Hey All,

Something I've noticed lately...

When I first turn on my system after several days of it sitting in the drive-way, I notice that it just sounds 'off', ie, not as sweet and coherant as it normally does. However, within 5 minutes of playing, everything comes back it sounds as it did when I tuned it.

Basically, the system needs time to warm up, including the amplifier and speakers suspension/voice coils.

My question is, who else notices that there system doesn't sound quite right until it's had time to warm up?

(PS - We'll ignore 'psychoacoustics' for now, the topic for a future post )

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Custom SQ System

Source: Clarion DRX-9675z - Front Stage: Boston Acoustics Pro 6.5's - Centre Channel: Boston Acoustics FS50 Midrange - Ambient Satellites: Boston Acoustics 3/4" Kortec Tweeters - Processors: Audiocontrol EQT's - Subwoofers: Earthquake BR12's - Amplifiers: Kicker IX404's - Power: Stinger 1 Farad HPM Capacitor
Sounding sweet and taking it to the street

Um..... Yes!!...... though I'd in all honestly have to classify it half way between "warm-up" and "maybe I'm in a bad mood-psychoacoustics".

I had a job that required travelling over an hour to get to-and-from work each day, and I'm the sort of person that sets the alarm 15 minutes before I leave in the morning: wake-shower-shave-ablutions-gone.

I'm fairly confident that my Boston Pro's sounded "off" in the mornings, but........

Good Clarion deck, M series PG amps, etc, etc. I just don't know! (I'd use the car all day, so I can't use the trip home as a comparison)

I *can* tell you this: even though my home system is based on solid state equipment ( not valve: I wish) the sound is positively sterile if I crank it up straight away, compared to say 10 minutes in..........


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All electronic devices are powered by magical smoke.......
when the smoke is released, the device will no longer function

Soundstream.....Clarion.....Soundstream.....Stinger.....Orion.....but mostly Soundstream

[Edited 1 time by dasherhalo on 14 September 2002 at 09:39]

Copy that T-Bro.
In my home system, the power amps and CD player all have stand-by switching to keep the boards warm all of the time with outputs turned off for this reason.

The car system, this is not happening of course, so it does take a little bit of things all "coming together" and I'd be surprised if most who care about their SQ don't notice the same.

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Mazda SP20 - NOT yellow,Dynamat Extreme and G Spot in front doors
HU - Alpine CDA-7876RB
Audison VRx 2.150EX front stage amp
JL Audio 500/1 Class D monoblock sub amp
Front Stage - Morel HCW 6.5 woofers, Morel MT2 tweeters, Morel MX2.2 x-overs.
Rear fill - stockies with power from HU (not that they get any)
Sub - Kicker S12L72 in 75 litre 30Hz slot-ported display box.
Stinger cables and connectors etc
TEAM AUDISON SQ WITH ATTITUDE

I know mine sure as Hell do ! Drops below zero here over night..

First thing in the morning the Festie HU skips badly until it "warms up" then we never have a problem with it.

First thing in the morning my sub sounds "asleep". Kinda like its thumping enough to shut me up, but it really would rather not thump at all.. Actually, none of the speakers sound particularly loud first thing in the morning.. all are dull and muffled until they warm up..
Not to mention the remote doesn't work when its cold !

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WF Festiva: Clarion, Kenwood, Rockford Fosgate, StreetWires Small, Blue, Different
TR Magna: Alpine, Orion, Rockford, SoundStream, StreetWires Big, Maroon, Different

Idle Problems ? Clean your throttle body, IAC & fuel filter
Acceleration Issue ? Tank of PULP with 1 cup Metho & Spitfire
More Power ? Foam filter, Sports muffler, TypeR Badge

Busted Clutch Racing "Second ?"

quote:

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Originally posted by T-Bro:
.....after several days of it sitting in the drive-way....

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Phff, like my cars ever sits still for longer than 10 hours max! :D
445,879ks on the odo and rising.....

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Brain:Pioneer DEH3350B
Ears:Pioneer TS-C1620 Splits in custom pods
Booty :Image Dynamics IDQ12-D4 v.2, powered by "the-amp-whose-name-I-shall-not-mention".
Veins:Jaycar, Jaycar, Jaycar.
Still to come: A nice 2 or 4 channel front stage and a gruntmaster sub-amp.
"loud bass has been proven to instruct particular glands to release certain chemicals within our body. including serotonin and adrenaline etc.
so basically we're all getting high on bass"

could also be the surrounds becoming a little more rigid and tight of not playing for x days and being cold. and as u play they r freeing up

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Team Tycoon - Dollars n dB's

As i said on the weekend t-bro (ill say it again for the others tho) when i had my JBL GTi series amp i got more POWER out of it when i dropped the heat sink temp to 0 degrees! (I know cause they come with a temp gauge) But that is not saying that it will peform better in a SQ situation because power aint everything!

