[George47]

I have just upgraded to the new V3 for my Ref 9s and have 40 hours on the clock. They started off sounding OK but now they sound bleedin' awful. Tell me it will get better or how I can make it quicker.

I have wired up the Sky+ into input 2 and have the TV in line. At 7 hours/day that makes 3 more weeks.....

[JayDoubleU]

Just switch on the radio, or put a CD on repeat and leave it cooking for 24 hours a day. Volume doesn't need to be high, just a low background volume will do. After 5 days, heaven arrives!

[beachbum]

I had the same results with my ref 9s and now with ref 18 that artifact is showing its face. Instead of playing burn-in without listening i like to hear the whole process of burn-in. When they come around in the next 20 to 30 hrs you will hear it for sure. I found with ref 9 after the 100 hr mark the improvements are not as noticeable but improvements will continue till the 200 hrs mark. Keep us posted with your results.

[worldcat]

I think it take many many hours to burn-in.  I also believe you must leave them on and never cut them off.  They just sound better and better each day.  I  have a Ps Audio Regenerator that was a huge improvement.

[George47]

OK chaps it is now on 24 hours/day so 100 should come up Sat morning. It sounds muffled today....

Just wonderin' I have a P8 pre and have been offered a P9 for half price......worth it???? UK price £2150, offered at £1200...

[Caar]

I have a P9.
Absolutely great, transparent pre.
At half price it will sound even better if that is possible.
Cheers.

[George47]

Well 100 hours on the clock now and things are settling in now. Still a little small and not super 3D but the grainy, brightness has gone. Hmmmmmm......getting better....a few more days. A real roller coaster of a ride though...

[beachbum]

yea when you hear the whole breakin process you can hear the changes and know just how good it can sound. When you reach 200 hrs you should be getting close to full breakin with micro details and nuances abound. Enjoy

[George47]

Well I have 150 hours on the clock and what a difference.

It has settled down and is not changing much now but becoming a little more refined. I had some audiophile friends around yesterday and we were able to pitch it against a Primare and a Karan amp (no slouches). Well the Nuforce saw of the Primare easily and had a lot more scale, bass and did not have the treble edge. It was much closer with the Karan with a slight preference for the Nuforce which did not have the treble edge but more importantly they had a brilliant sense of scale and 3D imagery. Just need a little more depth;probably more running in. Great result as these amps sound excellent and the Karan is favourably compared to Krells (anyone done that comparison)

Decided to go with the P9 which at £950 is a cracking price. It is ex-dem so should be run in but not too old (a few months). 

[George47]

Well guys the P9 arrived and I had switched the V3s off for a day; I traded the P8 in and had to box it. All put on, give it about 30 mins, on goes my current fave CD and it sounds.....awful......shrill, harsh, no bass, no midrange and all compressed.

OK 4 hours later it is no longer harsh and has some bass, but no life but sorta more detailed. 

Now 2 days later it sounds excellent with an enormous amount of detail that is not thrown at you or feels like it has been added to the music like some transistor amps. 

I suspect there is still some more to go and will then move it to a permanent home (currently on the floor on a piece of wood) and get some better mains cables (currently Isotek mains and the Nuforce pre mains) however, I will keep the IC as they are the Cardas Golden Reference and Nordost Valhalla. Any suggestions for the mains/supports/mains cleaners. I am in the UK.....

[David C]

George
I live in Surrey and have the P9 and V3Ses and really enjoy them. speakers are the weakest link in my system.... B&W CM7s. What speakers do you have? I run a Transporter with FLAC files to the P9

[George47]

David,

I am not too far away in Reading. I have the Linn Akurate feeding the P9 and 9V3s and a set of Audionote Es. I was told that A/Note Es do not work with transistors but they are ideal with Nuforces. I also have to play with a set of Vandersteen 2 CE Sigs and a set of Hyperion 938s to try (long story). May be there is a hidden gem there that will see off the Es.

I have a suspicion that my P9 ex-dems are actually brand new.....

Strange that the Nuforces get so much stick over here in the UK; MC hates them.