Speaker Life Expectancy

Ambient Fish

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Assuming that you keep your speakers in a room where the ambient temperature is constant PoM 5% and the drivers are never exposed to sunlight or damp and you are careful to drive them within the limits of their quoted handling capacity, how long can you reasonably expect them to last?
 
I would say at least 20 years without any issues.

The cabinets should last a lifetime. The rubber surrounds on the drivers may start to perish a little over time and if you're unlucky a cap or something could go on the cross over but all these are worse case.

I'm sure after 20 years you could happily say you've had your monies worth from the speakers.
 
Been running sonus faber speakers pretty much every day for 20 years still good. Other membesr have got older speakers. I suppose playing them daily within their limits would be better than very limited use. Also build quality might be an issue. But no reason why as set of speakers cant last 60 years plus. If I were to buy speakers today even if I didnt want to keep them for 20 years I would expect them to.
Why do you ask are you having problems with yours.
 
Assuming that you keep your speakers in a room where the ambient temperature is constant PoM 5% and the drivers are never exposed to sunlight or damp and you are careful to drive them within the limits of their quoted handling capacity, how long can you reasonably expect them to last?
I still have KEF's I bought in 1980 (now in the study), and they're just fine. OTOH, Quads bought in 1993 were in for repair every few years until I finally gave up on the regular service requirement without a local service agency.

For a specific case though, you might get 50 years, or you might only just a tad over the guarantee.
 
Thanks guys, I'm not having any problems (touch wood), I was just wondering, I have a pair of Q35.2s in the bedroom that are getting on for 13 years old. Having seen a few threads about perished rubbers and tearing drive cones (hmmmmm) I had a quick check of all my speakers and they look fine but then I thought how the hell can you tell just by looking?

20 years does seem reasonable and if I can get to where Mark is with his KEFs and still be listening to them I would be more than happy. Is there anything you can do to ensure their long term survival?
 
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You can make sure the screws or bolts holding the speaker frame to the cabinet are tight to stop vibrations I do this once a year and I clean the contact terminals and make sure no loose wire threads are exposed and all the connections are tight. Other than that I don't know.
 
Cheers Tony, I' think I'll get the allen keys out and clean the terminals, do you use any specific cleaner? I have some degreasing fluid and ISO alchol.
 
yes both those in that order is fine. Dont over tighten the allen bolts just make sure they are tight and they probably will be
 
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OK, I'm off to do some maintenance, keep me busy for a couple of hours and do my speakers some good, thanks again mate much appreciated.
 
Tightening up your driver bolts = seriously good idea, out of 9 speakers not one had fully done up bolts, don't know if it will improve SQ but it must make the speaker cabinet driver interface work better.
 
you might not notice an improvement but will help in the overall scheme of things
 
It is not Rubber surrounds that are the problem, it is Foam surrounds. If you gently rub the foam surrounds and feel any kind of grit, or the surrounds peel or crumb to the touch, they are in bad shape. However, in my experience Rubber surround can last 20, 30, or 40 years depending on the circumstance.

I have some woofers with Butyl Rubber surrounds originally purchased about 1980, and they are still in perfect shape.

A lot of factors come into play, but I think we can safely say that 20 years for a speaker should be common.

Steve/bluewizard
 
20 years does seem reasonable and if I can get to where Mark is with his KEFs and still be listening to them I would be more than happy. Is there anything you can do to ensure their long term survival?
The usual things - avoid spraying coke all over the them, knocking them over, smashing into them with the vacuum cleaner, poking the drives with pencils or little fingers, close placement to heaters, testing bass response with youtube woofer killer videos, trying to drown out the disco next door.
 
Kids are all grown up and living in their own houses, nearest radiator is 3 feet away and I never go near You Tube, next door neighbour is 75 years old and he listens to talk radio through cans as he is partially deaf, claims never to have heard my system through a well insulated party wall, all in al things look good for my speakers living longer than me lol.

Thanks to all of you for your advice and help, I really appreciate it.
 
Thanks guys, I'm not having any problems (touch wood), I was just wondering, I have a pair of Q35.2s in the bedroom that are getting on for 13 years old. Having seen a few threads about perished rubbers and tearing drive cones (hmmmmm) I had a quick check of all my speakers and they look fine but then I thought how the hell can you tell just by looking?

20 years does seem reasonable and if I can get to where Mark is with his KEFs and still be listening to them I would be more than happy. Is there anything you can do to ensure their long term survival?

I have a pair of KEF Q35.2's that are the same age, still working fine (albeit as the surrounds in my AV system) - I am just thinking about repairing a pair of Heybrook HB1s that have suffered from terrible foam rot on the woofers, but the HB1 is famous for the foam rotting and these do date from the early 1980's

S
 
Hi GT, the Q35.2s started life as my front L & R, as cash became avalable I purchased the Q55.2s and then the Q7s, the Q35.2s probably are the most used as the wife watches TV and DVDs on the bedroom system every minute she is not working or shopping, they are strerling bits of kit and still sound as good to-day as the day I bought them.
 
I agree, they are great and rather under rated - I only replaced them as my main speakers 6 months ago.
 
It is not Rubber surrounds that are the problem, it is Foam surrounds. If you gently rub the foam surrounds and feel any kind of grit, or the surrounds peel or crumb to the touch, they are in bad shape. However, in my experience Rubber surround can last 20, 30, or 40 years depending on the circumstance.

I have some woofers with Butyl Rubber surrounds originally purchased about 1980, and they are still in perfect shape.

A lot of factors come into play, but I think we can safely say that 20 years for a speaker should be common.

Steve/bluewizard

While this may be true for some seals, the life expectancy is completely dependent on the type of rubber - some are susceptible to fatigue, some get damaged easily by UV rays, some hate temperature or humidity fluctuations... though I imagine high quality speakers will come with the right type of rubber. My knowledge comes from the bearing industry, understanding rubber is big business!

Russ
 
I had a full set of tannoy speakers i'd had for about 12 years and never touched them even once and they sounded as good as they ever did and had no problems whatsoever so i dont think its a big concern at all in my limited experience.
 
I will have a look at the rear panel to-day when I get home thanks Clive.
 
I have a pair of Mission 700's purchased ~1986 and by 1996 one sounded terrible so I took it to a local speaker technician and he confirmed that one of the woofer cones had come away from the diaphragm. He pointed out that both would need replacing and quoted me for genuine mission replacement parts. Not cheap and two weeks later I took them home. I don't know what I should have expected but they've never sounded as good as before the repairs.
 
I have 2 pairs of Gale GS301's which are used every day, they are over 30yrs old now and still look and sound fabulous.I have not really been tempted to change them for anything else as I would have to spend upwards of £800 a pair to get a better sound.

I did have the woofers replaced about 6 years ago due to the foam surrounds disintegrating so they should be good for at least another 20 years.
 
It is not Rubber surrounds that are the problem, it is Foam surrounds.

Yep. Four drivers I had that used a foam rubber surround showed visible signs of rot at about 18 years. Makes me wonder if the sound quality had suffered earlier than that.

Driver life seems very variable. Depends on materials used and quality of construction. Typical problems I've had are voice coil rubbing - 2xSEAS after 5 years - twice! and Volt after about 15 years and foam rubber rot - 2xPeerless and 2xSEAS [I think] units after 18 years.

All drive units used within manufacture specified parameters and in a typical domestic situation.

Never had a tweeter fail. I bet they generally last longer than bass/mid drivers (unless they get poked).
 
New PMC Speakers come with a 20 year guarantee!

There's confidence for you. I guess it all depends on the quality of components used in the first place.
 

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