Cab break in, myth or might actually be a bit true?

[CryingBass]

I ASSume that if I buy a quality cab that QC took it for a ride before I did. That has proven to be enough break in for me. YMMV.

 

[baxter_x]

They're pretty different cabs. That's what the difference is.

What's the difference?
To me, the désigné is the same. But I'll have a look at the speakers loaded in both cabs.

 

[4-stringB]

Have you tried moving the cabs around while doing your A/B comparisons? Could be some room resonance coming into play.

 

[baxter_x]

Have you tried moving the cabs around while doing your A/B comparisons? Could be some room resonance coming into play.

I did, but you are very right. Room resonance does have a big impact.

 

[Tj smith]

It could be 2 different models from 2 different generations. The older speaker could have better components

 

[agedhorse]

It could be 2 different models from 2 different generations. The older speaker could have better components

Or lower quality components… older isn’t always better.

 

[LowActionHero]

I'd probably be constantly "fine tuning" my EQ either way. Not sure I'd even notice.

 

[jmlee]

I remember that, when I bought a Barefaced cab, they had explicit instructions around breaking in the cab with extended hours of full range sound.

 

[alexclaber]

I remember that, when I bought a Barefaced cab, they had explicit instructions around breaking in the cab with extended hours of full range sound.

I think I recommended a low frequency sine wave but we don't anymore. Here's what we say:

Driver break-in​

This is a contentious issue with a lot of snake oil and mysticism about it. But it's quite simple really - most pro audio or musical instrument speakers have doped fabric or paper or card suspension. The suspension is the cone surround and the voice coil spider. When brand new this suspension is often stiffer than when the driver has been used well into its working excursion range for a few hours.

If you really want to you can break in the suspension using pink noise or a low frequency sine wave but these methods do have some risk of speaker damage if you don't know what you're doing, so I recommend you just play the cab and don't be surprised if your tone changes a bit in those initial hours.

The change in suspension compliance affects the low frequency response but more importantly it changes the midrange tone by improving the damping of cone ripples when they meet the surround, giving a cleaner, clearer, more honest tone.

These changes are not life-changing. They're interesting from an engineering perspective but rather than obsessing over them, play your bass or guitar, have a listen to what happens, then play some more!

Please note that with our 10CR and 12XN drivers, the break-in period purely relates to a tonal change. It's not like old car engines where you have to treat them more gently for the first few thousand miles.

With guitar drivers where the cones are less strong and the suspension often stiffer, this may be the case but it's not something we've tested. But unless you're chugging and downtuning you probably won't have a low frequency overpowering issue on guitar.

We did have a case, I think it was last year, of someone not liking the mids and highs from their Super Twin for bebop soloing but once the speakers had broken in he said he really liked it. I don't think he was imagining it!

 

[Geri O]

I remember now, some shop technician folks from an internationally-known production touring company mentioned physically rotating the larger drivers (12s, 15s, 18s,) 180 degrees in all their (proprietary) cabinets to offset a “sag” factor they claim to be noticing after a given interval (a year, maybe?).

I didn’t give it much thought or consideration as those folks ran their cabinets way more often and harder that a lil’ ol’ PA company from MS ever would. So they would know, I guess.

(Wondering how soon the power screwdrivers will start humming because of this….)

 

[agedhorse]

My experience indicates that players adapt to the speakers during the break-in period rather than a significant change in the speakers themselves. My measurement data indicates the same thing

 

[baxter_x]

My experience indicates that players adapt to the speakers during the break-in period rather than a significant change in the speakers themselves. My measurement data indicates the same thing

I agree. The difference I hear/feel can be easily balanced with a bit of EQ.

 

[jmlee]

I think I recommended a low frequency sine wave but we don't anymore. Here's what we say:

Driver break-in​

This is a contentious issue with a lot of snake oil and mysticism about it. But it's quite simple really - most pro audio or musical instrument speakers have doped fabric or paper or card suspension. The suspension is the cone surround and the voice coil spider. When brand new this suspension is often stiffer than when the driver has been used well into its working excursion range for a few hours.

If you really want to you can break in the suspension using pink noise or a low frequency sine wave but these methods do have some risk of speaker damage if you don't know what you're doing, so I recommend you just play the cab and don't be surprised if your tone changes a bit in those initial hours.

The change in suspension compliance affects the low frequency response but more importantly it changes the midrange tone by improving the damping of cone ripples when they meet the surround, giving a cleaner, clearer, more honest tone.

These changes are not life-changing. They're interesting from an engineering perspective but rather than obsessing over them, play your bass or guitar, have a listen to what happens, then play some more!

Please note that with our 10CR and 12XN drivers, the break-in period purely relates to a tonal change. It's not like old car engines where you have to treat them more gently for the first few thousand miles.

With guitar drivers where the cones are less strong and the suspension often stiffer, this may be the case but it's not something we've tested. But unless you're chugging and downtuning you probably won't have a low frequency overpowering issue on guitar.

We did have a case, I think it was last year, of someone not liking the mids and highs from their Super Twin for bebop soloing but once the speakers had broken in he said he really liked it. I don't think he was imagining it!

You’re right! It was a sine wave and I drove my OneTen with a signal generator on my iPhone! Thanks for the correction. It was quite a while ago.

 

[frankie5string]

I've witnessed a few fried cabinets as a result of people "toning" or pushing abusive signals through them because they thought they were breaking them in.
The "stiffness" of a speaker cone is supposed to be a known quantity for its purpose, as is its excursion. Why would you want to FAFO and force the speaker to its maximums just to see if it responds differently?

 

[baxter_x]

Why would you want to FAFO and force the speaker to its maximums just to see if it responds differently?

When you pretend to have a knowledge you actually don't have....