View Full Version : Do low powered amps damage speakers?
dave2010
13-07-2021, 20:21
Title .... question...
If so, how?
If they are driven into clipping yes, the tweeter is in threat.
dave2010
14-07-2021, 08:06
If they are driven into clipping yes, the tweeter is in threat.That's what I heard too, but surely there'd be a lot of distortion if that happened, or can it happen before the distortion becomes audible?
Also, consider electronic/synthesiser music. A lot of that may be composed of sounds made from square waves, other waves etc., white noise - signals from many different parts of the frequency spectrum. If clipping is an issue for speakers, would it not also follow that playing some electronic music could/would also be likely to damage tweeters?
Some speakers also have a response which is above audible hearing range. The way some signal processing works nowadays is to move audio into inaudible regions - couldn't that also damage speakers? Of course it would also depend on an amp also having the ability to pass those sounds out to the transducers.
Or is this business about tweeter damage just an urban myth?
i dont believe its being a square waveform that damages speakers.
I might be talking complete bollox here, but does it make a difference if say a 15w amp has a different gain to a 30w amp or higher. I have used low powered Class D amps to great effect with average sensitivity speakers and been amazed at the amount of grunt they have. As a comparison I was given an original NAD 3020 amp years ago and it was completely gutless and I was really unimpressed. A Creek amp of similar vintage was slightly better, but not that great.
Filterlab
14-07-2021, 11:07
Have a read of this article from Mackie (studio equipment manufacturers). It briefly explains how:
https://mackie.com/blog/what-clipping
Have a read of this article from Mackie (studio equipment manufacturers). It briefly explains how:
https://mackie.com/blog/what-clipping
Nice and succinct and easily understood.
i always was under impression that it was when underpowered amps went into clipping etc the distortion of the low freq turned some of it into high freq and it was sent to tweeter or mids and thus blew set drivers that couldnt take such power levels.
So a odd concept that under power producing overpower as it were
I might be talking complete bollox here, but does it make a difference if say a 15w amp has a different gain to a 30w amp or higher. I have used low powered Class D amps to great effect with average sensitivity speakers and been amazed at the amount of grunt they have. As a comparison I was given an original NAD 3020 amp years ago and it was completely gutless and I was really unimpressed. A Creek amp of similar vintage was slightly better, but not that great.
No, it makes no difference.
The NAD only has 20 watts into 8 ohm after all. Maybe the class D clips more gently, so you're still overdriving just not as noticeable? Same with most valve amps.
Obviously will also depend on speaker sensitivity so if you weren't using the same speakers for both then not a fair comparison.
Beobloke
14-07-2021, 12:03
That's what I heard too, but surely there'd be a lot of distortion if that happened, or can it happen before the distortion becomes audible?
The problem is that different distortions have different levels of audibility and clipping is a fairly mild one by comparison.
Early in my acoustics career, I was given a demo of the effect of distortion using purposely generated distortion levels of 1% and 10%, and the demo went like this:
- Listen to a 1kHz sine wave - nice and smooth
- Listen to the 1kHz sine wave with 1% distortion added - not so smooth
- Listen to the 1kHz sine wave with 10% distortion added - Awful - ragged and harsh!
The source was then changed to a pierce of music and repeated. This time i heard
- Music with no distortion added - sounded fine
- Music with the 1% distortion added - sounded bad and obviously distorted.
- Music with the 10% distortion added - sounded barely any different to the undistorted signal! Maybe just a touch harder across the top end and with a somewhat curtailed bass, but the results were far less obvious than the 1%
Well obviously this was confusing, but the key was in the type of distortion. To make the 1%, the signal had a deliberate shift in the zero-crossing point of the AC signal introduced. To generate the 10%, clipping was added. The 1% therefore affected every frequency at any signal level, whereas the 10% only affected the peaks and mostly at the bass end.
Basically, unless you're clipping really hard, or really know what you're listening for, clipping isn't always easy to detect.
From what you have said above it could be that some might not be aware of clipping at 10% or may even prefer it:lol:
THD has to be up in the 20% area before you can reliably hear it.
