Hi Grant,
I finally have about 110 hrs on the cords. Clearly I haven’t been able to listen as much as I would like. The sound did get a little worse by about 24 hrs and then gradually improved. Then, around 85 hrs the sound really opened up. It was so much more resolved and airy but also with better bass definition. The rhythm seems just unstoppable. All the little timing cues are now more apparent. What’s more, a significant grainy veil has been lifted that I didn’t even know was there. It initially sounded a little soft, but then I realized this was lack of grain and harshness in the high frequencies. I definitely wasn’t expecting that much change after so many hours. Now I think the sound isn’t changing so much, but who knows? It could break in more I suppose.
Next, I’m going to plug the Vandersteen subs into the HYDRA 4 to see if that makes a difference.
Jim D.