Authorized Boogie said:
Some people think that a speaker never sounds as good as the first notes that get played through it.
A brand new speaker is crisp, detailed, tight, clear and every note that gets played through it reflects that. As more and more notes get played, those details get 'broken-in'.
I would say the exact opposite... I think it takes years for a speaker to be really properly broken in, and they probably never stop improving unless they actually get blown - although the rate of improvement obviously slows down, eventually to nearly nothing. But *really* old, well-used speakers sound beautiful - rich, warm and complex, and genuinely clear and detailed. Brand new ones sound tight, bright, stiff, sterile and flat... not clear and detailed at all.
Currently I'm breaking in a pair of new Celestions (G12M-25/G12H-30) in a cab, and comparing against the old V30s in my Tremoverb which were really hammered by its former owner... at the moment the V30s sound far warmer than the supposedly 'vintage' types which are brash and edgy so far, much brighter but not in a good way. You can kind of hear what they're trying to do but they really need to loosen up and breathe more.