How do I run-in my new speakers and do I really need to do this?

From new, speakers need to be 'run-in' before they sound their best. This is because the drive units are extremely stiff straight out of the box and require running time to 'free up' a little and move fully as they are intended.

Speakers can be 'run in' in a couple of different ways.

1. Just hook them up to your system and use them normally. This will take a bit longer but you dont have the inconvenience of a few days without a system to listen to. Over time, the speakers will run-in naturally.

2. As the guides suggest. Run them face to face, millimeters apart, out of phase, playing music constantly for a couple of days. This is the quickest method but means that you dont have a system to enjoy for a few days.
There is no harm at all in running them out of phase - the reason for this is that the overall noise is lower because the phase reversal means that each speaker cancels out much of the other's sound, so you can turn the system up louder to really get the drive units moving and run-in quicker.

Ultimately, its up to you which option you choose - the end result will be the same.

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