Newb: What is considered a sub "break-in"

[ziggy0809]

Just got the PSW404 yesterday - and it pounds! Threw in Jurrasic Park, Matrix, Gladiator DVDs and Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer and cheerfully shook the room. Never had the sounds going through me like that before - I am quite prepared to alienate my neighbors. (One next door I don't like anyways)

However, I am curious as to the recommended way to break-in a sub - is it just to let it play without overdoing it, or is this just a reference to the time it takes in getting the sub into operational mode, loosened up and ready to rumble?

Note - no noticeable hum unless my ear is directly over the sub...which it never plans to be anyways, and even then it's very quiet.

Also, I updated all the wires with 16-guage except the rears which are at 18. Is this a little thin for the distance (each are 25-30 ft of wire)?

Thanks
Zig

[jdhdiggs]

I can not comment on the subwoofer, but I would say that 18Ga is way to small for that run. Go to home depot and get some 14 Ga and you should notice a defference in sound IMO. There is a website that describes what gauge for what distance and power but I can not find it right now. Try a web search on the topic.

[Tour2ma]

Here's a link that includes a table on wire. You'll see that distance and speaker impedance are both considerations (owing to lower impedance speakers' higher current draws).

http://home.earthlink.net/~rogerr7/wire.htm

[dave shepard]

I haven't heard anything about beaking a sub in but have heard mixed reports about speaker break-in I would assume that the same arguement would apply.