So what is audio distortion? Technically, distortion is defined as any unwanted change in an audio signal relative to the input signal. Most folks describe this as a “fuzzy”, “blown out” or “crunched” sound. This usually happens when an audio device's volume turned-up past it's capabilities to reproduce sound accurately.
How can this damage your equipment? If a speaker is made to work beyond it's specifications for an extended period of time, several things can happen:
1. The speaker coil melts. The speaker is basically an electric motor. There is a coil of copper wire and a magnet it reacts with. When audio is pushed through this coil of wire it heats up. When the wire has been hot enough long enough it will break or deform. If it breaks then the speaker will just be silent. As it deforms it may begin to make a scraping sound when heavy drums or bass instruments play.
2. The speaker cone can tear. The cone of a speaker is the physical part that is vibrated by the coil to create sound. If a strong enough impulse of sound comes through the coil, it is possible to push the cone beyond it's limits. It will tear and create a fuzzy vibrating noise with any audio that it reproduces.
3. The coil can become displaced. If a very strong impulse is sent to the speaker the coil can literally jump out of the gap it rides in. In some rare cases the cone can physically shoot out of the enclosure!
How can I prevent damage to my equipment? The best thing to do is pay attention to how loud your audio device can get before becoming “fuzzy” or “broken up”. If you really want to listen at that device's maximum volume, turn it up slowly until it begins to sound different then back off the volume until the sound “clears up”. Obviously the smaller the device, the less volume it can produce. Time is a factor here. Long periods of listening at levels that cause distortion will shorten the life your device!
The Bongiovi Acoustics Digital Power Station technology can greatly extend the capabilities of any audio system, however, the rules of physics still apply. Distortion causes damage. If your device is distorting, turn it down. In other words, we can turn your VW Bug into a Ferrari…but we aren't responsible for you driving it into a tree!
By taking care of your audio equipment, it will give you many years of reliable service!
Joe