, sources and rows of speakers that are all connected to a central switching mechanism. This switch allows easy connection of different components. However, there are difficulties with this type of setup. The switch can cause problems sonically, and most definitely the room acoustics will play a major factor. This type of store has focused more on quick turnover, than displaying the best quality a piece can exhibit.

There are stores that assemble systems that show you the best they have to offer, and usually this is in a controlled environment.

As to which is better, well pricing and target market can vary greatly from the first example to the second example. Your budget and needs will determine the store that carries your market segment.

As for break in periods, this is an area of great debate. In my opinion, as a speaker is esentially a motor, it should be treated cautiously for the first few hours of listening. Most manufacturers of any piece (sources, amps, speakers) recommend based on their designs. I tend to think if it does make a difference, then I am following their advice. If it is fiction, I am not out anything more than a limited time at background volume levels. But, if you are wrong, you may have caused damage. So I don't take the chances....

As for the psycho acoustical affects, I would think that as you listen in your home, the sound will become more familiar and change your perception. Remember the above stores? Invariably the sound will be different when you first connect them, but you can and will adjust.