Speaker Break-in Period, and when to tune?

[dsc106]

How important is speaker break-in, as relates to both sound quality, tuning accuracy, and how loud I can turn up the speakers?

The shop I worked with was super behind on finishing my install and when gave me the car told me to come back for a free speaker tune, and not to tune it before 20 hours or so of speaker break in period, or to turn the volume level up over maybe 25%-30% until 20 hours of play. Because my experience with the shop was generally shady, I am left questioning this.

1.) Does the sound quality really change so much that you can't tune before then? I'm not happy with the sound quality currently and I also feel like it's more likely they were working after hours and just wanted to finish my car install, so skipped tuning to get out early and claimed it was needed to wait for break-in?

2.) Why do I need to keep the speaker volume relatively low during break-in? And how long should I wait before turning them up more?

Click to read more...

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

there is no break in period. Its just something shops make up just in case you dont like how your setup sounds and later on they can blame it on you for turning it up and not honor warranties. If it sounds like sh*t from the start, its not gonna sound any better several months from then. I'd stay the fk away from that shop.

 

[dsc106]

Lame. Thanks for the info.

Just so I can be a little more informed here, can you affirm or correct the following?

1.) speakers change their properties and sound over time, but this is a small amount that subtly shifts and has no bearing on tuning, and no impact, relation, or risk to turning up volume loud?

2.) Can you explain any of the science behind the above, even if briefly? (So I know the why, not just the what).

3.) Do most shops include tuning when they setup up your radio? Why would the guy suggest I come back for a free tuning "after break-in"? Because he ran out of time and didn't bother to properly tune, or as an upsell tactic?

Thank you!

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

What subs/amps did you have installed? Typically high powered, high dollar subs with very stiff suspension get a break in period. Some people do, some don't. If you wait a week or 2 it's not gonna kill it.

He's telling you to come back to retune because it/they might get slightly louder.

 

[Darth_Immitis]

I’ve never done a break in period and never blown a sub. I hook the ****** thing up and beat the **** out of it from day one. If it can’t handle it then it’s a junk sub.

 

[osl 10+ year member]

I've had setups (specifically components) where they sound better after a couple weeks of use. I do believe that the suspension needs to loosen up before being able to produce accurate sound. One setup that comes to mind was the Phoenix Gold RSD's.

 

[Mr12voltwires 10+ year member]

Yes, there is a break in period with speakers, especially high end models. The general rule of thumb is play the system at moderate volumes for the first 20-40 hours. The same goes for headphones.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Yes, there is a break in period with speakers, especially high end models. The general rule of thumb is play the system at moderate volumes for the first 20-40 hours. The same goes for headphones.

your joking right

 

---------- Post added at 10:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 PM ----------

 

I’ve never done a break in period and never blown a sub. I hook the ****** thing up and beat the **** out of it from day one. If it can’t handle it then it’s a junk sub.

you mean your not burning up tinsel leads.....or clipping your subs?! Then yer not trying hard enough!!

 

[Mr12voltwires 10+ year member]

Nope, I’m not kidding. I started working in car audio back in the 80’s, including nearly a decade working for Alpine. I was lucky enough to build some great systems and learn from the best installers and engineers in the industry.

As far as headphones go, you probably won’t hear a big difference with cheaper ear-buds, but I can vouch for my Sennheiser Momentums and HD over-the-the-ear cans. If I remember correctly there were break-in instructions with a pair od Focal ear-buds I bought a while back too.

It applies to tube amps as well.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

I happen to have some Sennheiser headphones, over ear type. But never heard of a break in period for headphones. That's almost laughable. They're 100 bucks retail, gifted to me from the company I work for so I didn't pay a single cent. Seen them upwords of 1k tho.

 

[WaveFormG]

I have heard a definite difference in a car SQ SYSTEM after 30+ hours of serious use, after a pro install. I can’t say if it is just the speakers alone, or the head unit, the wiring, the amps or only the speakers, since they all “aged” together. I can say that the System, all or part of it, has changed and for the better. The System has become more “musical”, and so more enjoyable; less “clinical”. Some systems may benefit more than others and some may hear the differences and others not. My home audio system components have also benefited from a break in period. I don’t know much about headphones.

 

[Jcsaudio]

I've had setups (specifically components) where they sound better after a couple weeks of use. I do believe that the suspension needs to loosen up before being able to produce accurate sound. One setup that comes to mind was the Phoenix Gold RSD's.

I’ve had the same experience with all my subwoofers. Tweeters not so much. It’s been my experience though that after a good 30 minute beating at 80% power they loosen up pretty quickly and sound better at lower volumes after.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Lame. Thanks for the info.
Just so I can be a little more informed here, can you affirm or correct the following?

1.) speakers change their properties and sound over time, but this is a small amount that subtly shifts and has no bearing on tuning, and no impact, relation, or risk to turning up volume loud?

2.) Can you explain any of the science behind the above, even if briefly? (So I know the why, not just the what).

3.) Do most shops include tuning when they setup up your radio? Why would the guy suggest I come back for a free tuning "after break-in"? Because he ran out of time and didn't bother to properly tune, or as an upsell tactic?

Thank you!

Its actually perpetuated by people who think the speaker is changing but its more of the user's ears getting adjusted to the sound properties and its not anywhere as annoying and offensive, just like if you were working in a loud construction zone, you get acclimated to how things sound overtime physiologically and it just becomes background noise.

For subwoofers the FS lowers and the sub plays slightly lower better but thats basically it. There is no mandatory retune or burn in time needed.

For door speakers, midranges and tweeters thats a definite no Literally every setup i've heard has not changed from day 1 to day 100. You can RTA it and it'll be basically the same. Your speakers are not going to magically produce more midbass or smoothen out to a noticeable effect from just playing it.

The shops should tune it from the start rather than wasting your time d*cking around with having you come back.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I have heard a definite difference in a car SQ SYSTEM after 30+ hours of serious use, after a pro install. I can’t say if it is just the speakers alone, or the head unit, the wiring, the amps or only the speakers, since they all “aged” together. I can say that the System, all or part of it, has changed and for the better. The System has become more “musical”, and so more enjoyable; less “clinical”. Some systems may benefit more than others and some may hear the differences and others not. My home audio system components have also benefited from a break in period. I don’t know much about headphones.

again its your ears getting acclimated to the sound signature of the setup. The human body adapts very well and prefers to hear the things it wants to hear.

I've measured some fresh gear with room EQ wizard and get the exact same graph after a long time of playing, only thing that changed was the subwoofer playing a little lower. Zero changes in the midrange and tweeter. They dont move anywhere enough to change the suspension properties.

I happen to have some Sennheiser headphones, over ear type. But never heard of a break in period for headphones. That's almost laughable. They're 100 bucks retail, gifted to me from the company I work for so I didn't pay a single cent. Seen them upwords of 1k tho.

Its actually perpetuated a lot with the head phone hi fi audio community. A lot of them dont realize its just their ears getting used to the sound signature. Idiots actually play 10 hours of pink noise on their headphones before listening to it and claims it does better but some of the more legit members showed frequency response graphs and literally had zero change pre burn in and after burn in.

Those kinds of people are the ones that think thousand dollar cables will make a huge difference in sound..... huge amounts of snake oil everywhere.

 

[ronin1717]

I'm from the camp that believes in the differences after break in... I say just let it , itll naturally occur...Any set time period or volume for the most part is where I stand different.

20-25% volume.. that part is laughable