Danny Richie +1
I would like to share an experience I had about ten? years ago. I live in Indianapolis, where Klaus Bunge of Odyssey Audio lives. I did not believe that break-in was real. I had read many conflicting articles on the subject. I read a very compelling, coherent argument that break-in was partly psychological, and partly getting used to the new speakers. It made a lot of sense to me and I tended to believe it. It sure made this hobby a lot simpler. Then...
I bought an amp from Odyssey and when Klaus delivered it (personally - and set it up - great service!!) he brought a pair of the (now no longer made) Nightingales. They had 100 or so hours on them. They were the prototype before Odyssey began selling them.
After Klaus left I dropped in Dire Straights, Brothers in Arms. I immediately fell in love with these speakers. I never heard anything near that price range that had such holographic three-dimensional imaging. The bass was as tight and fast as I had heard til then.
I called Klaus and told him he wasn't getting the speakers back...but offered my credit card number instead. Since they were a prototype and the only pair he had, he needed them back for an upcoming show in New York. So he ordered me a new pair and let me keep the prototypes until the show. Then he swapped them out.
A mistake was made and the new pair was the wrong finish. Klaus told me to keep them until he got the right ones in. He told me he wouldn't charge me until then.
The new pair, right out of the box, was unlistenable. Nothing but shrill screeching treble. No audible mids. And an annoying port chuffing noise that was supposed to be bass, I guess.
I would have thought that Klaus was trying to cheat me by swapping a special tricked-out demo model for a cheaper look-alike. Except he hadn't charged me anything.
I wired one speaker out-of-phase, faced them together, threw a heavy blanket over them, and ran them continually day and night. Every few days I tested them with music I was very familiar with.
After about two weeks, something dramatically audible started to happen. The mids started coming in. The bass started tightening, and the treble was becoming smoother and articulate.
After about a month, I was getting a huge three dimensional soundstage again, fast articulate bass, and started enjoying listening to them.
I had that set for about six months when Klaus brought over the black ash Nightingales I wanted.
Same exact experience again. Hooked them up immediately. Screeeeeech!!!! Chuff! Chuff! Screech! Yikes! Cover your ears!
Wired them out-of-phase and started all over.
Now, unfortunately, I am a reluctant believer.
Please feel free to either mock or share your similar (or dissimilar) experiences. I still would not believe if not for the Dr. Jekyl /Mr. Hyde act I heard on three sets of the same speaker.