speaker break in equipment? procedure?

[mobetter]

What equipment is need to break in speakers, I think the plans mention 10volts 30Hz for 24 hours. I doubt a function generator drive a speaker load directly. or do I run the function generator 30hz sin wave signal into a power amp and measure the voltage on the speaker and dial the power amp up until I get 10 Volts rms?
Not sure can anyone verify.

[doncolga]

What equipment is need to break in speakers, I think the plans mention 10volts 30Hz for 24 hours. I doubt a function generator drive a speaker load directly. or do I run the function generator 30hz sin wave signal into a power amp and measure the voltage on the speaker and dial the power amp up until I get 10 Volts rms?
Not sure can anyone verify.

I ran a 30 Hz sine wave from my computer audio interface (RME Mutiface II) straight to my power amp, connected the multimeter to each banana plug on the amp and adjusted the amps gain controls until I was reading about 10 V. Then I connected the 3012LF's and let them run for about 12 hours. I'll be sanding and painting my boxes tonight and installing the drivers tomorrow and testing them out. Woohoo! Sure hope I have no leaks.

[Benj Ross]

You got the right idea. I hook up my signal generator (Ipod with an app) to an old project amp that I have and to the speakers. With the cone up on the desk they don't make hardly any noise. You want to see the cone moving about 1/4". Double check your plans for voltage, 10V seems higher than I remember, but I can't check right now.

Cheers,

Benj

[Tom Smit]

What they said.

[mobetter]

Which app do you use for the sine wave generator?
And is that for a ipod touch, Iphone or Ipod nano?

[Zack Brock]

Which app do you use for the sine wave generator?
And is that for a ipod touch, Iphone or Ipod nano?

I use SimpleSine, it is free for all iOS devices.

[vinylvalet@msn.com]

Does this technique apply to midrange drivers as well or just low frequency drivers?

[Frederic Gelinas]

Does this technique apply to midrange drivers as well or just low frequency drivers?

Only the woofers. The benefits are not as apparent on smaller drivers.

[vinylvalet@msn.com]

Thank you Frederic.

[David Homer]

I use my son's portable mp3 player.. downloaded the test tone, run it on constant repeat through an old stereo reciever..

[Celeste]

Drive them at Fs, that gives you maximum cone excursion per watt input, so minimises thermal load on the VC, and extended time break in is putting a lot of heat into the motor system. It is also easiest on a questionable amp because the load is purely resistive at Fs

I measure a lot of drivers, so have invested in the equipment to make complex impedance measurements quickly and easily, but you can build up a computer driven rig for just a few dollars. The point here is the complex impedance changes as the driver breaks in, so when consecutive impedance plots are the same, the driver is broken in. So my procedure is to measure, drive at Fs for 1 hour at 1/3 rated power, remeasure. Drive at new Fs for 1/2 hour and remeasure, if the 2nd and 3rd impedance plots are the same, the driver is broken in, if not repeat. You will get a feel for how long you should drive each driver as you do it some.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Drive them at Fs, that gives you maximum cone excursion per watt input, so minimises thermal load on the VC, and extended time break in is putting a lot of heat into the motor system.

What breaks in the driver best is the longest possible excursion with the lowest possible input voltage; that's typically achieved with a 25 to 30Hz tone, which also has the benefit of being inaudible when the driver is not yet mounted. And as amplifiers are voltage sources, while drivers react to voltage swing, we try to avoid referring to watts to the extent possible.

[Celeste]

Drive them at Fs, that gives you maximum cone excursion per watt input, so minimises thermal load on the VC, and extended time break in is putting a lot of heat into the motor system.

What breaks in the driver best is the longest possible excursion with the lowest possible input voltage; that's typically achieved with a 25 to 30Hz tone, which also has the benefit of being inaudible when the driver is not yet mounted. And as amplifiers are voltage sources, while drivers react to voltage swing, we try to avoid referring to watts to the extent possible.

with a pure sine wave input at a known frequency and a known complex impedance, I felt that watts was more appropriate. without the complex impedance information then yes volts is more transportable.

Fs is where the damping is minimum so cone movement should be greatest for a given input.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

.

Fs is where the damping is minimum so cone movement should be greatest for a given input.

Power wise yes, but power is moot at these small signal levels. And one cannot monitor power anyway, only voltage, one more reason why we avoid discussion of power.

[Fenderfan]

I'm just about to break in my 2512's, so went looking for relevant threads. Looking through pics etc, some people hang, others suspend on boxes/temporary jigs, and others just sit on the floor.
Mine will be done in the spare room, away from the ever so interested dog, and am unable to hang them there. Is it ok to have them on the floor? Wasn't sure with the back of the magnet being covered, so thought i'd ask here first!
Tim.