Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveC
Yesterday, after about 20 hours of playing, I sat in the car with engine off for another 'listen' and the system has improved markedly. Bass is now far more agile and musical....
....If its anything like domestic hi-fi, it will probably continue to improve up to around 50-60 hours playing time.
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It should be mentioned that the notion of "run in" of sound systems is simply not borne out by the facts. Precision measurements of hi-fi equipment immediately following purchase and then after a period of use generally shows no change at all. Some speaker cones can be stiff when new, but that will be resolved within a few minutes of use.
In reality, what "runs in" is not the speakers... it's your ears and brain.
What you've experienced is a growing familiarity and comfort with the tone of the Harman/Kardon tuned system. If you don't believe me, I'm receiving a new F20 with H/K in a few months, and I plan to analyze the system with the acoustic measurement gear I own. I'll then be able to re-test after many hours of operation and publish both results.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveC
the system 'images' extremely well (for a car) and has exceptional pace, rhythm and timing.
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What you're hearing is not imaging, it's the additional physical sound radiators located in the centre dash, and the "Logic 7" processing. Real imaging is simply not a feasible characteristic of even the best car audio system, simply because of the grossly asymmetric listening position.
At the most basic level, achieving real stereo imaging tends to require high consistency between the left and right channels, and to avoid crossover within key frequency ranges. A high end home theatre setup can have its imaging potential disrupted by placing the speakers asymmetrically and/or near side walls.
Pace, rhythm and timing are meaningless words you'll only ever find in press releases and "What Hi-Fi" grade reviews. They're meaningless because they rarely mean the same thing to different people. The real question is linear response, cabinet resonance and room acoustics.