is it possible to make speakers sound worse forever by giving them too much power?

[dpopiz]

(without totally destroying them)

ie I know if you overdrive speakers, the cones can rip, etc, but what if I just want to turn comp speakers all the way up for one time, will I risk damaging them and making them sound crappy?

 

[Voip]

I wouldn't risk it if they're nice speakers.

 

[TitanDiddly]

I had these crappy speakers that would buzz and pop for hours afterward directly after playing only moderately loud music.

 

[olds]

Possible, especially by powering them with a crappy amp.

 

[0roo0roo]

only if you turn the volume up enough to actually deliver a killing blow of power.

 

[Dunbar]

Speakers will let you know when they are in distress. If you hear hissing or popping noises than turn down the volume.

 

[Howard]

It's possible. You can melt the voice coil, bang the voice coil former into the back plate (if the excursion isn't limited by either the magnetic system or the suspension), etc.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Spider can rip, voice coil can melt/deform...

 

[Harvey]

Yes, you can overdrive speakers and damage them. Don't do it unless you feel rich enough for the science project.

 

[dpopiz]

so...
how do you tell how loud a speaker can go without the above mentioned happening?

 

[TitanDiddly]

Originally posted by: dpopiz
so...
how do you tell how loud a speaker can go without the above mentioned happening?

Well, you know how they rate bridges:

1. Build bridge
2. Drive bigger and bigger trucks over it until it collapses
3. Rebuild bridge

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox

Originally posted by: dpopiz
so...
how do you tell how loud a speaker can go without the above mentioned happening?

Well, you know how they rate bridges:

1. Build bridge
2. Drive bigger and bigger trucks over it until it collapses
3. Rebuild bridge

Calvin and hobbes?

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox

Originally posted by: dpopiz
so...
how do you tell how loud a speaker can go without the above mentioned happening?

Well, you know how they rate bridges:

1. Build bridge
2. Drive bigger and bigger trucks over it until it collapses
3. Rebuild bridge

haha, good stuff.

 

[mikebb]

I wouldn't just crank them all the way up, that's asking for trouble. The loudest that they can go without any noticeable distortion is typically the loudest you ever want to play them. People tend to damage speakers by playing them super-loud when it's obvious there's a ton of distortion in the sound.