What's the lifeline of a PA speaker?

[postbop64]

Example: A speaker spends 10 years in a Disco, for all purposes it works fine yet it just spent the last 10 years in operation 12 hrs a day. Assuming this unit has never been abused, will this speaker operate like new, or will there be a slow loss in performance?

[Al Poulin]

 

Example: A speaker spends 10 years in a Disco, for all purposes it works fine yet it just spent the last 10 years in operation 12 hrs a day. Assuming this unit has never been abused, will this speaker operate like new, or will there be a slow loss in performance?

 

 

 

 

That is a very good question. I have a similar question that I hope you don't mind me adding on... This one concerns the woofers on speakers. I've noticed - on home speakers for example, how the woofers are stiff when new and after a few years seem to get ''looser''. Do they become more efficient or less efficient in producing bass as they seem to become easier to move. Do they require less power? I think eventually they become too loose and need to be replaced. I'm not sure... The particular home speakers I am talking about are a set of Paradigm Monitor series with double 8'' woofers. FWIW these cabinets sound amazing and go extremely low without needing a sub. Thanks, Al - Party-Time! DJ Services

[agedhorse]

If the speakers are powered reasonably, the lifetime can be 20 or more years. This is my big gripe with powering them to within an gnat's ass of their failure point. The lifespan decreases very quickly. It's called an accelerated aging curve.

 

This is one reason why I an somewhat conservative. My speaker inventory is so large that the cost of a 5 year versus a 20 year lifecycle before recone may be as much as $10,000. I choose to be conservative and keep my money.

 

Note that there are some foam surround drivers that have a roughly 10 year lifespan due to atmospheric deterioration of the foam material. This happens regardless of power levels.