How long of a speaker break in is reasonable?

Busted!

I love sound quality, but I definitely don’t approach the fun of hi-fi sound with the stern purpose of a serious investor, and it’s absolutely my reckless, degenerate habit to just plop down speakers, wire them up, and call it a day. I suck!

I’m just never, ever, ever going to play loud thumping dance music or pink noise or the 1812 Overture or whatever for hours and hours on my stereo when I’m not there.

 

Do you think that is really for the engine/cylinders? Or more likely for cooling down the turbo? Ah, I remember back in the day I had a Merkur XR4Ti (Ford Sierra) and aftermarket makers started selling turbo timers for that and various other cars, to keep running the motor for a while after you turned the car off to avoid oil coking inside the turbo bearings. I also remember a coworker in Stuttgart opining telling me "diesel used to be so reliable because they were low-stressed. A 2.0 liter might do 88 horsepower. Now they are turbocharged to hell and I question if they are really as reliable any more." (Later in a trade publication I read about a large fleet manager who had done just that comparison, and found the overall running costs were similar. I don't remember what vehicles-vans? Not semi-trucks, those are still all diesel with hybrids or electric not really in sight despite Elon Musk's publicity about their truck).

 

Dang, now I am leaning towards the Vandersteens. Thanks a lot.

But more listening will be done first

 

rings

 

It is plausible that the caps will sound better after some time and then start to sound worse as time goes on. Of course, any improvement to speakers after 100-300 hours of use, which isn't very much when you think about it, does not change the actual factory measurements.

 

I do a lot of work with Deutz engines.
Small 2, 3 and 4 cylinder. Most are turbocharged. They get 4000 hrs of heavy duty service if maintained properly (they are 100 hour oil changes, etc.)
Peak HP 2600-2800
Torque ~ 1600-1800

HP range 50-150

Deutz powered

 

A proven product refined over close to 40 years.
Materials, testing, modeling has improved.
The physics and desired result are the same.

I had a pair of 2Ci in the mid 80's.
Excellent

I had considered them when I bought my KEF but space constraints and geometry were not conducive.

They are definitely imo worth a listen/consideration.

 

Road trip (3.5 hrs) tomorrow to hear the x5. Bringing my gold note ds10 with me to stream. I'm hopeful...but dont want to raise my hopes up too much. Depending on how long it takes, May stop by hifi buys in Atlanta on the way home

 

I hope the audition goes well, I've heard Spatials, don't remember the model sorry, sounding fantastic powered by a LTA integrated a few years back. Speakers do break in to a certain extent I do believe that but if you don't like them from the get go you never will no speaker breaks in that much. I don't have much experience with Vandersteen, heard the 3A like a million years ago in a terrible setup at Myer-Emco outside DC, but they have an enormous following and must be doing something right. And good job bringing the Gold Note the more familiar gear you have the better.

 

I would also believe 50 hours achieves most of the changes in sound.

 

I've measured differences after 500 hours. So i'd give them twice that to be on the safe side.

 

Break-in aside, you'll be hearing the speakers in their room with their gear rather than in your room with your gear.

Can you not loan the X5 for a bit at your place? Say for a few hundred hours plus one. Little room for false perceptions then.

 

How nice to have all these options open to you. Audio equipment is there just waiting to make you happy!

My speakers (KEFs) all needed breaking in, the towers more.

I've been very satisfied with Yamaha components over the years. You don't need to switch brands to trade up significantly.

Congratulations!

 

Tannoy legacy eatons here - initially sounded boomy and treble was rather hidden - took 50+hrs over 2 weeks before considered them worthy of continuing a trial, then another 50+hrs with lots of position changes and adding some isopucks between speaker and stand before deciding they're keepers.

A further few 100s of hours with some micro positioning and any changes have been along the same lines but far less pronounced.

Now they're on 600mm stands at a height where centre HF tulip is at ear level, the treble energy and treble roll off tuning can be both dialled back to 0db and -2db respectively.

Great tonality across bands - Mids are warm, punchy and expansive. Bass is now snappy and controlled from 40db up and with a nice digression to circa 28db. Treble is all there, not harsh or one dimensional, and floats outside of the speakers. Overall soundstage is immense and holographics wonderful.

 

Nice; I thought I was imagining things thinking my new sub sounds better now with about 100 hours on it but I guess not. I'd also love to think that I have a ways to go before it reaches it's full potential.

 

Drivers take a while to loosen up. When gently moving the cone by hand you can feel a jaggedness when new. When it's fully run-in it moves in and out smoothly.

 

Sounds like a blast, enjoy!
Have a nice meal, let wifey do some shopping, etc.
Heck, stay overnight and do it again tomorrow.
Don't rush it.

 

But let's not forget a woofer at 100 Hz average moves 3.6 million times in 10 hours.
That is a lot of cycling!
And the average frequency is higher.


Equivalent to running an engine for 1200 miles.

 

Can’t speak for the 3A Sigs and models above, but the 2CEs don’t hold a candle to Spatials. They’re not in different ballparks, rather, different galaxies. If 2CEs are an equivalent to a VW Bug — will get you from point A to B, then Spatials are a 911 Turbo.

 

I strongly suspect a bit of both. To complicate matters, I also believe it depends on the speaker, too (driver materials). Some models break-in pretty quickly, others take ages.

 

The 2C's are highly regarded. The X5's are twice the cost, they better sound better, but not infinitely better.
More like a 911 turbo vs 911 turbo gt2

 

Most modern hi performance turbo engines have an electric pump to circulate oil through the turbocharger bearings after shutdown for a few minutes.

 

And they say you can't learn anything on the internet!

 

My 944 Turbo had one but circulated water iirc.
My C63s also has a water loop with separate heat exchanges.

My old 924 turbo had neither. It blew turbos like a coke-head blows their nose.

The oil return line from the bottom of the turbo was below the sump oil level and flat, no drop.
Oil backed up and cooked the bearings.
DESIGN FLAW!

 

However long you deem necessary