Theory About Perceived Burn-in

Submitted by Both_Use_417 t3_125f0le in headphones

After using the dt 770 pro and noticing the sound change overtime, and looking at Oratory1990 FR for new pads and old pads. I think that pads wearing off could be one of the main reasons causing people to believe that burn-in exists. At least that was the case for me while using the 770.

Edit: to rephrase and make what I meant clearer, I'm trying to figure out why burn-in exists. I suggested that pad wear is portrait as/perceived as/mistaken for burn-in. I repeat I'm not trying to say pad wear is burn-in. Its what make people believe burn-in is true.

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Simeras t1_je3zppb wrote

Yes. I replaced 990 Pro pads yesterday, can confirm that sound change is real and very noticeable. You can find my post in my history I think. There is an useful link in the comments to the measurements of 770 and 990 before and after pad change.

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Both_Use_417 OP t1_je40jg9 wrote

Found it, yeah these measurements I was referring too. And as you mentioned when using the new pads the sound is subjectivity worse, I agree this is my experience also.

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Extrapaj t1_je44baf wrote

Pads are one of the reasons yes.

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No-Context5479 t1_je48oxa wrote

That is not burn in but pad wear... They're two significantly different things with the burn in being totally a myth whilst pad wear is a verifiable phenomenon

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Both_Use_417 OP t1_je4a8t1 wrote

Perceived burn-in is the keyword. In other words, pad wear is perceived as burn-in.

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No-Context5479 t1_je4avcq wrote

No pad wear isn't perceived burn in... It's just pad wear

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LyKosa91 t1_je4czwu wrote

I think OP is suggesting pad wear is possibly the main factor in sound changes that some people attribute to burn in, which I think is probably correct. People often severely underestimate how much of an impact pads have.

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Both_Use_417 OP t1_je5kabs wrote

Thank you for reading my post/comment correctly, or guess I need to improve my delivery.

Either way, I'm starting to regret discussing on reddit. I think I'll stick with Quora, its more suitable for me.

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Both_Use_417 OP t1_je4cp45 wrote

I see, I want to hear your opinion on this then, how did "burn-in" ideology came to be?

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QueasyFailure t1_je4hd7s wrote

Brain "burn-in".

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what_that_thaaang_do t1_je4i64i wrote

That's what they're saying, that pad wear could be mistaken for brain burn in

edit: Nvm no idea what theyre actually saying.

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QueasyFailure t1_je4ka59 wrote

They are saying that over time, compression of the foam in the pads slowly changes the sound. Which is true, however it's incredibly slow, incremental and undetectable while it's occuring. Almost certainly, a well worn 5 year old pad is going to sound different from a new pad to the trained ear. But that's just pad wear, not burn in. Of course, brain burn in is simply the brain getting accustomed to the dynamic profile of a set of cans. OP is simply trying to rename pad wear and is suggesting that this is what people experience when they experience headphone "burn in" of the drivers.

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Both_Use_417 OP t1_je5hs89 wrote

Hahaha you got it! but I didn't want to rename pad wear, I wanted to make it as a causative factor.

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Both_Use_417 OP t1_je5hxkn wrote

Correct thats the point, pad wear could be mistaken for burn-in, this is exactly what I'm trying to say.

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BurntFemboyWater t1_je4cags wrote

Damn AKG for not selling replacement pads. Waiting for the Dekoni 371 pads to restock..

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Miller_TM t1_je5z57z wrote

If they fit, the Brainwavz pads are great too, just gotta get the variant that matches the stock pads.

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BurntFemboyWater t1_je64ouy wrote

I got the oval pleather pads from Brainwavz for the 371 and honestly they sounded pretty poor. I mean, the headphones still sounded *fine* but it coloured the sound far too much, and I need them for mixing purposes. I think Dekoni's 371 pads are specifically engineered to sound as close to 371 stock pads as possible so hopefully I can get those before my current stock pads wear out

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Miller_TM t1_je6aebc wrote

I see, perhaps the Sheepskin one would have been a better choice.

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Averruncus t1_je417wh wrote

I actually squshed and wrapped my new Focal Clear earpads in cling wrap before storing them for a month to artificially 'season' them.

To me, the difference in sound quality seemed pretty significant, in addition to them being much more comfortable.

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Tubie34 t1_je4cy3l wrote

It's not a "theory" why do you think third parties sell different types of pads? It's well known and measurable.

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Both_Use_417 OP t1_je4fvqx wrote

I wasn't referring to sound changing with pad wear as a theory, instead I was referring to the link between pad wear and burn-in. To rephrase and make what I meant clearer, I was trying to find why burn-in exist and presented my opinion as a "theory".

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thatcarolguy t1_je4gk88 wrote

Pad burn in is too slow and you would not notice it happening on your head over thousands of hours.

It's very different from what some people and manufacturers claim, that running white noise on your headphones for a hundred hours will change the sound.

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Both_Use_417 OP t1_je5gn89 wrote

There is circumstances where it is noticeable, say for example when the treble is too harsh it hurts. I was able to notice the pain fading as the treble got smoothed with time. Or in a non-gradual A B testing old/new pads. But for headphones with balanced RF I didn't notice the change.

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redstangxx t1_je6i1hw wrote

I think "burn-in" is mostly brain burn-in, where our ears/brain are adjusting to the headphones.

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Both_Use_417 OP t1_je95krb wrote

I agree, this is a main reason also. A sound signature can grow on someone making them believe it got burned in.

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Dust-by-Monday t1_je88i58 wrote

I would agree with this but there are people that don't even wear the headphones until they've burned in for hours upon hours.

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No_Analysis6187 t1_je42o69 wrote

No. Burn-in is just a coping mechanism for bad purchase.

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Miller_TM t1_je5z9fx wrote

Or probably just our ears adjusting to the sound after daily-driving them.

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