It is because the compounds and fibers initially change before establishing more or less stable properties. If the spider leaves the factory in optimal condition, it will start to drift away from the optimum as soon as it is used due to initial aging, and thus stabilize away from the optimum. But if it leaves the factory a bit off in the right direction from the optimum, its properties will drift towards the optimum during initial use and stabilize closer to the optimal properties.
This thread is about getting there faster, aimed at components that drift towards the optimum too slowly to satisfy the impatient.
This thread is about getting there faster, aimed at components that drift towards the optimum too slowly to satisfy the impatient.
Last edited:
I think you are over-thinking the whole issue. After the drivers get over their initial harshness, just use them. They may not sound their best for a while, but they won't sound bad.
Bob
Hi,
A break in signal of pink noise will do the job.
There is far less bass that typical music signals.
rgds, sreten.
Hi,
I'd like to hear the mumbo-jumbo behind that statement.
Seems artificial sounds are not recommended. Fair enough
for the majority of them, but pink noise is not artificial, it
is an entirely natural phenomena, 1/f noise aka flicker.
Though my point was it will do the same moreorless as proposed
in post #12, and nothing more regarding suitability for purpose.
rgds, sreten.
Last edited:
I just keep playing mellow Norah Jones on repeat for first 40hrs, then switched to Suzanne Vega on repeat at higher levels to exercise that spider with the bass lines for another 40 hrs. Then switched to U2 on repeat. All this to avoid hitting it with un-natural sounds. Sort of like talking to an unborn child through the womb to make it smarter when it can talk. I am at 160 hrs now. You really need to baby these A7's like no other driver.
Hey, that's just me
. From the advice I get now, I can conclude that even the initial harshness takes quite a while to disappear (allegedly much longer than 200 hours), which explains my desire to accelerate the process. I also want to be able to decide whether I can make the speaker suit my taste or not within reasonable time. If they really need 1000 hours before they shine, that means that this decision will come in 2017 with my expected usage pattern and after the initial break in that they currently undergo. With such a long break-in, there is plenty of time for processes that are not driver related to do their work. I am not going to allow the "perhaps the drivers need some more time..." excuse to kick in perpetually.In the meantime I will keep my drivers in their break-in box playing internet radio. This morning I have turned the volume up a notch. XRK is ahead of me, but I'll keep on going until they have sat at least 200 hours in solitary confinement. Break-in box time is now 48 hours, and I guess that initial testing and break-in adds about 20 hours to that.
In the meantime, I think I must conclude that the discussion is indeed not yielding any useful information towards the initial goal: to accelerate a tedious process. I am still not convinced that there is no solution, because the amount of solid arguments towards or against a solution in this thread equals zero.
That would require more knowledge on the materials used than any manufacturer is willing to share, I guess. And a lot of "cannon fodder" to try out the more promising variations of the process.
Just to throw in another variable: what about relative humidity? Moist air or dry air?
Just to throw in another variable: what about relative humidity? Moist air or dry air?
Last edited:
I've got no source, or link to back this up... This is something I remember reading somewhere, a while back. It did, however, make sense to me and applies to this discussion.
The spider part of lightweight speaker drivetrains is also very light weight. For the MA specifically, I recall that it was made out of some sort of lightweight fabric. It was pressed into shape by a machine, and coated with a varnish or lacquer that ensured it kept its shape. As expected, thin regions of varnish or lacquer are quite brittle. During the initial break-in, this material (which is impregnated throughout the spider material) develops micro-fractures. These micro-fractures are what give the spider compliance. Breaking in at low volumes, with little or no bass, allows this process to happen gradually and uniformly. Breaking in with loud (or bass heavy) sounds has the potential to create large non-uniform fractures in the spider. Once these form, all other stresses will be focused at those weak points. Cannot undo.
I used FM radio (with the bass knob all the way down) to break-in my Alpair 12p's. After 50 hours (over several weeks), I increased the volume some. After 100, I introduced a little bass; and so on. I'm up to about 800 hours now, and even running in their cardboard boxes they do sound better (at least that is what I tell myself). People do look at me funny when they see my time log notebook with hundreds of hours logged on the speakers.
For accelerating the break-in, I think some foul play would have to be entertained. Perhaps using UV light, or high humidity, one could speed things up? I would still start small, and build up in volume and bass over time. And of course, any results would only really be specific to a specific material (perhaps even down to the Lot Number of the same speakers). Seems like a lot of testing, which would then only have a very limited scope. Still, if a way can be found, I'd be all in!
The spider part of lightweight speaker drivetrains is also very light weight. For the MA specifically, I recall that it was made out of some sort of lightweight fabric. It was pressed into shape by a machine, and coated with a varnish or lacquer that ensured it kept its shape. As expected, thin regions of varnish or lacquer are quite brittle. During the initial break-in, this material (which is impregnated throughout the spider material) develops micro-fractures. These micro-fractures are what give the spider compliance. Breaking in at low volumes, with little or no bass, allows this process to happen gradually and uniformly. Breaking in with loud (or bass heavy) sounds has the potential to create large non-uniform fractures in the spider. Once these form, all other stresses will be focused at those weak points. Cannot undo.
I used FM radio (with the bass knob all the way down) to break-in my Alpair 12p's. After 50 hours (over several weeks), I increased the volume some. After 100, I introduced a little bass; and so on. I'm up to about 800 hours now, and even running in their cardboard boxes they do sound better (at least that is what I tell myself). People do look at me funny when they see my time log notebook with hundreds of hours logged on the speakers.
For accelerating the break-in, I think some foul play would have to be entertained. Perhaps using UV light, or high humidity, one could speed things up? I would still start small, and build up in volume and bass over time. And of course, any results would only really be specific to a specific material (perhaps even down to the Lot Number of the same speakers). Seems like a lot of testing, which would then only have a very limited scope. Still, if a way can be found, I'd be all in!
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.