This is why pro amplifiers usually have clipping indicators/level meters
dave2010
14-07-2021, 14:38
The problem is that different distortions have different levels of audibility and clipping is a fairly mild one by comparison.
Early in my acoustics career, I was given a demo of the effect of distortion using purposely generated distortion levels of 1% and 10%, and the demo went like this:
- Listen to a 1kHz sine wave - nice and smooth
- Listen to the 1kHz sine wave with 1% distortion added - not so smooth
- Listen to the 1kHz sine wave with 10% distortion added - Awful - ragged and harsh!
The source was then changed to a pierce of music and repeated. This time i heard
- Music with no distortion added - sounded fine
- Music with the 1% distortion added - sounded bad and obviously distorted.
- Music with the 10% distortion added - sounded barely any different to the undistorted signal! Maybe just a touch harder across the top end and with a somewhat curtailed bass, but the results were far less obvious than the 1%
Well obviously this was confusing, but the key was in the type of distortion. To make the 1%, the signal had a deliberate shift in the zero-crossing point of the AC signal introduced. To generate the 10%, clipping was added. The 1% therefore affected every frequency at any signal level, whereas the 10% only affected the peaks and mostly at the bass end.
Basically, unless you're clipping really hard, or really know what you're listening for, clipping isn't always easy to detect.So what happens if instead of listening to Beethoven or whatever, you listen to some electronic music - which has been made with who knows what kind of waveforms, white noise, wide spectrum noises of all sorts, and deliberately introduced distortion? The sounds might be reproduced "cleanly" by the amp, but the source material has inherent problems. Would electronic music be more likely to blow speakers - tweeters, etc.?
walpurgis
14-07-2021, 14:52
Is this actually a problem?
It's not one I've ever had and I don't necessarily listen at low levels, even with lower powered amps. I've never blown a tweeter. (but I have blown a bass driver :)).
Anybody paranoid about it can always get a NAD amplifier with the 'soft-clipping' facility though.
dave2010
14-07-2021, 14:58
Have a read of this article from Mackie (studio equipment manufacturers). It briefly explains how:
https://mackie.com/blog/what-clippingThat's an interesting article. The point that the clipping presents an essentially DC signal for a short period of time to the speaker is a good one, though the argument that there is a 100% efficiency at heat generation is perhaps quesionable. I'm guessing that the reality is that coils can overheat if such clipping is maintained, and that is something to be avoided. No speakers are 100% efficient at converting electrical energy into sound, so there must always be some heat generated in the transducer. The issue then is how effectively the heat is dissipated, and whether the heating has an adverse and permanent effect. It possible that the movement of the speaker cones could help to dissipate heat.
An interesting subject to think about.
Grant's point about clipping producing high frequency components is AFAIK correct, and maybe the strength of those components is strongly related to the magnitude of the (intended) lower frequency sounds.
It's also interesting to know/note that maybe clipping isn't always obvious, but might still damage the drivers.
Haselsh1
14-07-2021, 15:12
A good few decades ago I had a Naim 42/110 combo that managed to blow the right tweeter in my then QLN mark ones. Still no idea what the hell happened but it has never happened since.
Is this actually a problem?
It's not one I've ever had and I don't necessarily listen at low levels, even with lower powered amps. I've never blown a tweeter. (but I have blown a bass driver :)).
Anybody paranoid about it can always get a NAD amplifier with the 'soft-clipping' facility though.
never happened to me either but it does happen. Years ago i built some speakers for a DJ mate who was fed up of blowing tweeters on his domestic speakers. I used Motorola piezo-electric units since you can't blow them. Not the world's best tweeters but for electronic dance music (which was all he listened to) they were fine.
So what happens if instead of listening to Beethoven or whatever, you listen to some electronic music - which has been made with who knows what kind of waveforms, white noise, wide spectrum noises of all sorts, and deliberately introduced distortion? The sounds might be reproduced "cleanly" by the amp, but the source material has inherent problems. Would electronic music be more likely to blow speakers - tweeters, etc.?
I don't think so, on the other hand if I was going to set out to deliberately blow drive units electronica is what I'd use.
Any distortion, even if it is on the recording, can damage a drive unit. Barring a fault you'd still really have to go for it though.
