Speaker break in?

[DjAaron]

Hey guys I have read on the interwebs that you should slowly break in your new speakers before really pushing them hard. I just bought a pair of K10 speakers (first high quality pair) and want to do this right so they last a long time. I was thinking of playing them in the garage for about a hour at a normal level before really pushing them hard to see how they sound.

So how do all of you get your new speakers ready for gigs?

[jayhwk]

Here's an informative thread on the topic:

http://soundforums.net/junior-varsity/3780-driver-break-procedure.html

I'd trust Bennett Prescott's opinion - he works for B&C.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Here's an informative thread on the topic:

http://soundforums.net/junior-varsity/3780-driver-break-procedure.html

I'd trust Bennett Prescott's opinion - he works for B&C.He's a sales rep, not an engineer. OP, if you have the means to break them in overnight with a 30Hz tone at a low level that's fine, but otherwise just take it easy on them for the first gig or two. And break in is most critical with subs, not tops, which you shouldn't be trying to get high levels of bass out of anyway.

[DjAaron]

Here's an informative thread on the topic:

http://soundforums.net/junior-varsity/3780-driver-break-procedure.html

I'd trust Bennett Prescott's opinion - he works for B&C.


He's a sales rep, not an engineer. OP, if you have the means to break them in overnight with a 30Hz tone at a low level that's fine, but otherwise just take it easy on them for the first gig or two. And break in is most critical with subs, not tops, which you shouldn't be trying to get high levels of bass out of anyway.

Thanks guys! I will be using them tomorrow to get a feel of how they sound and to let them break in a bit. I just don't want to start pounding on them right away. I just didn't know if there was a certain way some of you do it or not

Thanks again!

[Phil Lewandowski]

He's a sales rep, not an engineer.

Doesn't mean he doesn't know a thing or two ;) (He is definitely much more knowledgeable then I am)


But as has been mentioned, I wouldn't worry to much about breaking in, you will naturally break in the speakers by using them. So that makes it nice and simple. (i.e. breaking in speaker shouldn't keep one up at night wondering if they should do it or not, simply use the speakers)


Take Care,
Phil

[avguy]

He's a sales rep, not an engineer. However he has been trained by one of the finest loudspeaker designers in Europe.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

However he has been trained by one of the finest loudspeaker designers in Europe.
I've never seen anything that indicates his skills extend beyond being able to copy and paste articles written by others. I'll consider him a peer when his body of work warrants it.

[DJ Riddims]

How would one break in sub?

Bill stated that one should run a 30Hz tone overnight but what if that is not in your subs frequency response?

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

How would one break in sub?

Bill stated that one should run a 30Hz tone overnight but what if that is not in your subs frequency response?You use a 30Hz tone as that generates the greatest cone movement with the lowest signal level, and it's also very hard to hear so that it doesn't keep you awake. The bandwidth of the speaker doesn't matter, I use 30Hz for woofers that go into tops and 20Hz for sub drivers.

[DJ Riddims]

You use a 30Hz tone as that generates the greatest cone movement with the lowest signal level, and it's also very hard to hear so that it doesn't keep you awake. The bandwidth of the speaker doesn't matter, I use 30Hz for woofers that go into tops and 20Hz for sub drivers.

Thanks I'll try it out tomorrow.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Thanks I'll try it out tomorrow.
Just don't overdo it. Bring the volume up slowly, just enough so that you can see the cone moving about a quarter inch.

[Phil Lewandowski]

I've never seen anything that indicates his skills extend beyond being able to copy and paste articles written by others. I'll consider him a peer when his body of work warrants it.

Hi Bill,

Here are Bennett's list of articles he has written in the right hand column. One of my favorite is the "Loudspeaker Fundamentals" one, which looks at how to protect loudspeakers in the real world via practical limiting:

http://www.bennettprescott.com/


-----


And also, this is not a personal attack, but I believe it would be much more positive and people would be more responsive and positive by sometimes taking a slightly different attitude towards things. No one knows it all; no one gets it right 100% of the time, just as no one gets it wrong 100%. Our job it to read claim by claim what someone says and evaluate each one separately, as there is truth to be even found amount the biggest falsities. Again, not meant to attack but meant to make further discussion more beneficial to everyone involved ;) (Also it may be best to get to know Bennett before you attack him :) )


Take Care,
Phil