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How long do car subwoofers last? There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on a number of factors, such as the quality of the subwoofer, how often it is used, and the type of environment it is used in. However, most car subwoofers should last for at least five years with regular use.
Can Quality dictate the Longevity of A subwoofer?
A subwoofer with a high end build quality will generally will have good quality parts used in its build process. This is usually due to the high efficiency rating of the subwoofer or what it was built for.
Entry Level Subwoofers
There are 3 Classes of subwoofers (in our Opinion). Each class of subwoofers provide a different lifespan. The entry level subwoofer is for a customer who doesn’t want to break the bank and only needs SOME bass.
These subwoofers are not generally made well, as a by product of this they will not last very long at all and will generally “smoke the coil” or fail in another way.
Mid Level Subwoofers
The Mid level buyer has fun driving around with enough bass to make someone look over at your car because the bass is soo loud.
Now, obviously Mid Level subwoofers are not by any means ready for competition or anything but they often provide listeners with the about of bass they need. Because they are often pushed too hard and are not high-end enough for the buyers.
High Level Subwoofers
High level subwoofers are built very well and are often times used in High output applications because of this.
From the voice coils to the magnet and cone you’ll see very high quality builds with these types of subwoofers. The sound quality will usually reflect the build quality also.
How Does The Environment Effect How Long A subwoofer Lasts?
Usually subwoofers spend their lives inside of the trunk of your daily driver. But there are situations when you take them out and sit them in a shed, garage, back yard or bedroom because you’ve grown out of them or you need the trunk space.
While a subwoofer sitting inside of your home is pretty harmless, sitting your subwoofer in the garage or back yard is not.
Exposing your subwoofer to excessive amounts of moisture, heat, dust or cold temperatures can lower your subwoofers life expectancy dramatically. The effects start to be more obvious on the cone and surround.
How To Make Your Subwoofer Last Longer?
The easiest way to keep your subwoofer operating properly and lasting longer is to power it properly. Under powered and over powered subwoofers create distortion and stress on the subwoofer.
During distortion your subwoofer has to be in multiple conflicting positions in a short amount of time. During this time the subwoofer voice coil and magnet hit really high temperatures. This could lead to you burning a voice coil.
Here are some helpful subwoofer maintenance tips:
- Install subwoofer properly
- Do not severely under power or over power subwoofer
- Do not overuse (multiple hours throughout the day)
- Keep away from severe heat, cold, dust and moisture
Do Subwoofers Wear out over time?
Subwoofers can wear out over time, but this typically depends on how often they are used and how well they are taken care of.
If a subwoofer is used frequently, it is likely to wear out sooner than one that is used less often. It is also important to keep the subwoofer clean and free of dust and other debris, which can cause it to wear out more quickly.
