Equipment break in question


To break in a piece of equipment such as a DAC, do you need to turn on your amp and actually play music through your speakers?  Does it work to just play a disc silently without using  the amp and speakers?  What about just turning on a component such as a DAC and leaving it on without playing anything?
fast
Solid State gear, most hi-end components have a power switch on the rear or automatically go into standby mode when plugged in. 24 hrs in standby or use before it reaches sonic potential and expectations. All things get better with time.
I didn't give the 'burn in' belief much credit, but I was convinced when my Schiit Dac suddenly improved after many hours of playing. 
I left it on continuously, and played music when I had time to listen.
It took a few weeks, but one day it just 'opened up'.
YMMV
Bob
"All things get better with time."

Visited a nursing home lately? Quite a statement.
I find that my new equipment takes a bit of break in time to sound its best, especially my speakers.  I wouldn't say the differences are that "dramatic", but after enjoying my new speakers for about six months, one night I found that they finally "settled down".  The sips of that medicine from Scotland may have also had something to do with that ...