I have to agree with Bren here. I never heard of a CD player breaking in. I'm not gonna call you a liar, because maybe you really did hear it but I really don't see how. I don't believe in speaker break-in myself, but I won't say it doesn't happen. I don't believe my speaker's or my ears "broke-in." I liked my Axiom's from the first moment I heard them; then again, I've always had a very astute ear. I guess not everybody is quite as lucky.