Breaking in Speakers?

[jbylake]

Is there an easy, safe way to break in your amps speakers besides playing it until your hands revolt and sprain themselves.

I was able to google a couple of things, but when I read where one fellow takes a 1" brush and lightly coats them with water so they'll stretch and breath. Sounded a little dubious, so I quickly flushed that idea.

So I came here.

Thanks ahead,
J.

 

[Willmunny]

Just play it in man

 

[Intune]

I was told to just crank the bass and play power chords if you want speakers to break in faster. True or not, I don’t know. Just playing the amp the speakers will break in naturally.

 

[s5tuart]

Can you hook up a MP3 player or similar?
Doesn't need to be loud

 

[Groovey]

Looper

 

[Sugarcane]

Play it. Best way.

 

[AntStrat]

I just play. When I pick a speaker it has to sound good right off the bat otherwise why do it?

On the fence about the breaking in theory. Maybe it’s real maybe it’s not, dunno. I don’t think about it.

 

[jbylake]

I just play. When I pick a speaker it has to b good right off the bat otherwise why do it?

Interesting, on on the fence theory. "I have about 4 cabs to "break" in plus 2 extension cabs, so "just playing it could take a while. However I did like them when I but sought them, like you mentioned, so logic would dictate they may get better, or not.

 

[Hal Nico]

I an old trick was to face the speakers to the ground and leave some music playing through them at a low to medium level for an hour or two taking care not to damage the input socket/plugged in device.

HTH

 

[Stevem]

Here's how to break in a speaker with AC voltage like from a wall wart, or veriac.

This is the formula.
1) wattage of the speaker divided by 3.

2) times speaker impeadance .

3) square root of that.

This the voltage to apply to the speaker.

For instance a 50 watt 8 ohm driver would get 11.50 volts applied to it for like 3 to 4 hours, a 16 ohm driver of the same wattage would get 23 volts applied to it, a 30 watt 8 ohm driver would get 9 volts.

If you can only get 9 volts into a 30 watt speaker then run it for 6 hours.

 

[Bob the builder]

Took my amp on a outta town job
Put the radio through it all week in the basement loud enough to hear on the 1st floor.

 

[guitarface]

I’d you have a looper, record a loop and leave it going. Point the speaker towards the ground if you don’t want to hear it.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Here's how to break in a speaker with AC voltage like from a wall wart, or veriac.

This is the formula.
1) wattage of the speaker divided by 3.

2) times speaker impeadance .

3) square root of that.

This the voltage to apply to the speaker.

For instance a 50 watt 8 ohm driver would get 11.50 volts applied to it for like 3 to 4 hours, a 16 ohm driver of the same wattage would get 23 volts applied to it, a 30 watt 8 ohm driver would get 9 volts.

If you can only get 9 volts into a 30 watt speaker then run it for 6 hours.

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

A typical guitar amp speaker has an impedance and wattage rating similar to a hifi speaker. You can ply your hifi through guitar speaker cabinets, and although I wouldn't recommend playing your guitar through hifi speakers, it can be done. I certainly wouldn't try playing a guitar through a hifi amp, however, as the input voltages will almost certainly be wrong.

So. You have a 4, 8 or 16 ohm guitar speaker.

Hook the guitar speaker up to your stereo, turn the volume up to a comfortable, doesn't annoy the neighbors, volume, and leave it playing for 12-24 hours.

Job done.

 

[Stevem]

What I posted is perfectly save to do if the Spl level of the 60hz tone does not annoy people!
I put amps in my basement closet to do this, but if you live in a apartment it may not work if you have a speaker of over 30 watts if you don't want to get evicted.

 

[Slacker G]

Here is some information. It's just another they do they don't debate.

I have had new speakers that I used for years. I doubt that they broke in as much as my ears have become used to the sound and learned to appreciate them.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/do-audio-speakers-break-in.11898/

 

[Bob Spumoni]

Plug stuff until you hear noises, then wave your hands around in such a way as to alter those noises. Do this for one month. Pass a hat.

 

[Morf2540]

One vote here for don't worry about it. Just play it normally.

 

[Tone Deaf]

I’d you have a looper, record a loop and leave it going. Point the speaker towards the ground if you don’t want to hear it.

Except if you live in a multifloor apartment building and don’t have a gun

 

[93-Strat]

I use a 6.3v filament transformer. Only useful of course if you are comfortable working with electric. The more common thing you could do is play music through the amp at about loud conversation level.