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Breaking in new cabs with "white noise"?

#22
We just play em ...

One of the things in my background is dealing with High End stereo equipment, and we did not do listening test and reviews etc: before we did a break in period.

I have found the speaker cab "blooms" sometimes a lot as it breaks in and that just comes from playing them IMHO

:) ... The lows really opened up on the Minis, on the 4x10 it was the midrange as we heard it
 
#23
bassrique said:
What's the difference between white noise and pink noise? How does one get sounds like this outside of radio static?
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From an audio website.

White noise is a sound that contains every frequency within the range of human hearing (generally from 20 hertz to 20 kHz) in equal amounts. Most people perceive this sound as having more high-frequency content than low, but this is not the case. This perception occurs because each successive octave has twice as many frequencies as the one preceding it. For example, from 100 Hz to 200 Hz, there are one hundred discrete frequencies. In the next octave (from 200 Hz to 400 Hz), there are two hundred frequencies.
White noise can be generated on a sound synthesizer. Sound designers can use this sound, with some processing and filtering, to create a multitude of effects such as wind, surf, space whooshes, and rumbles.

Pink noise is a variant of white noise. Pink noise is white noise that has been filtered to reduce the volume at each octave. This is done to compensate for the increase in the number of frequencies per octave. Each octave is reduced by 6 decibels, resulting in a noise sound wave that has equal energy at every octave.
 
#24
KJung said:
From an audion website.

White noise is a sound that contains every frequency within the range of human hearing (generally from 20 hertz to 20 kHz) in equal amounts. Most people perceive this sound as having more high-frequency content than low, but this is not the case. This perception occurs because each successive octave has twice as many frequencies as the one preceding it. For example, from 100 Hz to 200 Hz, there are one hundred discrete frequencies. In the next octave (from 200 Hz to 400 Hz), there are two hundred frequencies.
White noise can be generated on a sound synthesizer. Sound designers can use this sound, with some processing and filtering, to create a multitude of effects such as wind, surf, space whooshes, and rumbles.

Pink noise is a variant of white noise. Pink noise is white noise that has been filtered to reduce the volume at each octave. This is done to compensate for the increase in the number of frequencies per octave. Each octave is reduced by 6 decibels, resulting in a noise sound wave that has equal energy at every octave.
Click to expand...

I think its a 3dB per octave slope. But don't quote me on that I could be confusing that with Perf Screen attenuation above 2khz.
 
#25
billfitzmaurice said:
+1. 24 hours with a 25-30 Hz tone at 10 to 12 volts will get a speaker at least 95% broken in. Those in the oddiophile crowd who say driver break in takes hundreds of hours tend to be the same types who say cables also need a break in. :rollno:

BTW, do not use white noise, if you have tweeters it can harm them. Pink noise is OK, but when played at a high enough level to do any good it's just too damn loud. The advantage to a 25 to 30 Hz tone is it flexes the suspension as far as possible with minimum voltage input and the lowest audible output.
Drivers should be broken in by the manufacturer prior to cabinet assembly, but that takes time, and time is money.
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that just sounds like it'd be one migraine after another... oi...
 
#26
I still don't understand why so many of you can't believe speakers need to be broken in before being cranked to gig volumes. I have broken in my Ampeg 810e, Eden 410XLT's, all of my car audio speakers, and so on. All of these products could not handle the low end response nor the high volumes they could until I played them at lower volumes for several hours. I honestly heard all of these cabs increase their low end response and heard a much higher volume level after babying them for a few hours. All of these speakers did not reach their maximum volume level until I broke them in.

And no, I did not have frequency analyzers or what not to prove what I am saying, but when I set my amp to one volume and the speaker breaks up. Then set it the same way 6 hours later (playing vigorously and putting music through the speaker) and the speaker gets louder and lower....well, that's not magic!
 
