Breaking In Speakers: How & Why?

When you buy a new speaker system, you might be wondering how to optimize its sound right away. To get the best sound out of your speakers as soon as possible, you're going to want to break them in.

What is "breaking in" speakers? How do you go about doing it?

What does "breaking in" new speakers mean?

The idea behind breaking in new speakers is similar to breaking in new running shoes; out-of-the box shoes are stiff and need to be worn for a while before they are optimal for running.

Speakers can be broken in the same way. Speakers consist of several moving parts. On brand new speakers, those parts will initially be stiff, and their sound won't yet be optimal. By breaking them in, you can enjoy your new speakers to their full extent more quickly.

Almost all quality speakers will sound better after you break them in.

What parts of the speaker need breaking in?

There are two primary components of the speaker that need breaking in the most: the surround and the spider. The surround is a rubber or foam ring that connects the edge of the speaker's cone to the basket. The spider is a flexible disc inside the speaker that connects the basket to the cone. The surround and the speaker move a lot, and breaking in your speaker will help them achieve their full range of motion, optimizing your speaker's sound quality.

How do I break in my speaker?

While using your speaker regularly will eventually break it in, you can speed up the process by playing music with a high dynamic range, that’s to say a wide range of volume. Pick some music or a playlist with both quiet and loud music, and after about 100 hours of play time the speaker should be sweetened.