Haselsh1
14-07-2021, 18:26
I guess in short, no, low powered amps do not damage speakers unless you run them so that they can do no other. Music I suspect has little or no bearing on the outcome. There is no reason why it should after all some screaming guitar is not really very different from some screaming TB303.
Yes, low powered amps can damage speakers.
A blown tweeter is a sign of insufficient power. If the volume is turned up and the amp can't supply the power it will clip and the harder it clips the more square wave it becomes. A square wave is simply a sine wave with added harmonics which are higher multiple frequencies of the fundamental.
Even allowing for 10 to 20dB peaks the tweeter usually gets only a small portion of the power until the amp starts clipping. The resultant square wave with its associated high frequencies at high power is sent to the crossover which does its job and sends the highs to the tweeter.
If we take a 100W speaker the tweeter would be fine if it could only handle 20W. Now if this speaker is driven by a 40W amp which will easily produce over 80W when clipping and the XO sends that to the tweeter then do not be surprised when it cooks.
Drive the same speaker with a 500W amp and a higher SPL could be realised without tweeter damage. Too much power now will damage the woofer instead, that is if you ignore lots of complaints from the poor thing which will be frapping against the end-stops with gusto and emitting some interesting smells.
When I had my little business I would, after Christmas, New Year and other such celebrations, prepare for the arrival of speakers with (you guessed it) blown tweeters.
I disagree with the 'mackie' take on this. There is no DC component at all in a square wave, it being the high frequency harmonics that produce a wave this shape. If there was DC it would not get past the tweeter's series cap.
This is of great concern to me as I am currently driving (albeit at low volume) B & W 801 speakers with a Sugden A21a amplifier (23 Watts into 8 ohms, 32 watts into 4 ohms). I know that a more powerful amplifier is recommended. So I worry about this, particularly if I may not be noticing clipping. I now see there are some youtube presentations on this subject so I need to check through these too. I am grateful for all your earlier discussions.
if your not going over 60% 0f amp youll be ok i'd think. Its more when you crank it up to get loud
How do you know when you're over 60% though? The volume knob position is not a guide to how much power you're using.
Any sign of harshness or hardness in the sound, turn it down. Only way to tell.
It's a guide only of course but if it's not past the half way point and as you say it's sounding clean it'll be fine.
He said it was listened to at low levels. No obvious distortion and it'll be OK I m sure
Lovely speaker the 801, really could do with an amp that can drive them optimally though. The Sugden is excellent but only within its capabilities.
I guess there is a related question, can a high powered amp damage speakers that don't require so much power? I'm currently driving speakers rated at 85w (8Ω) with an amp rated at 240w (8Ω). I've never tried turning the volume right up as it gets rather loud. :eyebrows:
I'd imagine the answer is the same as low powered amps driving speakers, so long as one operates within the constraints of either the amp or speaker no damage can be done.
you would soon realise the speakers were in danger when your hearing went pop:lol:
It's a guide only of course but if it's not past the half way point and as you say it's sounding clean it'll be fine.
He said it was listened to at low levels. No obvious distortion and it'll be OK I m sure
Thank you Grant and Macca for your advice. Yes, I need to think at some point of the most suitable (second hand) amplifier for the 801's within my budget (below £1,000...), but the Sugden is a truly heavenly sound.
Simon, the tweeter in your speakers is probably robust enough to stand up to the Sugden. There are add-on devices which apparently can monitor for the onset of clipping but I have no experience with them.
Simon, the tweeter in your speakers is probably robust enough to stand up to the Sugden. There are add-on devices which apparently can monitor for the onset of clipping but I have no experience with them.
That is interesting to know. Thank you.
This is of great concern to me as I am currently driving (albeit at low volume) B & W 801 speakers with a Sugden A21a amplifier (23 Watts into 8 ohms, 32 watts into 4 ohms). I know that a more powerful amplifier is recommended. So I worry about this, particularly if I may not be noticing clipping. I now see there are some youtube presentations on this subject so I need to check through these too. I am grateful for all your earlier discussions.
In the 70s I used my Nelson Jones 10+10 class A into Tannoy Gold Lancs, and sometimes it clipped. This also occurred when they were used with a Quad 303 at Ravensbourne college to provide music for a dance show. We could hear the clipping, which was at about 50W, and backed of the gain a bit. No damage done.
