Favorite breaking in method for audio equipment.

woodsyi · « **on:** 13 Jun 2005, 04:45 pm »

I have been breaking in my speakers (woofer change and caps and bybees added) bass amps and a new pre for the last two weeks. I rotate Orff's Carmina Burana, Evelyn Glennie's Shadow Behind the Iron Sun, Nirvana's Nevermind and Zappa's Shut Up & Play CDs. My thinking is that they together present a full spectrum of music I listen to. I put one in and hit repeat and go to work, actually listen to different music in the evening and then put in another for repeat over night. Then I read this article.

http://www.ultraaudio.com/opinion/20030801.htm

Should I use a specifically designed, non-musical, breaking in CD? How does everyone break in new equipment?

audioengr · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 07:13 pm »

Use a computer. This way, you dont wear-out your CD/DVD laser and drive.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 07:29 pm »

Quote from: audioengr

Use a computer. This way, you dont wear-out your CD/DVD laser and drive.

A tuner is even better...

PhilNYC · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 07:30 pm »

By the way, as the article suggests, I usually use a burner (a MOBIE) for burning cables. I don't know if I've ever noticed that it burns cables in *better* than just playing a variety of music, but certainly the burn-in gets completed much faster.

Audience is one company that puts its cables in a burner before shipping...

woodsyi · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 07:51 pm »

Quote from: PhilNYC

A tuner is even better...

Why didn't I think of that. I guess I just have to set it at a classical station which would give the most dynamic frequency range over a day! Talk only radio would be too monotonous!

jcoat007 · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 08:24 pm »

I use my i-pod on shuffle and repeat. Endless variety and it doesn't wear out my source equipment.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 11:30 pm »

I use a FryKleaner Pro for electronics break-in

http://www.hagtech.com/frykleaner.html

I use a Cable Cooker for ALL cables.

http://www.audioexcellenceaz.com/audiodharmacablecooker.htm

For speaker break-in, you can set a tuner to interstation noise and let that run through them. That will give you full bandwidth. It won't be much fun to listen to.

zybar · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 12:09 am »

Quote from: audioengr

Use a computer. This way, you dont wear-out your CD/DVD laser and drive.

I use one of the music channels on DirecTV for the exact reason Steve mentioned.

George

Occam · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 03:39 am »

Turn your speakers so they face each other, put them as close together as possible, and reverse the leads of ONE of the speakers. (a bit easier for stand mounted monitors) At least for bass, this out of phase run in will be substantially quieter than normal configurations. Might be far less annoying to your loved ones, neighbors, etc....

woodsyi · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 01:27 pm »

Quote from: Wayne1

I use a FryKleaner Pro for electronics break-in

http://www.hagtech.com/frykleaner.html

I use a Cable Cooker for ALL cables.

http://www.audioexcellenceaz.com/audiodharmacablecooker.htm

For speaker break-in, you can set a tuner to interstation noise and let that run through them. That will give you full bandwidth. It won't be much fun to listen to.

So the interstation noise is full bandwidth. Who Knew? I will turn up the white noise volume when I leave for work tomorrow. I hope the dog doesn't go crazy.

As for cable cooker, what would happen if I inserted a RCA interconnect on a lamp cord -- cut and expose one wire of a cheap lamp, solder female RCA connectors and insert cable in between? Fried and useless, or burned-in nicely?

Wayne1 · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 02:02 pm »

I would not use 120 VAC for interconnects. While there would be some current flowing, it is a rather dangerous set-up.

The Cable Cooker uses wide band "noise" at various amplitudes. The nominal voltage is 12 VAC. That is quite a bit higher than any interconnect will see during it's life.

The FryKlearner Pro also produces a wide band signal at changing amplitude. The current is a bit less than the Cable Cooker. Both units do have resistors built into them.

You can hook up your cables to the speaker outputs of an old receiver. Hook the other end up to a 100 or 200 watt 8 ohn resistor. That will give you the voltage and current drive that a Cable Cooker will. It will not give you the same wide band signal.

I believe Bob Crump suggests this method with the receiver tuned to a heavy metal station

Gordy · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 02:13 pm »

If you've a mono switch on your tuner or preamp, wire your speakers out of phase and tightly facing each other it'll really work a treat!

I like the interstation noise suggestion, non-bandwidth limited FM stations are pretty few and far between, though my local station is clean.

Other than that, I tend to be of the Frank Zappa school, "Shut up and play your guitar"...

woodsyi · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 02:52 pm »

Quote from: Gordy

If you've a mono switch on your tuner or preamp, wire your speakers out of phase and tightly facing each other it'll really work a treat!

I like the interstation noise suggestion, non-bandwidth limited FM stations are pretty few and far between, though my local station is clean.

Other than that, I tend to be of the Frank Zappa school, "Shut up and play your guitar"...

Great albums and yes, I have mono on the tuner. I will move the speakers and try the out of phase blast.