breaking in subs

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=10557
Printed Date: July 17, 2025 at 8:24 AM

Topic: breaking in subs

Posted By: donkason
Subject: breaking in subs
Date Posted: March 07, 2003 at 3:46 PM

I have a set of JL 12in. w3 subwoofers with a soundstream 700s amp. I hear people talk about breaking in subs and have some questions. How long should it take? How loud can I play them? Will it hurt them if I don't do the break in properly. Thanks, Mike

Replies:

Posted By: Jussi
Date Posted: March 07, 2003 at 5:45 PM

Do you really want to BREAK your subs... or what???
If your positive wire (from car battery) and negative wire (short wire connected to vehicle chassis) are NOT O.K. you'll break your subs "tomorrow"...
If your friends mean that your subs are sounding BAD... had lot of disortion... your subs are gonna blew a day after tomorrow ;-)

JL, please check the wires etc.

-------------
Installer/Owner

JL-Autosound

Helsinki, FINLAND

Posted By: Big Purds
Date Posted: March 07, 2003 at 6:55 PM

There is a break in period for subs, but for the break in you dont operate any differently than any other time...a sub will break itself in over time...different subs have different break in times...basically what will happen is the suspension will "soften up" a bit, and the subs bass may not seem quite as accurate, but the output will typically increase...

so basically, play your subs and enjoy them...dont worry about break in...its a good thing...

Posted By: esmith69
Date Posted: March 07, 2003 at 10:11 PM

Play your subs and enjoy them, yes this is true, however I'd recommend playing them at a moderate volume level (as oppposed to a maxed out volume) for at least a couple hours before you start turning them up to their maximum level. I think it's sort of similar to how if you live in extreme cold regions where the inside of the vehicle could be as cold as -20 degrees Fahrenheit, you're supposed to let the interior warm up a bit before you crank the subs all the way up.

Will all this make much of a difference in the long run? Maybe, maybe not, there's no way to really test it out. I always say better safe than sorry, and besides, I'm not telling you to keep it turned down at all. Just don't max them out right away. Any others agree/disagree?

Posted By: bberman1
Date Posted: March 08, 2003 at 5:48 PM

Have to agree with esmith69 I usually don’t run them more than half way for a day or so. I don’t know if the break in makes any kind of a difference in the long run. I have had subs that I have pushed to the max after installation and have never had problems. But like esmith69 said better safe than sorry.