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Will accidental max volume damage a speaker?

I think I’m okay but I would still like some reassurance. My preamp has an option to use one RCA input as a pass through that bypasses the volume control. In other words whatever volume goes in, goes out. Weeks ago I set it up that way to test a different component and I forgot to set it back when I unhooked that component. So today I hooked a dac to it using the dac’s fixed outputs, so I assume line level. So when I started a song it was loud, really loud for about four seconds. Probably not as loud as if I maxed out the volume intentionally, although I’ve never done that so I can’t be sure how loud that would be. Just wondering if speakers have a safety mechanism designed in where the drivers can’t over travel and cause damage. My speakers are Usher Audio dancer mini-x DMD. They still sound perfect to me but I’ve always wondered about this question anyway so it motivated me to ask. I've probably just watched too many comedy movies where teenagers literally explode their speakers like there was a grenade in them
milkdudd
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 
"...Am I correct that a balanced output (if it had it) would have been much worse?..."

no. You were WFO. There is no such thing as WFO plus a bit more, you were maxed out. 
unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
887 posts
 
If it sounds ok, it’s likely ok. 

My daughter, a professional musician, was over with a friend once, wanted to play a cd of her new EP, didn’t realize that just because the volume control goes from 0-20, doesn’t mean you want to go anywhere north of 6. Ouch!
fiesta75
1,378 posts
 
Who fuses speakers? Not hi-fi, maybe mid-fi...
nainghsy
13 posts
 

That was happened to me few days ago. I almost got heart attack due to the high sonic came out from speakers. It happened just for 2s but I almost gone crazy. Vey terrible experience. I have decided to get passive preamp to control the volume between my DAC (with digital volume) and power amplifier (with no volume control) to avoid same experience in the future. Afterward I had check my speakers quickly and played the song for few mins, no issue encountered (I guess, I've not good listeening skill). But I become psychopath they are not as good as earlier or my ear drums was damaged...

deep_333
767 posts
 

Most multichannel equipment will have a "max volume" restrictor and " initial volume" for playback setting built into the software. Set those 2 settings appropriately to safe levels.

But, if you are a 2 channel 1 knob and no features kinda guy, look at your one knob’s position (volume) whenever you hit the power button. There’s not a whole lot there to distract your simple soul, i.e., all you’ve got is 1 knob. 

Even if it was 2 secs of max volume, you most probably broke your speakers and ears. You are so screwed. All is lost for you. Renounce everything and become a wandering monk.

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