Blow out your speakers

[Shacklebolt]

So, I accidentally turned on my DRA-685 with the volume at 3/4 (phenomenally loud) - and my Polk Rti-45s got a good 5 seconds of overpowering, break-up the sound volume (I mean, it didn't sound like anything was phsyically breaking, but it was obviously too loud) before I turned it down. Now, the speakers didn't blow out, but is it possible they were permanently damaged in those 5 seconds?

 

[ventro]

You'd know if they were.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Mechanical or electrical damage to the voice coils is more likely than the speaker actually tearing the surround (although that's possible too). The speakers should be fused internally so you don't actually melt down any of the circuitry.

Listen while playing music on them, for any buzzing, scraping, ringing, distortion, resonance at a particular frequency or breakup of the sound at the peaks that might indicate internal physical damage -- if you don't hear these then you probably made it through OK.