[carusoracer]

Well after living with the HT3's for almost 2 months I can finally put the meaning of the "Veracity" to light

This is not a critique or review just my observations. Foremost, I'm proud to say that non audiophile persons always comment on the beautiful wood and the quality of the finish and overall presentation.
My "Birth Certificate" is proudly displayed on the mantle.

I'm one of the burn in/break in camp members and I can attest personally that the speakers have around 500 actual playing hours on them. I found that using my Arye Efficacious burn in disc, especially tracks 6&7 significantly helped with the drivers. Most notably the TC Sounds woofer.

My Cathedral ceiling room with limited space behind the speakers  can cause for a acoustically challenging environment. At first the shear movement of air that these speakers provide at volume can literally blow you out of the room. Especially if you do not sufficient breathing room behind the ports. The sounds of music would not only emanate from the speakers but move bass notes through the walls of the house and beyond

I found myself just listening to the nuances of the speakers and their presentation. My first month was one of just listening and playing with different Amps. I have a room node pronounced Mid Bass lump that would rear itself on certain passages that was coming out and the highs were there but not quite in the room.
After some more break in time with out really listening(400 hrs later) then things really changed. It was as if you just popped the cork,popped the top, or broke the seal of your favorite beverage,Ahhh!.
The sound became much more relaxed and the bass became much more linear. Jim uses the term ":voiced Flat". I finally understand now what he meant. No colorations of tonality,pitch or weight.

I also took out the tape measure and went after the toe and couch postions. Whoa, here is all that imaging I first heard at Jim's house aa I played with the positioning with masking tape and tape measure for 3 hours hearing the same demo tape. Something funny also happened as I'm a imaging and treble junkie and these elements just started to "Pop". Images snapped in to place and the soundstage became spooky on "Muddy Waters Folk Singer".

In conclusion I would say that these speakers need to be played for a good 200hrs to listen daily,400 hrs to really put them through their paces. And 500 plus for full tilt,critical, down right toe tappin' fun

I'm sure there are always compromises and I do like to turn them up to fill my room with music. But these speakers certainly are a worth a good hard listen to hear what Veracity really can be.

Cheers

[jsalk]

carusoracer -

Great to hear you got the HT3's fully dialed in.  I think you may have set a record for break-in time in the process.  As I recall, about 200 hours was the longest reported break-in period to date.  I'm glad you are enjoying your speakers.

- Jim

[DMurphy]

I guess break-in is one of those things you either hear (or think you hear) or don't hear (or don't think you do).  So there's not much point about my challenging the whole concept.  But I do want to say something about tweeter break-in (although you don't mention the tweeter specifically.) With a ribbon, if the sound changes, that's bad.  The very light foil ribbon element is installed at a critical level of tension, with just the right amount of stretch.   It's movements are controlled by a very powerful magnetic field, and this field will not change with time.  So if something changes, it's probably the ribbon element stretching due to excessive demands of some kind.  And that will change the frequency response adversely and lower sensitivity.  Since the crossover on the HT3 should keep the ribbon out of trouble absent some kind of insane drive level, I'm pretty confident that whatever changes in sound you heard from the HT-3 were not from the tweeter.  The source must have been flexing of the cone surrounds, and perhaps exercising of the spider on the woofer and mid. I hope those changes were not too dramatic, because I'm sure most speaker systems are designed using drivers that have considerably less than 400 hours of use on them.  In any event, I'm happy you're happy with the HT3's.

[Mudslide]

Hooray, Dennis, for the gentle persuasion of the 'break-in' truth as measured by science.

[carusoracer]

Good posting thoughts...

After re reading my initial post I stand by what I thought I was hearing regarding the tweeter(Ribbon).
I found that in my room it paid off for better treble extension and clarity with soundstage by playing with Speaker placement. No real break in there.
Interesting notes regarding about the drivers. I'm not trying to start a controversial statement on Burn in etc. I can only tell what I have been hearing over the last 6-7 weeks. Not sure...

I will say that I have let the speakers play at moderate to loud levels during the day and night for 10days straight, then tapered down to just days for another 10 days. Finally just normal listening periods since then. After I step away from the keyboard it does really seem almost combative.

My ultimate goal has been achieved of hearing a speaker that I not only Luv to hear everyday but enjoy looking at as well.

Well done gentleman.

[DMurphy]

Right--you didn't make any break-in claims about the ribbon.  I just wanted to try and focus where the changes might be occurring.  And as an experiment, I've been measuring my HT3 (wish I could afford two of them) periodically to see whether any changes are showing up in the plots.  I'm pretty sure there haven't been any changes in the mid and tweet, although bass measurement is too variable to isolate any changes that may have occurred there.  I would only add that I can tell pretty quickly whether I've come up with anything work keeping, even if the drivers are brand spanking new.  Maybe time will mellow out the bass a bit and even possibly smooth the mids a little--but a good design is not going to transform into an excellent one with age.  Now a 1990 Chateau Montrose--that's different. 

[jsalk]

One aspect of break-in not yet mentioned is the crossover itself.  People often report that amplifiers "open up" over time.  Whether this actually happens or not, I do not know.  But it could be that as the caps have more time on them, they charge and discharge more efficiently.  So if you heard a change in the high treble, there is an ever-so-slight possitilibty that it could have something to do with crossover cap break-in. 

I have seen a few studies on driver break-in, but not on cap break-in.  So this is pure speculation.  But since no one mentioned it yet, I thought I'd just throw it out there.

My main problem is that I hever seem to have speakers around long enough for this long break-in to take place.  The last pair of HT3's I brought home were purchased the very next day.  I have a pair almost finished, but I suspect they will not be around too long either.  They are macassar ebony and I suspect someone will want them as soon as they are finished.

- Jim

[MaxCast]

Jim, paint them pink and they should stay around awhile.   

[zybar]

One aspect of break-in not yet mentioned is the crossover itself.  People often report that amplifiers "open up" over time.  Whether this actually happens or not, I do not know.  But it could be that as the caps have more time on them, they charge and discharge more efficiently.  So if you heard a change in the high treble, there is an ever-so-slight possitilibty that it could have something to do with crossover cap break-in. 

I have seen a few studies on driver break-in, but not on cap break-in.  So this is pure speculation.  But since no one mentioned it yet, I thought I'd just throw it out there.

My main problem is that I hever seem to have speakers around long enough for this long break-in to take place.  The last pair of HT3's I brought home were purchased the very next day.  I have a pair almost finished, but I suspect they will not be around too long either.  They are macassar ebony and I suspect someone will want them as soon as they are finished.

- Jim

Jim,

I have seen some posts on cap break in.  Maybe later I will try to search for them.

Some caps out there (Blackgate, V-Caps, Platinum Sonic Caps) sure seem like they change during an initial period.

Anyway, the most important thing is that after some period of time (2 minutes to 500 hrs), everybody comes to the same conclusion:

YOU MAKE A KILLER SPEAKAER!!!

George