New Z560s

[cpals]

I just purchased the z560s and they look sweet. However, to help maybe reduce the chances of a blowout what is the best way to get them in shape for some loud music/movies? I heard that playing some classical music at low volumes for a couple hours is good when you first get them.

Any other helpful suggestions?

 

[cpals]

Bump before I blow them?

 

[Gibson486]

what are you talking about, I got z540's and I just played them loud right after I took them out. I never knew you had to "break in" speakers.

 

[CJP]

I'm not the biggest audiophile but I haven't heard anything about having to break in the z-560's. I just installed mine and used them straight out of the box and they've been working great for over a year now. I've only read positive things about the z-560's - unlike the Klipsch 5.1's or Logitech z-680's where I have read complaints.

 

[RGN]

There have been lots of complaints about Z-560s. I've had mine for a year, and they are still bumpin like new. No complaints, and the on; way I'd get rid of them would be to get the 680's.

 

[l31itz]

just use them... there's no such thing as warming up speakers..

 

[EdipisReks]

Originally posted by: l31itz
just use them... there's no such thing as warming up speakers..

well, there is such a thing as breaking in speakers.

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: EdipisReks

Originally posted by: l31itz
just use them... there's no such thing as warming up speakers..

well, there is such a thing as breaking in speakers.

I guess that's what I was talking about... how do you break in speakers?

 

[pillage2001]

Originally posted by: cpals

Originally posted by: EdipisReks

Originally posted by: l31itz
just use them... there's no such thing as warming up speakers..

well, there is such a thing as breaking in speakers.

I guess that's what I was talking about... how do you break in speakers?

Play at a moderate volume for a long time. Let the circuits on the amp break in and crank it up from there?

 

[Spac3d]

Originally posted by: pillage2001

Originally posted by: cpals

Originally posted by: EdipisReks

Originally posted by: l31itz
just use them... there's no such thing as warming up speakers..

well, there is such a thing as breaking in speakers.

I guess that's what I was talking about... how do you break in speakers?

Play at a moderate volume for a long time. Let the circuits on the amp break in and crank it up from there?

Yup.

Spac3d

 

[drewshin]

been having a problem with mine recently after about 6 months. when i change the volume button on the control box, there's an intermittent very loud sort of crackling sound, like there's dust or something. it doesnt happen if i change the volume on the computer.

so i've been having to turn the speakers off, then change the volumen, and turn them back on so i dont have to hear that horrible sound...any idea what it could be?

 

[ericboo]

Call them up. My left channel died after a year and I sent back the power cord and controller and got a whole new set. You keep the satellites and woofer for parts.

 

[fr]

Originally posted by: drewshin
so i've been having to turn the speakers off, then change the volumen, and turn them back on so i dont have to hear that horrible sound...any idea what it could be?

I experience the same thing with mine. It started happening after I accidentally knocked my control center off my desk and busted it open. If I just change the volume ever so slowly, there is no crackling noise.

 

[dm33186]

play classical music (early beethoven works best 6th symphony is what i normally use) let it run for a few ours on the flat EQ setting then after that set it to clasiscal and let em go for about a day and the the "surround" of the drivers broke in so they can flex.

 

[Siddhartha]

You do not have to break in speakers. If they blow it will do to your amplification be pushed into distortion

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
You do not have to break in speakers. If they blow it will do to your amplification be pushed into distortion

Where are you getting this information? I have heard both sides of the story.

 

[rky60]

Originally posted by: fr

Originally posted by: drewshin
so i've been having to turn the speakers off, then change the volumen, and turn them back on so i dont have to hear that horrible sound...any idea what it could be?

I experience the same thing with mine. It started happening after I accidentally knocked my control center off my desk and busted it open. If I just change the volume ever so slowly, there is no crackling noise.

Same thing here, have mine for about a year, started crackling like a month after i got them whenever i'd turn the knob

I called Logitech, they wanted me to send the entire set to them, at my cost from what i understood, said fugg it. It's annoying, but i can live with it, barely

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: RKYeager

I called Logitech, they wanted me to send the entire set to them, at my cost from what i understood, said fugg it. It's annoying, but i can live with it, barely

Maybe they're tightening down their return methods, which stinks if my speakers blow.

 

[drewshin]

i just fixed mine!

you might want to do this when no one else is around, but keep turning the volume dial on the pod up and down around the part where it cracks. the crackling will slowly start to disappear. i did mine for at least a minute. maybe it's dust or something.

i also put my headphones in the input and had to do the same thing.

 

[rky60]

Thx again That also fixed mine...

 

[merlocka]

Originally posted by: cpals

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
You do not have to break in speakers. If they blow it will do to your amplification be pushed into distortion

Where are you getting this information? I have heard both sides of the story.

Speakers are electro-acoustic devices. Their physical characteristics effect their electrical characteristics.

When new, the spider and surround materials are stiffer than after they have been flexed for X amount of hours.

Loudspeaker designers have optimized the performance for the driver after it's been "broken in" so to speak, so the speakers might sound a bit "off" the first couple of days you listen to them.

The changes in electrical impedance of this "breaking in" are minimal, so the load that the speakers presents to the amplifier doesn't change much.

Amplifiers "blow" for many reasons, primarily because they are driving an impedance which demans more current than they can supply. This leads to a device overheating and failing, or to a fuse blowing (depending on design).

Considering what logitec is selling these things for, they aren't using the highest quality components in their amplifiers.

These things "blowing" is just a result of a high power design without sufficient quality control. Breaking-in the speakers has absolutly nothing to do with the amplifier failures.

If someone tells ya different, ask em what kind of speaker wire they use (any why). If the start talking about electrons and skin effect, leave the room and go back to listening to your nice speakers.

 

[bigpow]

I've been using them for more than a year (bought them as soon as dell.com had it), it's been working fine.
Not like my previous Klipsch PM 5.1 (piece of junk!).

The only complains that I have are from my neighbours!

Enjoy!

 

[Paulson]

You don't have to break in speakers like that, but like 15" subs and 18" subs are kinds of audio equipment you'd want to break in...

 

[lumen]

I am a sound tech for a local concert venue, so I have some expertise here. ALL, and I do mean ALL speakers don't necessarily need to be "broken in" per se, but when new the cones are quite stiff, and sound quality/character depends on the flexing of the cones. This is part of the reason why vintage guitar amps are so incredibly popular, not only are the speaker cones of superb quality, but over time and use the cones develop, sort of a sweet spot.... then of course they get so old and used they start to lose sound quality, but I digress. It'd be a good idea to let the speakers break in a bit when new, just to get the initial stifness worked out, no big deal at really though, most time it wont make a bit of differance, but better safe than sorry. The noyl way i'd worry about it is if you take them out of the box and immediatly crank them to high hell, you might just blow the cone, who knows. It's just like with guitar amps, most manufacturers recommend playing a bit at low levels on a new amp, and for the very same reason. But as I said, it's not some huge deal either way.

 

[BennyD]

Originally posted by: cpals
I just purchased the z560s and they look sweet. However, to help maybe reduce the chances of a blowout what is the best way to get them in shape for some loud music/movies? I heard that playing some classical music at low volumes for a couple hours is good when you first get them.

Any other helpful suggestions?

just don't turn em up above 2/5ths for a few days (not that you should need to)

enjoy