The vol pot is no real indicator of anything power wise, it merely selects a driving voltage.
What is the sensitivity of the 801? 23W will give you a peak of 13-14dB more than that.
Surely the tweeter is fed through a capacitor that will block any DC?
In the 70s I used my Nelson Jones 10+10 class A into Tannoy Gold Lancs, and sometimes it clipped. This also occurred when they were used with a Quad 303 at Ravensbourne college to provide music for a dance show. We could hear the clipping, which was at about 50W, and backed of the gain a bit. No damage done.
The vol pot is no real indicator of anything power wise, it merely selects a driving voltage.
What is the sensitivity of the 801? 23W will give you a peak of 13-14dB more than that.
The 801's are apparently
8 ohms nominal throughout range
i just looked them up, they are apparently 85 db according to the brochure - I must check the back. I thought they were 87db but that is the later series 2
dave2010
16-07-2021, 10:04
Surely the tweeter is fed through a capacitor that will block any DC?I wondered about that too.
Referring back to this link - https://mackie.com/blog/what-clipping?cjevent=3c2959d3e61c11eb80d3002b0a18050e&utm_source=CJ&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=5370367&utm_term=100046659&utm_content=mackie.com&cjdata=MXxZfDB8WXww from an earlier post in the thread (posts 6 and 15), although this seems plausible I rather wonder if the argument about DC heating and damaging the coils is in fact completely wrong.
Also the argument based on energy is probably wrong too - as most speakers are very inefficient, so the coils most probably are designed to take a fair whack of current before heating becomes an issue.
Has any really serious study been done of this supposed damage to tweeters, or is this all just urban myth stuff based on bad science?
I'm not suggesting that tweeters or even bass drivers have never suffered damage - they sure have - and I've got some bass units to prove it (suspension gave way - though probably through continued use rather than a sudden blast) - but rather that this topic has been picked on by popular writers in "hi-fi" mags who don't know Einstein from Picasso.
@majex45 and @dave2010, Hi guys, Mackie have been around for about 30 years and one would expect to hear some sense from them. :mental:
Dave, your suspicion that their explanation is completely wrong is correct. There is no DC component in a square-wave. My post No. 20 addresses both concerns.
walpurgis
16-07-2021, 13:10
Did they say 'square wave'? A clipped sine wave is not one. For a brief time each clipped wave has a linear part and I dare say some might describe this bit as DC, if only momentary. I'm not sure what else it could be called.
Filterlab
16-07-2021, 15:24
Did they say 'square wave'? A clipped sine wave is not one. For a brief time each clipped wave has a linear part and I dare say some might describe this bit as DC, if only momentary. I'm not sure what else it could be called.
No, at no point in the article did they mention square wave.
Geoff, this may explain it better where graphs are provided. The following is a copy and paste from this link:
https://www.prosoundtraining.com/2010/03/13/square-waves-and-dc-content/
From these graphs it should be well understood that the high frequency harmonic content, and not a DC component (0 Hz), is responsible for the shape of a square wave. In fact, DC by its very definition can not cause any frequency dependent waveform shape. The DC component of a signal is simply the average value of that signal.
walpurgis
16-07-2021, 18:32
Geoff, this may explain it better where graphs are provided. The following is a copy and paste from this link:
https://www.prosoundtraining.com/2010/03/13/square-waves-and-dc-content/
From these graphs it should be well understood that the high frequency harmonic content, and not a DC component (0 Hz), is responsible for the shape of a square wave. In fact, DC by its very definition can not cause any frequency dependent waveform shape. The DC component of a signal is simply the average value of that signal.
I shall read that a few times and absorb what I can, although in my previous comment, I was referring to a clipped sine wave and not the formation of a square wave.
I'd guess that Mackie are referring specifically to their own speakers, which are powered, not passive.
