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Originally Posted by MR2NR Too much power over too long a period of time = smelly speaker syndrome.... if the coils of the sub cannot dissipate the heat generated by the power, you will blow your speaker. |
I've seen that condition maybe a handful of times in about 10 years. I would attribute it to the ultra-rare events category. You are 1000's of times more likely to kill your speaker by underpowering it.
Remember, I started in car audio when a 30w/channel amp was an expensive item that few could afford. My first real amp was a RF Punch 30, and it cost me $500 for 15w/channel. I remember killing speakers weekly at times in those days.
I've seen guys run 2000 watts per sub day in, day out. I've run 200w/ channel to tweeters rated at 50w, and never blew one up in that set-up.
Energy to a sub is far more transient in level and duration than any other speaker. Heat damage to the coil with clean power is not very likely, but suspension damage from over-excursion (sub in improper box, or playing music with significant energy below the tuning frequency of a ported box for example) is much more of an issue.
My parents were both in music professionally, so I remember 10's of thousands of watts in amplifiers running active to big drivers, outputting alot of energy, and rarely did they ever die to a voice coil burning up.