Speaker lifespan.

[Ken McDaniel]

This is a question for some of the more experienced crowd (notice I didn't say old). Ooops. Anyway, I've only owned stereo and HT gear for the last 7 years. I haven't owned the same speakers for more than 3. Now that I have Sonus Fabers and will never have want for speaker upgrade, how long can I expect them to last? For that matter, how long will any decent set of speakers last?




Ken

[EdP]

The obvious first. If not over driven, the determining factor is material life in environment, (measured in years), if over driven, the determining factor is electical energy turned into heat (measured in pico-seconds).

Lets throw out the overdriven portion, and focus on the material in environment portion. Temperature, air mosture content, dirt/dust and all spectrums of light are the main factors.

Temperature - too hot - glues dry out with either enclosure rattles/leaks or driver cone/spider/voice coil detachment, paper drys out cone material cracks, rubber hardens surround changes mech properties or breaks

Mosture in air - enclosures rot/mush expand/crack, paper rot/mush, foam surrounds mildew/rot. Solder connections corode/erode.

Dirt/dust - bad deal for voice coils and doped tweeter surfaces.

Light - UV degradation, material outgassing increase.

In summary, if no animals impacts, kid impacts or overdriven, 20 years in a stable temperature moderate humidity( too little is nearly as bad as too much), and low UV exposure is very doable. Foam surrounds tend to be 10 years, unless on car deck lid then maybe 4 years.

Some units well environed can last 30 years very well.

Acutally they found a near perfect condition JBL 4330 in King Tuts tomb. Sadly it decayed quickly when exposed to modern air. All that remains now is a fragment of the original, although I understand it still outperforms a LifeStyle system. Dr Amar's lawyers are looking for pharoh decendents over a possible TM infringement it was reported.

[Lexman]

Ahh Ken, great question. I too, really can never see me selling any of my Sonus faber speakers. If an upgrade occurs, they are prime additional stereo/bedroom ht speakers. I mean lets face it, on the open market I would probably take a beating, though with their reputation, they do seem to hold resale fairly good. (I paid 1200 for used Concertos) that was with Ballet II stands.) (eat your heart out).

Ed, very nice post and informative. That last bit, about King Tut, nice touch. :B

Lex