Some electronic components don't burn in either like transistors.
They are just a none changing crystal lattice.
I cant imagine resistors changing much.
Electrolytic capacitors do deteriorate over time.
Other capacitors I suspect not.
Inductors/transformers are stable unless cooked or over current.
I fully agree.
Mike
Tony, we have worked with 'break-in' for decades. It is all too real for many people to ignore, and it has foundations in basic physics.
Since no one else wants to waste there words, ( since he has no answer he won't reply ). Show us the basic physics.
Why do the believers in 'burn-in' only state that an amplifier or system sounds distorted or horrible on first switch-on.?
Why does it never sound superb but degrades with time?
Surely this is equally possible !!
Andy
Valve amps sound good out the box and then degrade.....
Valve amps sound good out the box and then degrade.....
Yes but is that 'Burn-In' as per this thread?
Andy
I've had things burn out, I can only presume burn in is the opposite?
Maybe or maybe not.....after 45 years of competing at marathons around the world, a runner can be fully burned-in and fully burned out at the sime time....?
Burn in:
Speakers ? yes the surround becomes broken in and more flexible.
Electronic components ? no they are designed to be stable and if they weren't they would be useless.
Maybe ..... but everyone knows that components contain MAGIC SMOKE.
It could be that one of the properties of 'magic smoke' is to change sound during the 'burn-in' process.
Too much 'burn-in' and the smoke escapes!!
Tony, we have worked with 'break-in' for decades. It is all too real for many people to ignore, and it has foundations in basic physics.
yes, based on anecdotes from many people....while they don't really bother me, they don't sway me...
i worked for Advanced Micro Devices Phils. in the 80's and we did burning in for a lot of mil spec devices, burning in is mandatory if you are selling your products to the military, you don't want piece parts to fail in combat do you?
the object of burning in is for reliability in the field...
can a speaker cable not burned in and fails in use cause fatalities?
I've had things burn out, I can only presume burn in is the opposite?
Russ Andrews provides a service to burn in mains fuses.
Better than burning them out I guess!
It is only sensible to look for an explanation if you first make sure that there IS something to explain.
Jan
that is also alien to me. what is there to explain?
My vintage Tannoy corner Yorks have been connected to a little Tda7297 amp for the last 5 years that never gets turned off.
So your the one responsible for global warming ?
that is also alien to me. what is there to explain?
I mean you should look for explanations for burn in only when you have established that it exists.
Point in case: loudspeakers. It has been clearly established by measurements that it exists (not by listening mind you!) so explanations have been sought and found in mechanical phenomena.
As far as measurable or audible burn in of equipment, nobody has shown that ever, apart from the usual tired 'I clearly heard it and my wife came running from the kitchen' stuff, and incompetently designed equipment that drifts with time or with temp, that sort of thing.
Either anecdotes or opinions only of people having a financial stake in it.
Jan
Because, as they say, not everything we hear can be measured.As far as measurable or audible burn in of equipment, nobody has shown that ever, apart from the usual tired 'I clearly heard it and my wife came running from the kitchen' stuff, and incompetently designed equipment that drifts with time or with temp, that sort of thing.
That has been the bottom line in most cases. The remaining cases are those looking for entertainment on internet forums.Either anecdotes or opinions only of people having a financial stake in it.
I don't think that I can have a stake in 'break-in'. I just defend it because so many of my fellow audiophiles have found it important. At a basic physics level it seems to make sense, as just another form of 'annealing' that is already covered by heat treating metals and cryoing metals and other materials. People generally do not look with electron microscopes as to what the action is in metals, even at room temperature and without any electrical signal through them. Small segments are actually moving (slowly) around at that level to find their lowest energy placement. This has been shown in electron microscope photos. It would seem that actually putting electrical signal through wires, etc, could make even more difference, but it would not change the resistance much or distortion at the operating levels that we normally measure it. But most audio signals operate BELOW the standard measurement levels that are most convenient, like 1V or more. Maybe we are missing something?
...................At a basic physics level it seems to make sense, as just another form of 'annealing' that is already covered by heat treating metals and cryoing metals and other materials. ...............
For an audio signal to have any effect, the power through a cable would have to be significant. i.e. the cable would have to get very hot for a period of time say 48 hours!!!!!
Many years ago I misguidedly thought it was a good idea to leave my amp on all the time. Thankfully I was in the house when the transformer started burnin', I jest not. I've never left my amp on since as I don't like the idea of returning home to a burnt out shell.My vintage Tannoy corner Yorks have been connected to a little Tda7297 amp for the last 5 years that never gets turned off.
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