Speaker Burn In (Not Again!)

Jaybeez

I've searched and searched here, on other forums, and the internet in general and it seems there is no consensus on whether or not speaker burn in is needed and/or does anything.

That said, I've rebuilt a modest 2 channel setup in my recording studio around an old set of Monitor 7s (Series II I think) and over the past several weeks they really seem to have improved in sound. Way more open and punchy, with great detail.

My question is probably more for those that feel burn in is valid. Would it make sense that a set of 30 year old speakers that have been stored for about half of their lifetime would require a "re-burn in"?

gmcman

I don't know how those older caps age, but it's a safe bet that 15 years of no activity they could sound different after a short while of using them.

When you say you "rebuilt" a 2-channel setup, what does that entail? Recapping components? If so then you would likely hear a difference there.

BlueFox

The drivers are most likely deteriorating, which, obviously, changes the sound. It is debatable whether an audio memory of 30 years is reliable. The cross-over will require burn-in, and the drivers require break-in.

Jaybeez

gmcman wrote: »

I don't know how those older caps age, but it's a safe bet that 15 years of no activity they could sound different after a short while of using them.

When you say you "rebuilt" a 2-channel setup, what does that entail? Recapping components? If so then you would likely hear a difference there.

"Re-assembled" is probably more accurate term. Picked up a Yamaha Integrated Amp, Marantz CD Player and new Turntable as those pieces are long gone from my previous 2 channel days.

Haven't gotten around to recapping yet, but the speakers are sounding pretty darn good now, so will probably do so early next year.