I'm very curious of all the Axiom board members who are adamant about the lack of scientific evidence for speaker "break-in", amps, cables, filters, etc - how many are atheists?

That Carl Sagan story about the invisible dragon is certainly NOT about audio equipment.

I've tried to stay out of this fray...but alas I cannot hold out any longer.

Here are my thoughts (I say this like anyone gives a rat's backside...)

1) Speaker break-in: I have no evidence, but given what I've heard, and what simply makes sense to me - I belive a) it's entirely dependent on what materials the speakers are made of, b) "brain" break-in plays a LARGE roll and c) does it matter why? If it sounds different to you after a week, then it sounds different. Who cares why?

2) Separate Amps vs All-in-One recievers: I again have little experience, BUT - When I switched from my flagship Onkyo TX-SV919thx reciever to my Rotel separates, I DID notice the bass tighten up. Nothing earth shattering, but it did sound better.

3) Speaker cables - This is one area I've actually tested at home. (I don't even want to hear about the fact that my test wasn't double blind, yadda, yadda, yadda - we've all heard it before.) I switched back and forth several times between standard 12awg copper wire and a pair of Monster Z2 Reference cables. There was a difference, but MINOR. If I had to do it again, I'd save my money and stick with straight 12awg cable. It was that minor.

4) Line "conditioners" - Can't say anything, because I have zero experience with them.

5) Video cables - My experience has been that jumping from single RCA to S-Video makes a HUGE difference in picture quality and brightness. Jumping from an el cheapo S-Video cable to a $50 Monster S-Video cable makes little to no difference. Again it shows that a "standard grade" cable gives you great results - get a quality built cable, but don't go nuts with exotics.

5) I believe nothing based on blind faith. But at the same time, if I personally HEAR a difference, I don't need a 20 page document of scientific data to prove it to me. I trust my ears - even if they are being duped, I still hear what I hear. All the graphs and flow charts in the world won't change that.

'Nuff Said (from me at least)