Author Topic: speaker care  (Read 2105 times)

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Offline ris

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speaker care
« on: Dec 05, 2005 at 10:43 AM »
how can you exactly take care of your speakers?  is there such a thing?

for example:
1. do not keep your speaker plugged in when turned off
2. always turn off your speakers when not in use
3. do not put your speakers on uneven surface
4. do not put anything in front of your speakers when you are using it.

something like that.  the first and second example could apply for pc speakers if it uses external power.  well those are the things im concerned about. 

im mainly concerned about the life of speakers.  i dont want them to last me for just a few months or 2 to 3 years(if i dont use them often).  and also, will non-stop use of speakers make its life really shorter than it should be?  what i mean is will it destroy the speakers faster than normal?

example:
a speaker used non stop for 12 hours everyday would get broken on its 5,000th hour
a speaker used 5 hours everyday would get broken on its 10,000th hour

Offline Abad Santos 7

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #1 on: Dec 05, 2005 at 03:27 PM »
Just tell to your kids ages under 5 "You Can't Touch This" :) :) :)

Especially the volume knob of your amplifier....

Cheers....


Offline av_phile1

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #2 on: Dec 05, 2005 at 04:01 PM »
Good speakers have been known to last a lifetime. That's why there are 50-year old ++ speakers out there.  And a check with the surplus speakers at pier will confirm this as there are many 10-30 year-old sansui, pioneer and technics speakers still in surprisingly good conditions.  Ofourse reasonable care may have contributed to their heirloom lifespan and will certainly do a lot to extend the life of your current speakers. 

Turning off powered speakers, whether for the PC or something else, has more to do with conserving power consumption for the built-in power amps inside, not to protect the speakers.  It's just good sense to do that when not using these appliances.

I know of no meantime between failures (MTBF) as far as speakers are concerned.  Using the speakers even 24 hours a day need not shorten the life of your speakers. But if the usage results in the insulation of the speaker voice coils gradually melting due to excessive heat, then it will certainly break down one of these days.  Speakers also generate heat.  That happens when you feed the speakers large current (loud volumes)  on a continuous basis.  Or it could be due to exceeding tolerance limits that may be imposed using speakers designed with less durability in mind.  You can feel the heat on the speaker magnet case, but since you normally would have no access to that, just feel the speaker cones if they are getting warm to the touch, that should tell you to give the speakers a rest.   

In general, moderately powered amps should go together with moderately powered speakers.  But speakers can be driven by as low as a 1 watt amp or receiver.   When using amps with lower power rating than speakers, it's very tempting to max out the amp to its fullest volume, since, you are confident the speakers can handle that.  There's actually more danger in that as a maxed out amp can generate clipped waveforms that will fry a speaker much faster than overdrving it with a more powerful amp (which should also be avoided.)   Tweeters often are the first to go in situaions like these as they generally have less tolerance and will fry easily with distorted signals in the high range.  Boosting the treble controls at loud volumes would be the easiest way to fry tweeter coils.

I've read on the net that paper-based speaker cones would benefit from being moistened with a cloth lightly dabbed in baby oil at least every year to preclude the material from drying and warping.  Haven't tried this so I can't say much about it. 

Just at the top of my head.  And, just like Abad Santos said, see if you can keep small kids away from speakers.  I've had dimpled speaker cone centers from curious little fingers.  ;D
« Last Edit: Dec 05, 2005 at 04:04 PM by av_phile1 »

Offline whipsaw

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #3 on: Jan 16, 2006 at 04:05 PM »
I say keep the grill on whenever the kid can see it, even when you are there. Because he would not know that there are speakers inside. I am using the pre nautilus 802s, and I am not planning to open the grills or the top for my kid to see the tempting yellow kevlar of the mid. Good thing for me the 802s have a top cover covering the mid and tweeter plus a grill yet again to cover the tweets and the mids. Maybe when b&w made this model, they had kids in mind. hehehe.

Sold the celestion sl600si. For fidelity purposes, they are made grill free. Sold those 3 days ago.

cheers

Offline Phynix

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #4 on: Jan 17, 2006 at 07:51 AM »
Good day, i need some help please. I have a pair of 10 yr. old infinity floorstanders. They really sound great up to this time. My problem is that in time the dustcaps on all of the drivers developed molds on their surfaces and now they have crumbled and exposed the middle part of the speaker which is the voice coil i guess. They still sound great though but now with the dustcaps gone i have speakers with a great big hole in the middle where  I can see the magnets within. Can those dustcaps be replaced? Do electronic shops in Raon or elsewhere sell them? If not, can anyone suggest a suitable material that i can use to fabricate my own dustcaps? I don't mind listening to them since there's no difference in sound output, it's just that the speakers really look awful without them. Besides, i believe it's their purpose right? To keep out the dust.
Any help would greatly be appreciated. TIA. More power to everyone at pinoydvd.com! Have a great day! Cheers!

