Low Level Listening XLS Encore Question?

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KTS

Re: Low Level Listening XLS Encore Question?
« Reply #20 on: 31 Oct 2022, 12:50 am »
In my experience, woofers need a good 50 hours of physical break-in, playing bass heavy "brown noise" or music under a bunch of heavy blankets gives them a solid workout to help fill out the bottom end.
The X-statiks are notorious for needing this kind of work out, as they sound really harsh when they are fresh.

Budget-level caps usually dont experience much burn in, and what there is usually happens within the first 100 hrs.

Good quality caps like Sonicap need about 200 hours, with gradual improvements over time, namely to soundstage, imaging, and softening of the edge they have when fresh.

High end caps, (especially oil damped/impregnated caps like Miflex, Jupiter, Mundorf, V-Cap, Duelund, etc) often need 400+ and some of them can be gradual improvement, or dramatic, like Jupiter and the V-Cap ODAM which can sound great one day but forward the next.
(As bypasses, the changes over time are usually more subtle, and less dramatic than when used as main capacitors.)

Most retail speakers won't benefit much from burn-in or break-in.
For the first 50 hours of break-in, as loud as is tolerable.
Beyond that, any volume from a whisper up to normal listening levels will benefit the process. Some like to fluctuate the volume throughout the day, but a static volume is fine for burn in.

Thank you Hobbs, much appreciated!

RMarshall

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Re: Low Level Listening XLS Encore Question?
« Reply #21 on: 31 Oct 2022, 01:08 pm »
Yes, thanks for the info. I have just the base kit, with tube connectors, so I guess break in won't be as long.

It is something to comsider if I decide to upgrade.

I have to say, even while still in break in period, and without the upgrades, these little guys are so much of an improvement over my RP600M's. No contest.

Tyson

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Re: Low Level Listening XLS Encore Question?
« Reply #22 on: 31 Oct 2022, 03:57 pm »
Yes, thanks for the info. I have just the base kit, with tube connectors, so I guess break in won't be as long.

It is something to comsider if I decide to upgrade.

I have to say, even while still in break in period, and without the upgrades, these little guys are so much of an improvement over my RP600M's. No contest.

Better is better :)