Is subwoofer "break in" period a myth? - Toyota Yaris Forums

pariahdecss · 03-28-2009, 12:23 AM

So my new sub and sealed enclosure finally came in so I can replace my oversized 12" beast which was too much sub (for me) for this car. Any opinion on needing to "break in" a new sub? This is not a $700 JL Audio beast it is a modest Infinity 10" Perfect VQ Sub with a rubber surround. Depending on what I read some say you need to break in a new sub to loosen up the suspension or surround, but still others say that is bull

Thoughts?

This is my old sub that I took out . . . so if anyone local to MA/CT/NE wants to make an offer I will sell it cheap. It is this sub: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-G5pRrVE...fect-12-1.html - - long since discontinued

FEINT · 03-28-2009, 11:36 AM

I don't know if its a myth, but I received my sub with a big warning advising that I should not 'thrash' it for the first 2 weeks of use. I guess, its just for everything to settle and loosen up before being taken to the maximum. But no harm following the warning.

The Architect · 03-28-2009, 02:33 PM

I dont think of it to be a myth at all, both my Kicker & RE Audio subs came with clear warnings to let it the "break in" and "loosen up", I saw the difference with the two RE SX12's I had, over the period of about 2 weeks of casual use while driving the subs would gradually start to hit lower and lower and be noticeably louder.

talnlnky · 03-28-2009, 07:07 PM

pretty much a myth... tho its not a bad idea to be easy on the sub until you get used to how it sounds and reacts... Some high quality sq woofers won't give any warning of being stressed too far until they blow... lucky for you, you're not dealing with one of those.

The perfect is a decent sub.. but you should be able to hear some distortion. Distortion is a great warning signal to turn things down, or reconfigure your setup.

doesn't the perfect have a rubber surround? There really are only 2 things a "break in" will do... slowly loosen up a foam surround, and burn off any excess epoxy on the voice coil former. I guess on some subs the spider could be slowly loosened up as well.

yeah.. basically a myth... but never hurt.

sqcomp · 03-29-2009, 01:23 AM

I suppose it'd be a good idea not to overdrive the woofer anyway...

What kind of power are you putting to the woofer?

pariahdecss · 03-29-2009, 12:34 PM

Yeah this is not a super high end system - I am only dumping about 300W RMS from an Alpine PDX5 into this thing. It does have a rubber surround also, but the literature it came with said nothing about a "break in" period.

Thanks for all the feedback guys

03-28-2009, 12:23 AM	#1
pariahdecss Yarisomniac Drives: 2009 5spd LB Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 54	Is subwoofer "break in" period a myth? So my new sub and sealed enclosure finally came in so I can replace my oversized 12" beast which was too much sub (for me) for this car. Any opinion on needing to "break in" a new sub? This is not a $700 JL Audio beast it is a modest Infinity 10" Perfect VQ Sub with a rubber surround. Depending on what I read some say you need to break in a new sub to loosen up the suspension or surround, but still others say that is bull Thoughts? This is my old sub that I took out . . . so if anyone local to MA/CT/NE wants to make an offer I will sell it cheap. It is this sub: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-G5pRrVE...fect-12-1.html - - long since discontinued

03-28-2009, 02:33 PM	#3
The Architect Give Me Resonance View User's Garage Drives: 2007 Yaris HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: FL Posts: 648	I dont think of it to be a myth at all, both my Kicker & RE Audio subs came with clear warnings to let it the "break in" and "loosen up", I saw the difference with the two RE SX12's I had, over the period of about 2 weeks of casual use while driving the subs would gradually start to hit lower and lower and be noticeably louder. __________________ (3) 12" Alpine Type R Subs/Hifonics BXi1208D Hifonics ZXi6.5c / 2006 Kicker ZX350.4 Knu Fleks 1/0 Wiring & In Big 3 Optima Yellow Top Battery/Iraggi HO Alternator Alpine CDA-105, KCA-420i/KCA-121b/KCE-400BT PG TLD22 8V Line Driver

03-28-2009, 07:07 PM	#4
talnlnky Audio Junky Drives: 08 liftback Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Spokane, Wa Posts: 1,412	pretty much a myth... tho its not a bad idea to be easy on the sub until you get used to how it sounds and reacts... Some high quality sq woofers won't give any warning of being stressed too far until they blow... lucky for you, you're not dealing with one of those. The perfect is a decent sub.. but you should be able to hear some distortion. Distortion is a great warning signal to turn things down, or reconfigure your setup. doesn't the perfect have a rubber surround? There really are only 2 things a "break in" will do... slowly loosen up a foam surround, and burn off any excess epoxy on the voice coil former. I guess on some subs the spider could be slowly loosened up as well. yeah.. basically a myth... but never hurt. __________________

03-29-2009, 01:23 AM	#5
sqcomp Roadrunner Jr. View User's Garage Drives: 2007 Yaris S Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Back at home Posts: 2,609	I suppose it'd be a good idea not to overdrive the woofer anyway... What kind of power are you putting to the woofer? __________________ “To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.” ― Thomas Paine

03-28-2009, 11:36 AM	#2
FEINT Drives: Vitz RS 1.5 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Japan Posts: 66	I don't know if its a myth, but I received my sub with a big warning advising that I should not 'thrash' it for the first 2 weeks of use. I guess, its just for everything to settle and loosen up before being taken to the maximum. But no harm following the warning.

03-29-2009, 12:34 PM	#6
pariahdecss Yarisomniac Drives: 2009 5spd LB Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 54	Yeah this is not a super high end system - I am only dumping about 300W RMS from an Alpine PDX5 into this thing. It does have a rubber surround also, but the literature it came with said nothing about a "break in" period. Thanks for all the feedback guys