But i just though that would put an interesting spin on what everyone has been saying in relation to the topic.

Cruise Safe!


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The Member Formerly Known As SPL23Q!1997 Mitsubishi Mirage
Rebuild In Progress!! NEW INSTALL!
SQ ALL THE WAY!! Making The Most From What Ive Got!
JVC H/U,Pioneer Bullet Splits & Co-Axiels,
Fusion FPW-1200 Sub,FP4-500x Amp,FP2-1000x Amp,
FX-40 Crossover/Equalizer with 8 VRMS output.
Maybe intergrate some Earthquake Crossovers in too!!
Compeletion Date 17-18 Nov (Final Battle)
GOT RICE BITCH???? I DO!!!

An interesting sidebar on this is that is common practice in home SQ circles with MOS-FETS to crank the idling current up, makes them run warmer and raises the Class A region in an A/B amp.....

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Mazda SP20 - NOT yellow,Dynamat Extreme and G Spot in front doors
HU - Alpine CDA-7876RB
Audison VRx 2.150EX front stage amp
JL Audio 500/1 Class D monoblock sub amp
Front Stage - Morel HCW 6.5 woofers, Morel MT2 tweeters, Morel MX2.2 x-overs.
Rear fill - stockies with power from HU (not that they get any)
Sub - Kicker S12L72 in 75 litre 30Hz slot-ported display box.
Stinger cables and connectors etc
TEAM AUDISON SQ WITH ATTITUDE

thanks guys im glad im not going crazy

this may bear keeping in mind for auditioning speakers in car or in store, where the initial playing time will not produce results indicative of the systems real potential.

hopefully this problem will subside a little now that the warmer months are with us!

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Custom SQ System

Source: Clarion DRX-9675z - Front Stage: Boston Acoustics Pro 6.5's - Centre Channel: Boston Acoustics FS50 Midrange - Ambient Satellites: Boston Acoustics 3/4" Kortec Tweeters - Processors: Audiocontrol EQT's - Subwoofers: Earthquake BR12's - Amplifiers: Kicker IX404's - Power: Stinger 1 Farad HPM Capacitor
Sounding sweet and taking it to the street

As Krase said... i would think it is just the surrounds loosening up...

it is like going for a run as soon as u wake up... to get going well u gotta stretch first...

(and no, i am too lazy to run)

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Team Mitsubishi Mirage
Now Enhanced With Bass

"Making CAA more popular than the TypeR badge!"

I think that warm-up time is critical to SQ systems, for both car and home. Although my car system is still in progress (so cant really comment here), i have noticed that with my home system it takes a while before the components 'warm up and break in' for a listening session. My system is always totally off, i never leave it on standby so i usually let it warm up for 10-15 minutes on low volume. The difference between turning it on and cranking it compared to letting it warm up is very big.

The important thing to consider though, especially for cars is the fact that as the amps get hotter you lose the SQ factor. IMO with home systems, especially with todays electronics and cooling systems it is easier to listen for longer without running into heat problems. In a car the space is comfined and usually the amps aren't as vented or cooled as in a home setup.

Also, on the point about listening in store to a system, that is why the better audio stores actually demo a sound system in a seperate room and let you sit down to do some critical listening. You will also notice that most amps are turned on and usually run for hours. That is the best situation to really test an SQ system.

Some interesting points raised though.


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Honda - The Power of Dreams
Honda Integra VTi-R

System in progress: Alpine, Audison, G-Spot, Hertz, Morel, Optima

that's the difficulty - finding a store with a demo system that really give you the ability to audition properly. i honestly dont think ive ever found one for car audio (though home audio its pretty much a standard). listening to a quick blast on a demo board can be misleading if the speakers have not been burnt in, have not been warmed up, are not correctly mounted for infinite baffle, are at angles that they wont be in the car, and are in an environment that is much wider and more open than a cars cabin. that, and if a sales person is hovering over you, there are other customers walking around or waiting, than the added pressure colours your judgement (whereas in the car your mood is far different and more relaxed). alas, this is essentially the nature of the beast as demo'ing car speakers in a showroom is never really going to be the same as in a car

i think this all explains why enthusiasts change their components so often and hence why experience, critical listening and experimentation is so important to arriving at a result that pleases you.

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Custom SQ System

Source: Clarion DRX-9675z - Front Stage: Boston Acoustics Pro 6.5's - Centre Channel: Boston Acoustics FS50 Midrange - Ambient Satellites: Boston Acoustics 3/4" Kortec Tweeters - Processors: Audiocontrol EQT's - Subwoofers: Earthquake BR12's - Amplifiers: Kicker IX404's - Power: Stinger 1 Farad HPM Capacitor
Sounding sweet and taking it to the street

I know mine does, the butler amp doesn't start working for 10-15 seconds

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ECLIPSE FOCAL BUTLER IMAGE DYNAMICS MTX PHOENIX GOLD