Offline jerix

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #5 on: Jan 17, 2006 at 07:57 AM »
Yeah, marami sa RAON nyan bro. ;) pwede rin sa DEECO electronic stores they got several branches besides RAON  ;)
Samsung65MU6303/TCL4kPS49TV/OnkSR608/OnkTXNR676/Marantz/Akai/Sansui/PrjEssential-II

Offline D0Hbert

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #6 on: Jan 17, 2006 at 08:07 AM »
Before attaching a new dust cap, as you said, one of its use is to keep dusts away, considering you have the speaker open in that area for a long time, I suggest you try vacuuming off the dust. I you leave it there and sealed the dust cap, baka may dust na naipon between the coil, and kung makapal talaga, tatama sa magnet sa gilid, tapos parang sandpaper effect na yan, bad for the coils.

Offline Phynix

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #7 on: Jan 17, 2006 at 10:47 AM »
Hi, thanks for the input guys. They were really very informative. Gonna try your ideas this week. This site really rocks! People really do help each other out here, very nice indeed! Mabuhay kayo! Will try to share some things from my own experiences and knowledge base that might help other members too. Again, i salute you guys! Cheers!!!

Offline Speaker Doctor

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #8 on: Jan 17, 2006 at 01:53 PM »
The main purpose of the dust cap as it's name says is to protect the voice coil from dusts and other particles that can damage it.  Dust and other particles can hamper the movement of the voice coil thus affecting the sound of the speaker or worst damage the coil.  Second, speakers were really designed with a dust cap.  It's one of it's basic parts. A speaker without a dust cap is like a face without a nose :)

Avoid exposing your speakers to extremes (power, temperature).

Peace 

Benedict

Offline @nk71

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Speaker Box restoration any 1 ?
« Reply #9 on: Jan 17, 2006 at 03:04 PM »
Hi Im planning to buy a Pioneer Linear Power Speakers Floorstander sya (I 4got d model # Grrrr!) I'll post it here pag nakabalik ako sa shop...
need your expert advices...
The speakers are still new kaso naluma dahil d nabili at kalilipat lipat ng store branches yung mismong box nya nagkaroon ng mga tama yung mga kanto as is all the sides may tama...
Ask ko lang may alam ba kayong nagrerestore ng speaker boxes...nanghihinayang kasi ako sa price offer almost 70% binigay kasi sa akin ng store owner, he's honest enough naman to admit na palugi na nyang binebenta..Need ur advise. I want to restore it's Box bago kasi yung mga speakers..
I'll be using them for my front speakers ...
thanx...

Offline av_phile1

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #10 on: Jan 17, 2006 at 03:19 PM »
Many years ago I saw a shop in Raon, closer to Quezon Ave, making speaker cabinets.  Perhaps you can scout along that area and inquire.  Also, I would think a good furniture maker can remedy minor scratches or disfigurement on your speaker boxes. 

Offline @nk71

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #11 on: Jan 17, 2006 at 08:49 PM »
Many years ago I saw a shop in Raon, closer to Quezon Ave, making speaker cabinets.  Perhaps you can scout along that area and inquire.  Also, I would think a good furniture maker can remedy minor scratches or disfigurement on your speaker boxes. 

ok thanks 4 d confirmation...Im already thinking bout a good furniture maker... :)

Offline Lord Foo

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #12 on: Jan 18, 2006 at 10:07 AM »
Hi nk71, can you describe the Pioneer floorstanders you are interested in? are these vintage speakers or newer models made of particle board?
« Last Edit: Jan 19, 2006 at 12:29 AM by Lord Foo »

Offline @nk71

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Re: speaker care
« Reply #13 on: Jan 18, 2006 at 09:06 PM »
Hi nk71, can you describe the Pioneer floorstanders you are interested in? are this vintage speakers or newer models made of particle board?

it's somwhere between 1998-1999 release, d owner said to me it's the top of the line series nung panahon na yun..
It get back at it's model...