All that matters is what you hear, and if you're happy with what you hear. I believe that all speakers, and most audio components, exhibit some sort of physical / eletrical / mechanical break-in that is audible. Typically 30-50 hours. Sometimes it can be much longer.

These theoretical arguments have no value to anyone's musical enjoyment. My only advice is this: if you get a new component, particularly new speakers, and notice a shrillness or lack of bass, give it some time before deciding to send it back. You may or may not notice an easing of some of the annoying sonic features. Aside from that, just enjoy the music.

-Cooper

Sometime back I had posted a url that contained spl readings from four Vifa speakers that were brand new out of the box and again after about 40 hours of break-in, and all showed different spl readings after 40 hours of break-in, and all were rather consistant in their change.

Hey Axiom, you told me over the phone when I bought my M60s that there was no such thing as speaker break-in. What gives? Are you caving to pressure from the rest of the industry to stop debunking audiophile myths? Are they afraid of losing market share to the garden lighting wire companies? I smell conspiracy (but then again I am rather jaded and bitchy).

So... It is clear that some people here are declaring that they know about the Axiom speakers better than their designer Ian Colquhoun, and/or that they have much better discerning ears than him.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a speaker designed by somebody who I think is deaf, or knows less about speakers than myself.

Oh, and in case you misunderstand me... I am NOT claiming that no speakers ever need 10's and 100's of hours of break-in. I am specifically talking about the Axioms.

Here is Ian's own polite answer on the subject.