[sackynut]

If this has been answered, or is common knowledge let me know. Ill delete the thread I guess.

Can external sounds affect and possibly damage speaker drivers on headphones (especially open aired ones)?

For example, if you took some PX100s to a construction zone and was listening to music right next to a VERY loud machine, or something similar...would it affect the speaker drivers and possibly damage them? Thanks.

 

[moogoob]

Well, most headphone drivers can generate sounds loud enough to harm your ears, so I don't think so. Still, other hazards at construction/shop jobs would be worse for the phones. Stuff like dust, filings, cables catching on machinery etc. might cause problems. If the noise is loud enough to make you concerned about headphone damage, you probably need hearing protection in the first place.

 

[jinx20001]

its a superb question that ive wondered a few times myself, i have put headphones on a rather large subwoofer (15'') and often wondered if the extreme vibration may cause damage to the miniature speakers or the magnets that help drive them.

in theory you wouldnt think so because it would take some serious power to make the drivers in headphones move enough to cause damage...but is it possible? i think so

 

[DanT]

I would be more concern about my ears if the sound pressure is loud enough to damage headphones. Especially if you try to play music even louder to overpower externel noise loud enough to physically damage your headphones.

 

[phkd]

it would be almost impossible to damage headphone drivers with external sound. gently blowing on the drivers would put a lot more force on them than than a jackhammer or subwoofer a few feet away.

like DanT said, be worried more about your hearing haha. worse for your hearing than a very loud environment are headphones blasting music over that loud sound. That is why IEMs are actually the safest headphone-like option, when used properly, since they provide the best isolation.

 

[sackynut]

so what causes headphones to "blow out"? Is it too loud of a sound, or too much voltage? I always thought it was the sound, so if in fact it IS the VOLTAGE, than I wouldnt be too worried anymore about super loud sounds.

the thing is, I attend school right near an airport, and there are constantly airplanes flying over head every 10 minutes, VERY close to us.

 

[KUNFUCHOPSTICKS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sackynut /img/forum/go_quote.gif For example, if you took some PX100s to a construction zone and was listening to music right next to a VERY loud machine, or something similar...would it affect the speaker drivers and possibly damage them? Thanks.

I understand your question but you have got your priority backwards. If you are next to a machine loud enough to make you think it's going to damage your headphones, then how loud is your music so you can hear it?

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sackynut /img/forum/go_quote.gif so what causes headphones to "blow out"? Is it too loud of a sound, or too much voltage? I always thought it was the sound, so if in fact it IS the VOLTAGE, than I wouldnt be too worried anymore about super loud sounds.

since dynamic headphones are voltage driven devices, these two factors are one and the same.

the exception being if you expose the driver to DC voltage, which won't make any sound aside from the initial pop.

 

[sackynut]

what I meant was (or maybe IM the one who is lost) is, when headphones "blow out", is it due to too high amplitude of sound (meaning just too strong of vibrations) or because too much voltage was put in at once.

so basically, is it the voltage, or the SOUND that the VOLTAGE produces, that blows it out? or am i just lost....

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sackynut /img/forum/go_quote.gif what I meant was (or maybe IM the one who is lost) is, when headphones "blow out", is it due to too high amplitude of sound (meaning just too strong of vibrations) or because too much voltage was put in at once. so basically, is it the voltage, or the SOUND that the VOLTAGE produces, that blows it out? or am i just lost....

You're just lost.

The VOLTAGE produces an EXCURSION and then an INCURSION which produces a SOUND.

It doesn't matter what it sounds like. if the driver exceeds it's maximum design excursion, the coil can become detached, or de-centered, or the diaphragm can be irreparably damagaged.

In the DC scenario, excess continuous current and lack of motion in the driver can cause the coil to overheat, potentially causing the coil leads to break, or potentially damaging the diaphragm. Or an excessive positive DC offset can cause the coil to exceed it's maximum excursion - see above.

Severe vibration can, depending on the design of the driver, also de-center the coil or damage the diaphragm. But this is more on the order of whacking the headphones fiercely against a hard surface, generating forces that far exceed loud noises.

 

[b0dhi]

It's possible that if the external sound was very loud, it could de-center the coil, but this is only likely if the headphones are sitting on a surface which is resonating with the external sound and causing the headphone to rattle around on top of it.

 

[sackynut]

so does the voltage cause the excursion and incusion? because that would explain why a loud noise couldnt damage as easily.

this all stemmed, from my attending class next to an airport.

 

[b0dhi]

^ Howstuffworks "How Speakers Work"