Running in new speakers

ClassikFan

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The bad news with the PMC TB2+ speakers I have is that they are demo models (couple of dents in the veneer) and they are soon to be replaced with a brand new pair. These will obviously need running in as by PMC's own admission they can sound very harsh to start with.

I seem to remember that a painless way to run speakers in is to plug them in out of phase and stand them driver to driver. Was I dreaming, has anyone any experience of this sort of thing?

 

yoda900

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Yes thats the way and cover them in a duvet so you can run them louder 24/7 to get them run in.

Don't overdo it as you don't want to melt the caps in the X-over
f_doh.gif.2bfa1ec008d0c8800eee305d3a30be23.gif


Who could ever do that I hear one ask
knobhead.gif.1aeed4448a75af39cdfcbc1c618d08b5.gif
:raoflmfao:

 

SSM

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ClassikFan wrote:

I seem to remember that a painless way to run speakers in is to plug them in out of phase and stand them driver to driver. Was I dreaming, has anyone any experience of this sort of thing?
That method is recommended by several speaker manufacturers. One speaker is wired correctly and the other onehas its red and white wires reversed.Place them face to face with each other, and if possible, throw duvet over them.

Haven't tried it myself at all with any of my speakers. Prefer to cane them with hardcore opera. The best running-in music has to be disco and techno dance (lots of high frequency information and taut deep basslines) Pet Shop Boys is my #1 choice.

SS

 

rockmeister

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what that is supposed to do, is to allow you to play them at high volumes without much sound coming out (the phase inverted drivers supposedly cancelling each other) it works to a small degree, but frankly, why not enjoy some music whilst running in. My best method was to plug in the tuner and leave it on classicfm non stop for a week of days (loud) and nights(quiet). The non stop music and big transients of classic stuff gave the drivers a real work out, and I didn't mind waking up to Mozart too much at 3am!
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G

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yoda900 wrote:

Yes thats the way and cover them in a duvet so you can run them louder 24/7 to get them run in.Don't overdo it as you don't want to melt the caps in the X-over
f_doh.gif.2bfa1ec008d0c8800eee305d3a30be23.gif


Who could ever do that I hear one ask
knobhead.gif.1aeed4448a75af39cdfcbc1c618d08b5.gif
:raoflmfao:
:nup:My wife thinks i mad enough as it is. Now you want me to go round peoples houses and cuddle their speakers. :shocked:

 

ClassikFan

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Duvet wrote:

yoda900 wrote:
Yes thats the way and cover them in a duvet so you can run them louder 24/7 to get them run in.Don't overdo it as you don't want to melt the caps in the X-over
f_doh.gif.2bfa1ec008d0c8800eee305d3a30be23.gif


Who could ever do that I hear one ask
knobhead.gif.1aeed4448a75af39cdfcbc1c618d08b5.gif
:raoflmfao:
:nup:My wife thinks i mad enough as it is. Now you want me to go round peoples houses and cuddle their speakers. :shocked:
I was just about to PM you Duvet, but I think he means any old duvet, not The Special One.

 

wolfgang

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solidstateman wrote:

ClassikFan wrote:
I seem to remember that a painless way to run speakers in is to plug them in out of phase and stand them driver to driver. Was I dreaming, has anyone any experience of this sort of thing?
That method is recommended by several speaker manufacturers......
Sound more like an advise that nutters who write for audiophile mags have dream up themselves to cure yet another audiophools anxiety and distress.

 

yoda900

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Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.

Some speakers are ok from the off like the Impressions.

Some eg Triangle sound sh*** and you would think you had wasted your money.

Give them the Duvet treatment as loud as you can under a duvet (not The Duvet) in a closed room overnight and whilst out at work .

They will sound a whole lot better.

You are entitled to take them out of the Duvet when you actually want to listen to music;)

 

Davewhityetagain

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ClassikFan wrote:

The bad news with the PMC TB2+ speakers I have is that they are demo models (couple of dents in the veneer) and they are soon to be replaced with a brand new pair. These will obviously need running in as by PMC's own admission they can sound very harsh to start with.I seem to remember that a painless way to run speakers in is to plug them in out of phase and stand them driver to driver. Was I dreaming, has anyone any experience of this sort of thing?
Just use the bloody things and do not be scared of turning them up
wink.png


 
M

Mr Coherent

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I would echo Dave's words here to coin a phrase 'Thrash the living spit out of em/give em a kicking' Metophorically of coarse

Having been burning in new speakers just about every week for the last 3 months, its interesting on how they change in presentation over there prescribed time.

