In regard to break-in, I'll be the first to back up many manufacturer's claims that a tweeter, amplifier or cable may need over 200 hours of playing to sound right. IMHO the only way to properly verify if the break-in actually is needed is to have access to a brand new one "unbroken-in" for comparison. Fortunately I've been lucky to have access to multiple products which allow me to properly verify the "break-in" claim. In a nutshell, the difference can be soooo big it's almost hard to believe!
Now for the big question that Jman posed: Why the hell would a manufacturer demonstrate a product that wasn't broken in? My answer: because invariably, people generally don't plan very well. Last minute manufacturing of demonstration products is waaaay too common! I say these companies deserve to be slammed for their inability to plan and break-in the product, no excuses here!
As for Jman's other point: Do manufacturer's use the "it's not broken-in" or "lack of synergy" excuse when it's not really true? My answer to this question is "Sometimes this is absolutely bull and they know it!". In my experience a "good" salesman or desperate manufacturer will use any excuse he can conjur up to explain away bad sound. Why take the bullet whne you can throw something in front of it?
Perhaps we need to get some lie detector machines installed at the next CES show
