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Burn-in New Headphones
1. Earbuds
In today’s world of headphones, there is an array of models, brands and prices; and there is the choice to burn-in headphones to make the sound more robust. At the end, burn-in is up to you, since the verdict of “to burn-in or not to burn-in” is still out.
What is Burn-in?
Burn-in is the process for maturing new audio equipment in order to optimize performance in the long run. The main purpose is to make the drivers more flexible in order to alter the sound they produce. 'Burn-in' involves playing an array of music at medium volume, but at the same time avoiding damage to the speakers by avoiding high volume and white noise. In general, it will take anywhere from 40 to 500 hours.
How much will burn-in affect the sound of my headphones?
There is much debate amongst the audiophiles. While some say that it makes a huge difference, others state the complete opposite. Overall, there is no hard evidence that shows the effects of burn-in on audio equipment and the difference in each model of headphones.
Is there a wrong way to burn in my headphones?
Yes, there is a wrong way. One should avoid high volumes and exposing headphones to white noise. The main goal is to burn-in headphones in medium volume and using an array of music to optimize performance of your audio equipment.
How should I burn in my headphones?
The best way is to do the following:
- 1. Create a music playlist that includes rock, pop, classical, funk, etc.
- 2. Plug in your headphones to your music player’s audio port.
- 3. Begin to play your playlist.
- 4. Set an alarm for 4 hours.
- 5. When the alarm rings, stop your audio player.
- 6. Let your headphones rest for one hour without any music playing through them. (This is an important step. Please do not skip it.)
- 7. Repeat steps 2 – 5 for at least 5 cycles. You may repeat the cycles up to 12 times. Many recommend 12 as the optimum number, but five should suffice.
- 8. The alternative method is to let your headphones burn naturally. Over their lifetime, they will burn naturally without having to follow a particular process.