I'm really starting to believe that Tubes and Speakers Break in.

[Gnobuddy]

Could I suggest that if you actually don't have technical expertise in sciences that do in fact produce verifiable, reproducible results despite involving human sensory perception that you STFU?

Oh, I stick around for the sheer warmth and charm of your posts.


-Gnobuddy

 

[adason]

Speakers absolutely do break in. Not so sure that tubes do, apart from losing emission over time.

They sure do, just drop one on the concrete floor and see what happens.

 

[leadbelly]

Oh, I stick around for the sheer warmth and charm of your posts.


-Gnobuddy

Touche

 

[Jim the Oldbie]

Two words: Eustachian tubes.


Oh, and two more: Ear wax.

 

[HarryY]

Two words: Eustachian tubes.


Oh, and two more: Ear wax.

Eustachiun tubes... well I used to have ear issues but have bee on a pretty much
Permanent routine of various medicines for at least five years to keep it all open.

As for ear wax... I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to keeping my ears clean.
(I've actually had nurses a doctors remark about them being so clean).

It's a good thought since I also suffered some hearing loss in the Military.
I have been much more careful about noise exposure and hearing protection,
Even wearing earplugs in computer server rooms etc.
So who knows maybe my ears some how improved.

I'm typically sceptical of electronics breaking in but speakers are mechanical
In nature so I'm still open to the idea that they could "break in".

I'm sceptical that it is my imagination since I have made no changes nor
was I looking for one an it was something that caught my attention.

 

[KaffiMann]

The point is that there is nothing precise about subjective experiences...you cannot be precise about them.

We are subjective creatures, and subjective experiences are what enrich our lives, but they are a poor basis for attempting to make objective observations about audio, or anything else. Allow subjective experience to be mistaken for objective reality, and you can end up believing that transistors or capacitors can break in. Whatever "break in" means.

-Gnobuddy

... "objective reality"
Is there anything like "objective reality"? We are all individuals with our own experiences and chemistries.
For sure, some components do have a change in parameters over time, but it is likely many of us will perceive the changes in different ways.

 

[leadbelly]

Oh, I stick around for the sheer warmth and charm of your posts.


-Gnobuddy

Probaby unfair of me to criticize posts and then say nothing with content of my own.

Agreed that the OP probably is reporting a psychoacoustic effect.

However, I would think that break in is possible for both.
Drivers do change in their early use from materials or adhesives working in, and it is measurable, so it may be audible. The case for tubes is harder, but with all the reports about tubes like 6C33C and also new production having much poorer production vacuum, it's plausible.

 

[kevinahcc20]

Any of these claims could be subject to objective analysis. Double blind testing of matched amplifiers with new and aged components, or speakers. I would wager that there would be no statistically significant listener ability to discriminate between new and aged parts. Most of the mythology of audiophilia tends to melt away when the eye cannot see what the ear-brain is listening to.

 

[leadbelly]

I agree.