[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by medwardo

I've had my ETSE3 for about a year and I'd estimate that I have 500-600 hours play time on it, maybe a bit more.

And I have about the same play time (a bit less maybe) on the ET250s amp.

Finally, the system sounds consistently (mostly) great with music, but even now it seems to take a step back once in awhile. (Oh, and it definitely sounds better after it has warmed up an hour or so.)

But to get here, I've had to listen to what doesn't sound like great sound for a long time. Patience grasshopper, indeed.

I can't leave the equipment on all the time, so I've spent a lot of time watching TV with the sound through the CJ equipment. Even with the break-in issues, cable never sounded so good.

Yep, yep....I can relate.

Yep, after 500 hours or so, there will still continue to be improvements up to 1000 hours or so. I bought my CT-5 with 300 hours on it in Feb 2011; it didn't sound very good with 300 hours on it, which is why I think the original purchaser sold it (prematurely). It took to July for it to make a breakthrough, and then another big jump occured in the Oct/November time-frame. Like your experience, I would say it took the better part of 2011 for the CT-5 to start to sound consistently (very) good.