 

wolfgang

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yoda900 wrote:

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.Some speakers are ok from the off like the Impressions.

Some eg Triangle sound sh*** and you would think you had wasted your money.

Give them the Duvet treatment as loud as you can under a duvet (not The Duvet) in a closed room overnight and whilst out at work .

They will sound a whole lot better.

You are entitled to take them out of the Duvet when you actually want to listen to music;)
I've no problem with giving your speakers a 'warm up*'but have you tried the wiring one out ofphase and make thensnog each otherunder a duvet thing yourself?

 

Uncle Ants

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wolfgang wrote:

solidstateman wrote:
ClassikFan wrote:
I seem to remember that a painless way to run speakers in is to plug them in out of phase and stand them driver to driver. Was I dreaming, has anyone any experience of this sort of thing?
That method is recommended by several speaker manufacturers......
Sound more like an advise that nutters who write for audiophile mags have dream up themselves to cure yet another audiophools anxiety and distress.
Actually it works. Because they are out of phase and facing each other they sort of cancel each other out (ask someone who knows the physics to explain it, all I know is it works). With something to knock outany remaining noise (the duvet), you can give them a right old thrashing for a good solid 24 or 48 hours, without upsetting the neighbours or your beauty sleep

 

wolfgang

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Just got a few minutes to experiment with the SPL meter. Taking the speakers off the stands and placed face to face reduced the average SPL quite a lot.

With one out of phase the average SPL reduced even further.

As for the duvet ............... the Boss said no she need to watch TV now. Oh well .... maybe next time. No actual SPL reading for now but notice the average levels are certainly reduced but the interesting thing seems to be the peak levels themselves were not changed.

Interest.

Edit.

Read a few advise from others manufacturers. Some suggested running as prescribed. However, notice according to the engineering type at B&W appear to be a bit different to the rest.

The performance of the speaker will change subtly during the initial listening period. If the speaker has been stored in a cold environment, the damping compounds and suspension materials will take some time to recover their correct mechanical properties. The drive unit suspensions will also loosen up during the first hours of use. The time taken for the speaker to achieve its intended performance will vary depending on previous storage conditions and how it is used. As a guide, allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the mechanical parts to attain their intended design characteristics. However, longer run-in periods (as long as a month) have been reported and there is evidence to suggest that this has little to do with the speaker changing and more to do with the listener getting used to a new sound. It is especially so with highly revealing speakers such as these, where there may be a significant increase in the amount of detail portrayed compared to what the listener has previously been used to; the sound may at first appear too “up front†and perhaps a little hard. After an extended period of time, the sound will seem to mellow, but without losing clarity and detail.
 

SSM

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Uncle Ants wrote:

wolfgang wrote:
solidstateman wrote:
ClassikFan wrote:
I seem to remember that a painless way to run speakers in is to plug them in out of phase and stand them driver to driver. Was I dreaming, has anyone any experience of this sort of thing?
That method is recommended by several speaker manufacturers......
Sound more like an advise that nutters who write for audiophile mags have dream up themselves to cure yet another audiophools anxiety and distress.
Actually it works. Because they are out of phase and facing each other they sort of cancel each other out (ask someone who knows the physics to explain it, all I know is it works). With something to knock outany remaining noise (the duvet), you can give them a right old thrashing for a good solid 24 or 48 hours, without upsetting the neighbours or your beauty sleep
Rescued by Uncle Insect.:DTa. Saves me having to wrack my helmet for a wordy rebuttal.
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Wolfgang
nono.gif
, I hope you have learnt that duvets are not something you can only sleep with, they are audiophile accessories too. Be sure to use those withCeltic crossweave prints to cover your speakers, the floral ones let too much sound escape.[/russandrews mode]
wink.png


SS

 

technobear

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Ant wrote:

logic dictates a mono signal when doing this
Yes, a mono signal does improve the cancellation a bit further. It's hard to eliminate all the treble though.

If your amp doesn't have a mono switch, you can use a spare interconnect to link the left and right tape outputs (record outputs).

Incidentally, before reversing the speaker connections you should listen normally to ensurethe amp is not clippingand then note the position of the volume control. Remove the signal, swap the connections and restore the signal.

You don't want 24 hours of a clipping amp. Your tweeters won't like it
wink.png


 

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