AudioNervosa
Group Therapy => Audio Syndrome NY => Topic started by: Lizard_king on February 21, 2011, 08:28:49 PM
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Many of us Audiophiles have upgraded and modified our components. My DAC has many new Electrolytic Panasonic and Black Gate Caps.
Based on your own experiences, how long did it take for you to burn in the Caps in terms of Hours and number of listening sessions?
Did you go through changes in the sound during this time?
Liz
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The BG's in my amp took about 300 hours to burn in. This is typical. Others, like Panny's take less...say 100 hours. The effect can range from subtle to quite dramatic.
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BG's are notorious for taking a while and doing so, do a big Jekyll and Hyde thing. I've heard them take up to 500 hours to really settle down and come into full song.
Bryan
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Paul the BG take as Brian stated 500 hours plus. hang in there.
charles
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... and then if you go on a long hiatus, say 2 months, the BG's go back somewhat to their original sound and you need to do another break in. Perhaps shorter, but still there to be done nonetheless.
All caps break in, most between 50-100 hours. Teflons and BG's are the notable exceptions that take hundreds of hours more.
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Thanks to all of you for your responses. I just took the DAC out of my system and hook it up to my Home Theater. Two nights ago the system sounded wonderful and yesterday the SQ was lousy.
I will probably play the Dac for 2 hours, shut it down for a while and then play it again for another two hours. I am told by a Guru not to play the Dac all the time.
Liz
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If you want the BG's to form inside your lifetime, I would just turn it on and play it for a couple weeks straight, 24 hours a day.
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Connect it to a load, which can be any other component's line input, even if the component is not powered up. A SS input would be a better workout than a tube load. Pop music is compressed for constant strong signal so it makes a good break in for caps. Also the Frybaby signal also works good. PM me if you want it.
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Do yourself a favor and do not run it 24/7. Capacitors need the on/off cycle to stablize. This allows the caps to discharge and recharge, shortening the time it takes them to "break in".
So, periodically turn the component off for about an hour at minumum. A few hours on, a few hours off.
It will still take some time for BG's to come into their own but this method will speed up the process.
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Thanks Bill. I agree with you about not running the Dac 24/7. 2-3 hour sessions is best and having multiple a day should help.
FYI, the Dac is a ANK 2.1 Level B signature which was modified (customized ) now running 12AU7 tubes.
Do yourself a favor and do not run it 24/7. Capacitors need the on/off cycle to stablize. This allows the caps to discharge and recharge, shortening the time it takes them to "break in".
So, periodically turn the component off for about an hour at minumum. A few hours on, a few hours off.
It will still take some time for BG's to come into their own but this method will speed up the process.
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I found AN sounds best when turned off :thumb:
Connect an arc welder to the inputs and let it reach critical mass.
Then cryo the thing!
Trust me this works
mike
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Very Funny Little Mikey :-)
I found AN sounds best when turned off :thumb:
Connect an arc welder to the inputs and let it reach critical mass.
Then cryo the thing!
Trust me this works
mike
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Five hours on five hours off. Forming is what we are looking for. Blackgates are notorious for a very long breakin period. Some say they never truly form. :roll: Some say they do, go figure.
Cryo treatment may lessen the period.
charles
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I am still burning in the Dac within my HT system. I am giving it two sessions a day for an average of 8-12 hours.
Yesterday, the sound seemed a bit dark as if the HF's were rolled off. I will continue to give it more burn in time.