New Devialet 400

[DBdub]

Some believe in burn in personally I don't and there should be no technical reason why this is the case. 

I admit that its difficult to find published technical analysis to support the notion of burn in periods for audio equipment though there are post from thousands of 'audiophiles' who believe that they have experienced it

However, several Devialet owners including me have noticed that the temperature at which the amps run is quite high and variable when fresh out of the box but then settles down to a lower level after a period of a few weeks or so.  It seems likely that something is going on akin to a burning-in period and this has measurable (non-subjective) side-effects. 

I think Devialet themselves refer to a 75hr burn in period. Similarly, Naim who's kit I owned previously and who I don't particularly think of as purveyors of snake-oil say in their manuals "Naim equipment takes a considerable time to run in before it performs at its best. The duration varies, but under some conditions the sound may continue to improve for over a month'. Presumably this is something both manufacturers have noted and believe themselves otherwise why would they say it?

Personally I think it's just an extension of the two things that actually do need burn in / run in time. Which are speakers, the reason for this is a woofer needs a certain amount of time to flex to allow it to output the lower frequencies better. Secondly phono carts, stylus also need time to loosen as they settle down the stylus tracks grooves (and especially in perfect presses) better and at first can sound somewhat brighter as the stiffness of the stylus can have same affect as placing tracking weight under spec. I think the "your X amp needs x hours to burn in " has more too do with allowing time for an individual to get used to the sound of a particular piece of hardware then anything else. The cynic in me would say that this has extended to amps, CD players and other sources as its a convenient way for retailers to allow an consumer law right of return for full refund to expire. I think that burn in has more to do with people becoming used to a signature sound then any fundamental change in circuitry bringing about audible difference in sound. As always YMmV and whatever makes you happy is the most important thing

Ok how does that explain the difference in temperature I see now in a warmer country than they were in before, driving a brand new set of speakers that are a more difficult load than my old ones. No don't tell me they programmed that in as well - or they are controlling it from Paris !!!!! BS

Nick

Nick I'd say it's the ambient temp and fact it's heating up cause it's working harder to drive lower ohms.

Or there is the Paris theory