In the "HiFi world" the magazines and manufactures often say that you should at least "play in" the speaker calmly before you play at louder volumes, and the sound will loosen up a bit also.. Get warmer and less hardness in the sound.

 (I think particularly of my new BL 8000 that i wish to loosen up a bit...)

 

 (And i'm in wear of that Beolab speakers got the = ABL + override circuit)

 

Regards

I have the feeling that my lab 5 after 2 month now sound better...however, no way to proof this. Maybe it is more the fact that I get used to them.  Interersting would be to get a factory new pair close to mine (have fun to get the 70kg monster on the second level again :-))) ). Not sure if a freuqency plot could show the difference. This might be a good question to ask the Tonmeister at B&O!

 

kawo 

 

It's a fact, that new speakers need some time to get some "wear" and get the right sound. This is necessary not only for mechanical parts like loudspeakers, also for electronic like amplifiers.

Im sure its more of a case that one 'gets used' to the sound of a new speaker rather than any actual changes that take place. There might be a little argument for this with high powered bass drivers where they can sometimes be very tight because of gthe loadings involved but in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes

Yes after time amplifiers do change slightly after usage ( for the better i hear ) Wow... BL5's sounding better? Thats very cool

Anywhere one asks this question, you'll find different opinions. However, when it comes to loudspeakers with large subwoofers/woofers or other moving parts, I think one is justified in expecting a setting-in period.

BL3, for instance, gets a better mid- and bottom after a while. I think it is because of the large rubber "vents" that are set in motion (you can see them pulsing in and out). I think they get more flexible, ie more responsive and therefore supportive of the sound.

I had a large number of BL3s in the office about a year ago, and tested one that I had run in against a new one out of the box. My impression was that the used pair had a more pleasant top and a clearer bottom, where the new pair sounded a bit tinny in comparison.

My Dynaudio Focus 140 speakers came with a strong recommendation that I should run them in at least 200 hours - however, I didn't have a new pair to compare them against after that run-in, and can't say whether I just felt they were better, or they actually did get more open, with a better defined soundstage, after 200 hours.

I have been running bass-sweeps on my BL5s for a number of hours, to run in the sub-woofer and woofer. 

355f:

Im sure its more of a case that one 'gets used' to the sound of a new speaker rather than any actual changes that take place. There might be a little argument for this with high powered bass drivers where they can sometimes be very tight because of gthe loadings involved but in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes

High End speaker JBL Array do also have paper drivers and they costs 14.000 € !!!!  http://www.jbl.com/array_series/overview.aspx

IMO There's definitely a difference. Brand new un-boxed BeoLab 5s sound very 'ripe' and 'boomy' in comparison to well-run-in ones. There's something that makes them sound like they're having to push the sound out, rather than it just sounding as unbelievably effortless as they should do.

355f:

Im sure its more of a case that one 'gets used' to the sound of a new speaker rather than any actual changes that take place. There might be a little argument for this with high powered bass drivers where they can sometimes be very tight because of gthe loadings involved but in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes

 I must be blind, but this doesn't look like paper drivers in BL 8000 MK II 355f...

On BL8000 MK I there was paper driver maybe but not on MK II...

Look here in this picture:

 

Thanks for sharing, Beolab. I am by no means an expert on this subject, but some people would argue that paper is the ideal material for speaker drivers. Look here. I am getting confused…

Beolab:

355f:

Im sure its more of a case that one 'gets used' to the sound of a new speaker rather than any actual changes that take place. There might be a little argument for this with high powered bass drivers where they can sometimes be very tight because of gthe loadings involved but in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes

 I must be blind, but this doesn't look like paper drivers in BL 8000 MK II 355f...

On BL8000 MK I there was paper driver maybe but not on MK II...

Look here in this picture:

 

Well im my one early pair of bl8000 the drivers were paper but of course mine were not as good as yours with the super enhanced bass which truly bought B&O up to date with this speaker- I presume thats what you want to hear!! No one wants positive debate on here

Although I have never been in a position to witness the difference between new and "run in" speakers I could not dispute that the compliance of the drivers might change during this period and therefore affect the sound. I would be sceptical however of people being able to sense this in there own speakers over a period of weeks or months given that it is difficult to "remember" what you heard after a period of 30 seconds or so in a side by side comparision.

I would also dispute that it is "fact" that a running in period improves amplifiers, especially if they are solid state. I am happy to accept that this is the opinion of many but it is equally disbelieved by many more. In any case the amp is going to get used for this period anyway and for the same reason as before it is highly unlikey you can tell the difference before and after running in.

This sounds entirely plausible to me, Puncher.

Puncher:

I would also dispute that it is "fact" that a running in period improves amplifiers, especially if they are solid state. I am happy to accept that this is the opinion of many but it is equally disbelieved by many more. In any case the amp is going to get used for this period anyway and for the same reason as before it is highly unlikey you can tell the difference before and after running in.

