Why And How To Break-In Your Bookshelf Monitors
Music is a universal language, and finding the best audio devices to deliver you the best sound experience from your best songs is the dream of every audiophile. It should not come as a surprise that most people will spend a fortune investing in the right bookshelf monitors. However, it can be disappointing that your speakers might not deliver to your expectations within the first few days of using them.
During the first days of unboxing your monitors, the tweeters are likely to sound harsh, the mids will be recessed, and the bass will most likely be muddy too. This is why taking some time to break in your speakers is essential.
Read on to dive into the world of breaking-in speakers to learn how to do it best:
The Science Behind Breaking in Speakers
Speakers typically have a coil that dictates how well the diaphragm and cone can vibrate to produce sound. The coil is then supported by the spider, which is made of fabric impregnated resin. When you first buy your bookshelf monitors, this resin is typically stiff, restricting the fast movement of the entire speaker system.
The best way to make the spider and cone flexible would be to play music or any other form of audio that embraces a wide range of frequencies. By repetitively playing the music, you get to increase the flexibility of the speaker parts, and with time, it will work pretty well.
Why Manufacturers Don’t Break In Their Speakers Pre-Sale
Everyone would love to buy a new bookshelf speaker that fulfills the specifications they have in mind. If you are searching for an amazing bookshelf speaker, check out MusicAuthority’s guide for ideas. Speakers have completely non flexible parts that have never been used before. This acts as a guarantee to the customer that they are getting something that is new and pristine. As a result, if manufacturers were to sell already broken-in speakers, there would be no way to tell the new and old ones apart.
The second reason is all about the economic implications of breaking in the speakers pre-sale. It will typically take time to do so, which will only result in the increase in prices for the monitors. Instead, they let the user have the full experience of the speakers. Besides, all it takes is enough patience and your speakers will perform optimally.
How to Break-In Your Speakers
There are three methods to break in your speakers, all of which have different levels of complexity. Some might even need professional knowledge. Here they are:
- Play Some Music
The most basic way to break-in your speakers is to play some music. Within the first 20 to 30 hours, you will start feeling the difference. By the 100-hour mark, your speakers are bound to be functioning in optimal condition.
The chances of success of this method trickle down to the type of music you play, as noted in Lifewire. The songs need to have a dynamic range, with both deep bass and high ends. Music that is capable of achieving both ends of the spectrum will help your speakers reach both extremes while shortening the break-in period.
As a result, music that has few changes in range, such as jazz music will barely be good enough for breaking in your speakers. Instead, go for music like trance and metal. Additionally, ensure that the volume of your speakers is higher than usual but not the maximum.
- Use Special Breaking-in CDS
While the method above is quite effective, it comes with the disadvantage that you will probably annoy your neighbors by playing music that is too loud for extended periods. There are special CDs in the market which can help break in your speakers. However, they require you to have a professional perspective when using them. Although the goal is to make the spider of your monitor work hard, you do not want it overworked.
In case you surpass its limits while using the music on these CDs, it is possible for you to cause irreversible damage to your speakers. Have a professional by your side while using this method to ensure you are on the right track.
- Face the Speakers Towards Each Other
Connect your monitors to an amplifier as you usually do and face them towards each other before reversing their polarity. This means that you will have to swap the negative and positive parts on one end of the speaker, either at the amplifier or the speaker itself.
If you do not want to vibrate your room with bass, this is the best method for you. This reversal ensures that the speakers cancel each other out. As a result, you will only hear the highs of the speakers. Although it might be tempting to maximize the volume of the speakers beyond its sensitivity levels, avoid this as it will only result in their damage.
What to Watch Out For
When breaking in the speakers, be sure to place them in the position from which you will most likely use them. This will ensure that you can judge the sound that comes from them in your most ideal listening space in your living room, basement or even study room. As a result, it is vital to choose the perfect listening position to avoid acoustic disruptions.
Additionally, pay attention to the movement of the diaphragm while using the speakers to ensure that you don’t exceed the limits of elasticity. Knowing the sensitivity of your speaker could be quite helpful in this situation. You can easily identify that the limit has been reached once you hear a thumping sound coming from your speaker.
As the speaker approaches the limit, on the other hand, it is possible to hear that the sound has been distorted. If you observe the above conditions, lower the volume immediately or else risk spoiling your monitor. Do not push the speaker beyond this point.
Conclusion
You shouldn’t perceive the breaking-in stage of your speaker as a constraint, but a chance to discover your speaker a little bit more. With enough patience, you will have it performing optimally as you enjoy quality sound. Consider the above guidelines to have a successful breaking-in process.
