Is it important to burn-in headphones like the Meze Empyrean 2?

The “burn-in” of headphones is a practice mainly discussed in audiophile circles. It refers to running headphones with music or special test signals for a certain period of time in order to “optimize” or slightly alter their sound characteristics. The idea behind this is that materials inside the headphones—especially the driver diaphragms—may change slightly through use, potentially improving the sound.

These diaphragms are very thin components, often made of plastic or metal, that move to generate sound waves. After manufacturing, they can sometimes be a little “stiff.” Through burn-in—meaning repeated movement caused by music or test tones—the diaphragms may become more flexible, which could lead to more precise and balanced sound reproduction.

With some headphones, users report that the bass response becomes stronger and more controlled after a certain burn-in period. This may be related to the fact that bass performance often depends heavily on the flexibility of the diaphragm and surrounding components such as rubber or foam, which may loosen slightly over time.

Some listeners also claim that high frequencies sound clearer and less sharp after burn-in. This could be explained by mechanical components working more smoothly together after repeated movement.

There is ongoing debate about whether burn-in truly makes a significant difference. Some experts and measurements suggest that the effect is minimal or only noticeable during the first few hours of use. Others—particularly in audiophile communities—are convinced that the improvement is clearly audible.

To burn in headphones, some people simply let them play normal music at moderate volume for 40 to 100 hours. Others use special signals such as pink noise or frequency sweeps that move the diaphragm across the entire audible spectrum. There are even dedicated apps designed to generate such signals.

My opinion on this:

If someone wants to do everything right after purchasing a new treasure such as the Ultrasone Edition 15 or the Meze Empyrean II, letting the headphones burn in certainly does no harm.

However, I am somewhat skeptical about whether a special burn-in app is really necessary. Simply playing all kinds of music over a longer period of time will likely achieve the same effect.

And with that approach, you can of course use the headphones yourself and reduce the curiosity about how they sound much faster.

So my advice is simple:
Use your new headphones right away and combine burn-in with listening. 🎧