Breaking in speakers

[Merton]

I have a new 15" driver for a bass cab I'm building and I would like to break the speaker in properly before loading it in.

However, I have no signal generator or anything particularly sensible like that.

What suggestions do you fine folk have for easy speaker break-in methods?

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='Merton' post='247581' date='Jul 25 2008, 10:00 AM']I have a new 15" driver for a bass cab I'm building and I would like to break the speaker in properly before loading it in.

However, I have no signal generator or anything particularly sensible like that.

What suggestions do you fine folk have for easy speaker break-in methods?[/quote]

Why not stick a CD/MP3 player through your amp/cab... failing that sit and noodle away or book in some rehearsal time.

I don't think it's such an issue these days to break a speaker in, though the tone will change a bit as it settles, so I'd just play it

[wateroftyne]

I asked Jorg Shroeder the same thing when my new cab arrived, as I had a gig that night. He said 'Just play it'.

[MythSte]

I believe some of the Design Programs have tone generators on them, so just take a line from your PC too your amp then through your speaker.

Im sure google will throw up a few results for online tone generators also

Edit, [url="http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0-1-0.html?qt=tone+generator&tag=nav.p"]Here we are[/url]

Edited July 25, 2008 by ste_m3

[Merton]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='247590' date='Jul 25 2008, 10:11 AM']Why not stick a CD/MP3 player through your amp/cab... failing that sit and noodle away or book in some rehearsal time.

I don't think it's such an issue these days to break a speaker in, though the tone will change a bit as it settles, so I'd just play it [/quote]


[quote name='wateroftyne' post='247591' date='Jul 25 2008, 10:13 AM']I asked Jorg Shroeder the same thing when my new cab arrived, as I had a gig that night. He said 'Just play it'.[/quote]

Fair play - noodling option is always good:)

[quote name='ste_m3' post='247592' date='Jul 25 2008, 10:14 AM']I believe some of the Design Programs have tone generators on them, so just take a line from your PC too your amp then through your speaker.

Im sure google will throw up a few results for online tone generators also

Edit, [url="http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0-1-0.html?qt=tone+generator&tag=nav.p"]Here we are[/url][/quote]

Good point. I could just use Audacity's tone generator!

Maybe's I'll just not bother. I didn't bother with my 4x8 combo when i replaced the speakers and that is fine. Just that this cab is to match my 1x15 combo exactly so if i have a more "broken in" speaker it'll be closer to begin with

[rodl2005]

When I asked a Spkr repairer this re NEW spkrs he said same thing- Just play a CD/MP3 thru 'em for a few hrs!

[alexclaber]

I use the tone generator on WinISD Pro, a laptop and a bass amp. 10Hz overnight so the speaker is running beyond 50% of Xmax seems to do a nice job (and you can even do that with it loaded in the cab because it's so far below the tuning frequency you get decent phase cancellation).

Alex

[Merton]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='247999' date='Jul 25 2008, 05:40 PM']I use the tone generator on WinISD Pro, a laptop and a bass amp. 10Hz overnight so the speaker is running beyond 50% of Xmax seems to do a nice job (and you can even do that with it loaded in the cab because it's so far below the tuning frequency you get decent phase cancellation).

Alex[/quote]
Another cunning and obvious answer I should have known! Brain clearly wasn't in gear this morning. Cheers

[escholl]

speaker break in huh?

think you might find an article like [url="http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/speaker-break-in-fact-or-fiction"]this[/url] interesting.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='escholl' post='248159' date='Jul 25 2008, 11:11 PM']speaker break in huh?

think you might find an article like [url="http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/speaker-break-in-fact-or-fiction"]this[/url] interesting.[/quote]

Having listened to the 3015LF and 3015 before and after break-in I can state there is a clear lowering of Fs and raising of Qms and thus increased low frequency response after break-in. If I ever have an excess of time on my hands I'd be happy to measure the change in frequency response. The same is true for the Acme OEM woofers. I wouldn't expect much change in specs with hi-fi speakers due to the surrounds being far more compliant out of the factory.

Alex

[escholl]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='248289' date='Jul 26 2008, 09:42 AM']Having listened to the 3015LF and 3015 before and after break-in I can state there is a clear lowering of Fs and raising of Qms and thus increased low frequency response after break-in. If I ever have an excess of time on my hands I'd be happy to measure the change in frequency response. The same is true for the Acme OEM woofers. I wouldn't expect much change in specs with hi-fi speakers due to the surrounds being far more compliant out of the factory.

Alex[/quote]

How do you know Fs is lowered and Qms is raised if you haven't measured it?

I'm not trying to be difficult or anything, it's just after so many years of hearing so many conflicting theories, I'm not sure what to believe, so I stick to numbers. I've only ever worked in the hi-fi industry, but while i can quite easily tell one DAC from another i've never heard the difference in "before" and "after" broken in speakers. That wasn't PA stuff though, obv, but it still contradicts what 99% of the population seems to believe about speakers.

At the end of the article, he does mention some PA subs that haven't changed after 4 years of "breaking in". I would really be interested to see the before and after measurements of the speakers you mentioned, as well as anyone else's experience in this area, mostly because I'd like to see once and for all what the answer is.

I'd test it myself - but i don't have the speakers or accurate enough test equipment

[alexclaber]

[quote name='escholl' post='248358' date='Jul 26 2008, 12:12 PM']How do you know Fs is lowered and Qms is raised if you haven't measured it?[/quote]

You can hear a HUGE change in the sound between a completely fresh 3015 or 3015LF and one that's broken in, which is consistent with an increase in suspension compliance and thus the resulting effect upon Fs and Qts. I'm talking the kind of difference akin to adding over 3dB of bass boost.

There is a big difference between the fabric concertina surrounds on these woofers and the foam/rubber/polymer rolled surrounds on hi-fi woofers. When brand new these fabric surrounds are far stiffer than after a good few hours of heavy use, to the point that Acme recommends breaking in their woofers gently as the extra surround stiffness when new can cause the cone to crease if driven hard. I can't see any reason why most hi-fi speakers' surrounds' compliance would change, the composition/construction is totally different.

Alex

[escholl]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='248807' date='Jul 27 2008, 10:19 AM']When brand new these fabric surrounds are far stiffer than after a good few hours of heavy use, to the point that Acme recommends breaking in their woofers gently as the extra surround stiffness when new can cause the cone to crease if driven hard.[/quote]


Surely it would be in the manufacturer's best interest to "break in" the cones ahead of time, preventing any possible damage?

I see what you mean though - PA, etc. surrounds are much stiffer. If you do get around to doing any measurements, like me know, I'd be really keen to find out the results before/after.