Headphone Burn-in/Break-in: Is It Real?

Different terms can confuse you in many ways, and when it comes to headphones, you have the burn-in/break-in part, which has confused me too many times.

What is a burn-in on headphones? Is it real? How does it work? Well, I will write a whole article to find the answers to these questions and more! Let’s get into it.

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What is Headphones Burn-in?

When you buy a new thing and put it in your bag, everybody says that you have to use it for some time until it becomes perfect enough to be used.

Burn-in or break-in on headphones is completely related to the usage of the new purchase so that it opens up to become the right choice. These terms, burn-in, and break-in, refer to the use of headphones just after taking them out of the package. 

In order to better remember burn-in/break-in think about the first time you buy a new pair of shoes. I know it sounds a bit weird, but I am more than sure that you wear your shoes for a period until they are a perfect choice.

How To Burn-In/Break-In on Headphones?

Now that you understand the meaning of burn-in and break-in on new headphones, you are probably thinking about how much this process takes and how you should do it.

Well, this process is the easiest thing that one can do; it is so easy to give your headphones to your kids while taking care that they don’t break in for real, if you know what I mean.

In order to burn in your headphones, you should use them immediately after you take them out of the box and play music on them for at least 40-50 hours. Most people do this, saying that 50 hours is the exact amount of time needed to have the headphones wholly broken in and perfect to use for the time that comes.

Funny enough, many people think that they must have headphones on their ears while doing so, but that’s not true, if it works the headphone burn in work in all kinds of ways, you don’t have to put them on your ears, you can leave your headphones playing on a corner while doing anything else that you need to.

How Does Burn-In/Break-In on Headphones Work?

You already know that headphones are small speakers that include three main parts or pieces to bring the sound to you. Those three pieces are the magnets, the diaphragm, and the voice coil.

The burn-in/break-in process starts from the magnets and the diaphragm. Basically, the moment you press play on the device that you want to listen to music on. Once you do so, the sound waves start the vibration on these three headphones’ parts and immediately start the working procedure.

The movement that is created by the sound waves is the whole burn-in break-in process, as when there is a lot of movement, the parts of the headphones are used most of the time, and to some people, the sound seems different.

Is Headphone Burn-In/Break-In Real?

Everything that we buy regarding audio devices comes at their specifications and the manners that they bring out the sound, especially on the three sound frequencies, lows, mids, and highs.

As a professional in audio devices, I would like to say that burn-in/break-in on headphones isn’t real, and it is an effect of a placebo!

After using headphones for a long time, you just get used to the sound and listen to it normally; there’s nothing changing and nothing will change. That’s because, repeating again, headphones all have the specifications. For example, when choosing headphones, you always check out the frequency response, impedance, sound pressure level, and many other things that affect sound quality.

That concludes the fact that burn-in/break-in on headphones is a myth created by many different music listeners.

Different Myths About Headphones

Now that everything is clear regarding burn-in/break-in on headphones, I would like to share some other things that people say about headphones that are complete myths!

Headphones Sound All The Same

You will encounter this saying in many places and in many comments written about headphones, but it is completely untrue. Headphones don’t sound the same, and if it was like that, why would one ever consider searching for the best headphones for a specific purpose? Every pair of headphones has its own best specification.

Well-Known Brands Bring Perfect Headphones

It is true that not only one brand brings headphones, and you will encounter many different names on the market. Still, it is not true that high-class brands bring great headphones! You can find super-cheap and non-famous headphones that have perfect sound quality.

High-Frequency Ranges on Headphones Are Better

The frequency range of a pair of headphones specifies what those headphones are capable of achieving regarding the sound. It all depends on what you need and what you search for. There is no such thing that higher frequency ranges are better.

Final Words

Here we are at the end of this article. As you now know, burn-in/break-in on headphones isn’t real, but still, you will find many people following this process and thinking that it does something to headphones.

You should always remember that headphones have one purpose, which is bringing sound to you all based on their specifications and features. Never expect more things than the ones mentioned, especially by official brands.

All and all, I hope that this article has provided you with everything you needed to know regarding headphone burn-in/break-in!

Further Reading

Here is the section for additional reading, where you may discover some more fascinating articles on headphones as well. If you want to compare the Sony MDR V6 with MDR 7506 and learn what the differences are, look at this page.

Have you ever questioned why podcasters use headphones? You may get the answer by reading this article, and if you like it, you can continue on to another engaging post where you’ll also learn about DJs wearing headphones and if doing so serves any particular purpose.

Check out this post to locate great immersive drummer’s headphones if you’re an audiophile who enjoys using various styles of headphones.