Everything in audio changes with time and use.
I’ve never trusted first impressions of brand-new gear. Fresh out of the box, a loudspeaker can sound stiff and closed-in. An amplifier might feel edgy, and even cables seem to mellow with hours of use. These shifts aren’t marketing myths—they’re the result of mechanical suspensions loosening, capacitors stabilizing, and materials settling into their normal operating state.
The process isn’t dramatic, but it’s real enough that I never judge a system until it’s been played for days or even weeks (one of the reasons we give you a month to play with new gear at home).
A woofer’s surround relaxes, allowing bass to extend fully. A tweeter smooths out as films and adhesives stabilize. Power supplies reach equilibrium after repeated cycles of charge and discharge. Each of these subtle changes adds up to a system that simply breathes more easily.
I’ve seen this firsthand with our Aspen loudspeakers. Straight from the crate, they already perform well, but give them a couple hundred hours and the presentation transforms. Bass digs deeper, the midrange gains body, and the treble relaxes into a natural shimmer. The same is true of our electronics—our BHK amplifiers and PMG preamps both benefit from extended play time.
There’s also another break-in process we rarely discuss: our own ears. We adapt to new tonal balances and presentation over time. What sounds unfamiliar at first can become natural after days of listening. That’s why patience is essential when evaluating new gear.
When you allow both the system and yourself the time to settle, you hear the equipment as it truly is.
Only then can you make honest judgments and experience what the design is capable of delivering.
