What happens if speakers get wet

This is a slow process and, in many cases, unnoticeable, but high humidity can eventually destroy sensitive parts of the speakers. Wet edges of the cones can tear even when they look dry, and if you listen to the music in the car a lot, it can take just a few weeks before they will beak.

If you listened to the same speakers, one dry and one with a wet cone at the same time, you would tell the difference in the sound right away. However because this process takes time and your ears slowly get used to hearing a lower sound quality, so day to day difference is actually unnoticeable. Well, at least until the cone will eventually break. Typical car speakers are designed for use inside of a car, they do not have any special sealing, so even splashing water on them can cause damage.

Also, speaker baskets are not always made from stainless steel and can get rusty. Unlike marine speakers, for which producers use the highest quality materials that can handle a lot of water, car speakers are not waterproof and cannot work in such harsh conditions.

Components of car speakers are generally made from basic materials like paper or rubber, which can easily tear when used in a humid environment. So, if you are thinking about installing car speakers on a boat, do not do it. Car speakers in wet conditions will not survive. A wet speaker cone increases its weight and thus becomes slower. It is not a big difference in weight, because the paper cone does not gain the weight to be comparable with the metal cone, but it is enough to affect the sound quality.

The heavier the cone, the heavier the delay to every signal coming from the voice coil and, in effect, makes the sound less dynamic. The music you hear from a wet speaker is muffled and tones are not sharp. The dried cone will weigh the same as the original one, and the sound quality will return to the original level.

It can happen, though, that after drying, the paper cone will change its stiffness or become bent. And when this happens, sound quality will also be affected, especially the clarity of the medium-high tones, like vocals.

The most audible difference is when the paper membrane dries and breaks after some time. The sound you will hear from the speakers with a broken cone is horrible and has nothing to do with music. The only thing you can hear is the fuzzy sound, distortions, and crackling , so you need to either repair the speaker or replace it with the new one depending on the size of the damage.

Although there is not much risk to damage the car audio system from a wet speaker cone, a much higher probability is when the water gets between a magnet and a coil voice. Because there is not much sealing in the car speakers, nothing is stopping water from penetrating their insides, and when you turn a radio on with water inside of the speaker, then you will have a quick short circuit followed by silence.

What is the short circuit? According to PhysLink. And what does it mean in practice? Just imagine one wire from the positive terminal in your car amplifier and one from the negative terminal, they are usually both connected to the speaker , but what if there is no speaker and they touch each other? This is exactly a short circuit, and when it happens, it can damage your amplifier or the radio. There are several reasons for car speakers to be short, and water is one of them.

When you do not hear anything from the speaker, you have to dry it first, and then it is worth testing it for impedance. Good speakers have impedance either 2 or 4 ohms, but when you measure it, and the result is very high or even infinitive, which means your car speaker is dead. Sep 7, 12, 3 0. I think you would get a LOT more help if you reposted this in off-topic.

Keep in mind there can be residual contact degradation over time, causing all sorts of problems. Maximilian Lifer. Feb 8, 12, 5 You need to find the person who spat on it and then spit on them. This will reverse the polarity of the spit on your speakers making everything ok again :thumbsup:. Modelworks Lifer. Feb 22, 16, 6 First thing you do with any electric device and water is unplug it as quick as you can.

Don't try to see if it was effected. It takes about seconds for water to usually damage a circuit. It doesn't conduct well usually, but leave it long enough and it will do damage.

You must log in or register to reply here. Audio Components 16 Jun 23, K Overhead speakers placement 5. Overhead speakers placement 5. Sorround speakers location. Post thread. CPUs and Overclocking. Graphics Cards. AnandTech is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number They are built to provide a barrier between the speakers and the elements. While this may seem like it is not the best idea, for sound quality reasons it is great because it keeps the sun from damaging the speakers and also prevents rain and snow from getting into the home.

With all of the choices available, how do you protect outdoor speakers from rain? To start off, you should always make sure that the umbrellas are attached properly.

You will want to make sure that the original ones are attached correctly, and if you must replace them for the right ones then you will want to get them. If the speaker is outside on a patio or deck then you may want to consider getting a lighted rain barrel so that it can serve as a water fountain. It will also add beauty to the garden or property. As an alternative to the watering cans that would be used for watering the plants, try having a projector installed that can show pictures or videos on the speaker to get the audio out to the garden or patio.

The light will also help you to view the video and help you see whether you need to refill the water before the next use. In addition, it will also help to keep the plants healthier for longer periods of time and make sure that they have plenty of oxygen to grow well. There are several other ways that you can protect outdoor speakers from rain, such as using noise canceling headphones, which allow the user to experience an enjoyable surround sound experience, whether indoors or outdoors.

If you like the sound of outdoor speakers , but are worried about how they are going to be damaged by rain, consider adding a screen or waterproof umbrella to your garden. Outdoor speakers are no longer in the category of odd household possessions. With the gradual improvement in technology, they have now become indispensable household objects. You may be surprised to learn that indoor or outdoor speakers do not need special storing conditions.

However, when you purchase them from a store, the conditions for storage need to be considered. The most important factor that needs to be kept in mind is that the speakers should be packed away from others to prevent damage. This can be done by placing the speakers on top of a box that has been cut into a small size and is filled with sand or a similar material. When you are thinking about how to store outdoor speakers properly, you will need to consider the location where they will be stored.

It is also essential to keep the area cool in order to keep the indoor and outdoor speakers in good condition. Another aspect of the storage of outdoor speakers is the amount of light that you want to bring into the area. The manufacturers and retailers that sell them often advise that you store them away from your windows so that it is possible to get maximum exposure to the light.

If you do not want to take the risk, make sure that you bring them inside after a certain time period. When it comes to the types of cases that you can use for outdoor speakers, you will find that there are many different types available in the market. First, choose a case that is durable.

A soft sided case would be the best option for most of your speakers. You can also opt for a hard case if you want to bring them inside during the rainy season or even during heavy snowfalls.