#28
Gearhead17 said:
I still don't understand why so many of you can't believe speakers need to be broken in before being cranked to gig volumes. I have broken in my Ampeg 810e, Eden 410XLT's, all of my car audio speakers, and so on. All of these products could not handle the low end response nor the high volumes they could until I played them at lower volumes for several hours. I honestly heard all of these cabs increase their low end response and heard a much higher volume level after babying them for a few hours. All of these speakers did not reach their maximum volume level until I broke them in.

And no, I did not have frequency analyzers or what not to prove what I am saying, but when I set my amp to one volume and the speaker breaks up. Then set it the same way 6 hours later (playing vigorously and putting music through the speaker) and the speaker gets louder and lower....well, that's not magic!
Click to expand...

chalk it up to personal experience. its a force stronger than any typed word on a webpage. ;)
 
#29
Gearhead17 said:
I still don't understand why so many of you can't believe speakers need to be broken in before being cranked to gig volumes.
Click to expand...
For the most part it's assuming that the product they buy is 100% ready to use. :scowl:
Not knowing that the spider and suspension soften with use and in so doing change how the speaker works would account for the rest.
 
#30
billfitzmaurice said:
For the most part it's assuming that the product they buy is 100% ready to use. :scowl:
Not knowing that the spider and suspension soften with use and in so doing change how the speaker works would account for the rest.
Click to expand...

:confused: No one is saying there might not be minor changes over time (minor would be the key word here). However, per the previous post about 6 hours at low volume changing the speaker from not handling gig volume to being fantastic, that's, well, 'interesting':cool:

The point is, get the darn cab out of the box, play it, and any suspension softening needed will take care of itself by the third playing of 'My Girl' over a 5 day period:smug:

god help us:hmm:

Edit: I mispoke above... I meant 'by the second playing of My Girl over a three day period.
 
#31
KJung said:
Zero need to do this. Some speakers will have a touch more bass response after a few hours or more of playing. You will get there after your first gig, and the change will be quite subtle. Just play the cab at home for a few minutes to make sure it works, and then get it on a gig!
Click to expand...

good advice,, altho,, most of all these cabs/amps/basses here in these forums never ever see a gig, never see a rehearsal studio, never see a singers garage, or even the trunk of a car for that matter, ( as the classifieds here more than prove my point, with all the basses, amps, & cabs that are up for sale that has " never left the house " )

there is a short break in period with all speaker components,, but i've found the best way is to just plug 'em in & play the piss out of 'em,,, at a moderate volume at first,, then kick it up a few notches, where ever you are
 
#32
KJung said:
Nothing (except in the unusual case of the Acme's, where I guess if you slam a huge low end at full volume within the first 1/2 hour, the surrounds MIGHT get damaged).
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With the high XMAX Acmes, it's not the surrounds that get damaged.
It's the fact the surrounds are so stiff to start with, that if you slam them the too hard without proper break-in, the CONE flexes instead of the surround. This causes the infamous "creased cone" syndrome with the Acme drivers.

The cone gets a crease around the circumference, about an inch or so in from the surround.

There are tons of references around here about it (and tons of examples on the used market... and in Andy's returned "cores").

He has recently started using an upgraded driver to help alleviate this problem. Looks like it has a stiffer circumference area and a larger dust cover dome. I have no idea if this is an effective solution.

Just play nice for an hour or two and they'll be fine... it's no big deal.
 
#39
I don't think an actual break in period is that important. All of my cabs have just been dragged to a rehearsal room and gigs played at my normal volume level and over the first few outings I've noticed them starting to sound a bit nicer. There's been no use of white noise or any other noise but me and my bass going through them.
Just plugg in and enjoy your new cabs!
 
#40
KJung said:
:confused: :cool:

The point is, get the darn cab out of the box, play it, and any suspension softening needed will take care of itself by the third playing of 'My Girl' over a 5 day period:smug:

god help us:hmm:

Edit: I mispoke above... I meant 'by the second playing of My Girl over a three day period.
Click to expand...

Ken, the only inherent problem I see with the "My Girl" break in technique is the drivers become acclimated to all natural notes. I like to alternate from "My Girl" to "Misty" in Eb. That way the speaker gets used to playing flats and will reproduce them at the same amplitude as naturals.
 

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