2. speakers
  3. 1140149104

Awful sound from B&W's: Break In needed?

I've bought a new pair of B&W 602 S3 and they are sounding awful with my COnsonance CD120 and Arcam A80. I think they need a lot of breaking in, or otherwise something is wrong with my system. The sound is harsh, and the midrange is shut in. Have you guys experienced something similar? Can I expect to get a really better sound from my speakers after the break in period?
figueiredops
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
My experience (not with 602's) is that they change a lot after 4 days of running, basically 24 hours everyday, and can can continue to break in for many months, like 7 to 8.
bojack
539 posts
 
Let them play for the maual's suggested break-in time, and if they still sound bad, get rid of them! Trying to "fix" the rest of your system will only lead to stress and expenditure. I'm interested in whether you auditioned these before you purchased them?
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I completely agree with Bojack. Run in the speakers for a few weeks. If you don't like their sound after that, replace the speakers with something else instead of trying to fix the problem by changing the rest of your system. There are a lot of options to the B&W.
gretsch6120
47 posts
 
I had a pair of 703 that I "broke in" for 4 months, still harsh, even with tube gear. I ended up selling them.
bigjoe's avatar
bigjoe
680 posts
 
i go with 1st impressions,if i hate a peice of gear as soon as i get it its outta here,i had the same experience with b&w speakers,i dont think your sound will change enough if your unhappy right from the start.
More to discover