 I have experienced this running in phenomenon of sennheiser headphones in the sense that until run-in low bass notes were producing the kind of "psshht" noise that  headphones/speakers make when they aren't coping, and this had gone by the morning when I left them playing overnight, but I am with puncher on the amplifier issue, we seem to be straying into the same territory as we did the other week on the $45,000 speaker cables! It is far more likely that ears are adjusting to the new kit.

 

Simon

 

355f:

Beolab:

355f:

Im sure its more of a case that one 'gets used' to the sound of a new speaker rather than any actual changes that take place. There might be a little argument for this with high powered bass drivers where they can sometimes be very tight because of gthe loadings involved but in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes

 I must be blind, but this doesn't look like paper drivers in BL 8000 MK II 355f...

On BL8000 MK I there was paper driver maybe but not on MK II...

Look here in this picture:

 

Well im my one early pair of bl8000 the drivers were paper but of course mine were not as good as yours with the super enhanced bass which truly bought B&O up to date with this speaker- I presume thats what you want to hear!! No one wants positive debate on here

You started the debate with your statement 355f: "in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes"

It´s good when you have facts before you judge something....

Puncher:

Although I have never been in a position to witness the difference between new and "run in" speakers I could not dispute that the compliance of the drivers might change during this period and therefore affect the sound. I would be sceptical however of people being able to sense this in there own speakers over a period of weeks or months given that it is difficult to "remember" what you heard after a period of 30 seconds or so in a side by side comparision.

I would also dispute that it is "fact" that a running in period improves amplifiers, especially if they are solid state. I am happy to accept that this is the opinion of many but it is equally disbelieved by many more. In any case the amp is going to get used for this period anyway and for the same reason as before it is highly unlikey you can tell the difference before and after running in.

I'm talking about the speaker cones not the Bl8000 amps...

Beolab:

355f:

Beolab:

355f:

Im sure its more of a case that one 'gets used' to the sound of a new speaker rather than any actual changes that take place. There might be a little argument for this with high powered bass drivers where they can sometimes be very tight because of gthe loadings involved but in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes

 I must be blind, but this doesn't look like paper drivers in BL 8000 MK II 355f...

On BL8000 MK I there was paper driver maybe but not on MK II...

Look here in this picture:

 

Well im my one early pair of bl8000 the drivers were paper but of course mine were not as good as yours with the super enhanced bass which truly bought B&O up to date with this speaker- I presume thats what you want to hear!! No one wants positive debate on here

You started the debate with your statement 355f: "in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes"

It´s good when you have facts before you judge something....

Well I dont know for a fact if the model you have has in fact paper drivers or not. But what does it matter- if they are paper you will endorse them as being the best speakers anyway- So i rest my case and give up! Enjoy your speakers

355f:

Beolab:

355f:

Beolab:

355f:

Im sure its more of a case that one 'gets used' to the sound of a new speaker rather than any actual changes that take place. There might be a little argument for this with high powered bass drivers where they can sometimes be very tight because of gthe loadings involved but in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes

 I must be blind, but this doesn't look like paper drivers in BL 8000 MK II 355f...

On BL8000 MK I there was paper driver maybe but not on MK II...

Look here in this picture:

 

Well im my one early pair of bl8000 the drivers were paper but of course mine were not as good as yours with the super enhanced bass which truly bought B&O up to date with this speaker- I presume thats what you want to hear!! No one wants positive debate on here

You started the debate with your statement 355f: "in tyhe case of the little paper drivers in 8000- nothing changes"

It´s good when you have facts before you judge something....

Well I dont know for a fact if the model you have has in fact paper drivers or not. But what does it matter- if they are paper you will endorse them as being the best speakers anyway- So i rest my case and give up! Enjoy your speakers

(I have the same drivers like in the picture because it is the MK II model...)

I give up to...  

Regards

Stop being grouchy the pair of you! It is nearly Christmas!

I do think my Beolab 3s improved in the first few weeks but I am perfectly happy to accept that I got used to them.

I do remember getting a second hand pair of S60s which sounded dreadful which improved massively after a good shake out with some Rolling Stones! I guess one driver had been sticking!!  

No speaker improves when you play The Rolling Stones

We are talking 'The World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band' here!!

You live in a small world then Peter

Beware Alex, the Stones can still fill Wembley while your modern favourites couldn't fill a phone box.

joeyboygolf:

Beware Alex, the Stones can still fill Wembley while your modern favourites couldn't fill a phone box.

 

Couldn't agree more.  It's a few years since I saw them, but they are still one of the best live acts I have ever seen.

 

Simon 

 . . .  and an entire Brasilian beach.

I was in Copacabana for the Stones Concert there, estimated at 800,000 + people. All traffic on Avenida Atlantic stopped in both directions ( 2 lanes each ) also, and just listened. ( Unfortunately the CD recording or download of this historic event sounds as though it was recorded through a bent soda straw coming out of a Coconut.)

I saw them play in the early ' 60's and even today they can command and rock a crowd.

I'm with you Peter !