Lawrence001
17-07-2021, 12:13
If you increase the theoretical peak and trough of a sine wave but cap its value at a constant then, as the peak tends to infinity the capped wave tends to a square wave. This is like having high gain on an amplifier, but a limit on the voltage it can output which is basically what clipping is
I do think that a square wave with a peak at the maximum voltage of a typical amplifier would quickly destroy the tweeters in a normal pair of speakers. To me this is more severe than a clipped sine wave. It's like very short bursts of DC combined with an infinitely fast transition from + to -. Neither of these are good for the speakers.
If electronic music contains square waves then it won't destroy a pair of speakers of its just a noise in the wider piece of music and played at normal volume (so the square wave element of the music is nowhere near peak voltage).
If the piece of music consisted solely of a square wave and you turned it up to full volume (max voltage) in an amp this would sound rather like a massively clipped normal piece of music played through the amp and still blow the tweeters.
So I think square waves are bad (worse) for speakers as they simulate a clipped signal even when they are not clipping, but it depends on the volume you play them at.
Haselsh1
18-07-2021, 06:47
it depends on the volume you play them at.
This I think is at the core of the issue.
Lawrence001
18-07-2021, 08:25
This I think is at the core of the issue.True I guess my point is the more vertical the wave between the peaks the more damaging it will be. I wanted to say this as some were saying that square waves weren't a problem but I think that for a given Vmax a square wave is the worst waveform.
I was thinking of saying that it might be because the area under the wave is maximised by a square wave but then a clean sine wave with the same area under may be less damaging as the first derivative of the displacement (ie the acceleration) is smoother. So decided that might be a red herring!
The key issue is probably what wave form makes the voice coil heat up the most and burn it out. Maybe an expert will be able to comment on that. I thought it was the similarity of a square wave to fast oscillating DC, plus the stress of the fast displacement between peaks will cause further stress.
walpurgis
18-07-2021, 08:36
Surely voicecoil heating is related to the power applied, regardless of waveform. (I'm not talking about the power needed to generate different waveforms at given amplitudes)
Lawrence001
18-07-2021, 10:18
Surely voicecoil heating is related to the power applied, regardless of waveform. (I'm not talking about the power needed to generate different waveforms at given amplitudes)I expect so, my point being a square wave with 20v peak has more energy than a sine wave at say 25v peak but clipped at 20v. So surely it applies greater power to the speaker?
There's a practical issue I'm sure that a clipping amplifier is not limited solely by the max voltage on the rails that supply the output but also by the power supply, and so it won't just clip in voltage terms but also in power. Maybe this is what the issue being discussed is and I've over simplified the model. If so it would help if someone explicitly stated that.
dave2010
21-07-2021, 15:18
If you increase the theoretical peak and trough of a sine wave but cap its value at a constant then, as the peak tends to infinity the capped wave tends to a square wave. This is like having high gain on an amplifier, but a limit on the voltage it can output which is basically what clipping is
I do think that a square wave with a peak at the maximum voltage of a typical amplifier would quickly destroy the tweeters in a normal pair of speakers. To me this is more severe than a clipped sine wave. It's like very short bursts of DC combined with an infinitely fast transition from + to -. Neither of these are good for the speakers.
If electronic music contains square waves then it won't destroy a pair of speakers of its just a noise in the wider piece of music and played at normal volume (so the square wave element of the music is nowhere near peak voltage).
If the piece of music consisted solely of a square wave and you turned it up to full volume (max voltage) in an amp this would sound rather like a massively clipped normal piece of music played through the amp and still blow the tweeters.
So I think square waves are bad (worse) for speakers as they simulate a clipped signal even when they are not clipping, but it depends on the volume you play them at.I am getting more and more suspicious of arguments about this. I tried some simple enough "experiments" using audacity - no need to harm any kit - hopefully. Firstly create a 440Hz tone. Plot the spectrum. There is as expected a peak at 440 Hz. Then amplify the waveform quite a bit - and make sure that clipping is enabled. Look at the waveform - it is tending to a square wave. Now do the spectrum again. Now there will be some signals up to about 7kHz - but at a very low level.
I also tried doing the same thing with some string quartet music - and managed to push the spectrum up to about 20 kHz by doing the clipping amplification. However, the strength of the signal at those frequencies was still way down on any absolute scale. I even listened to the result - cautiously - using headphones - after turning the volume right down. The sounds were gritty, as I'd expect, but I doubt that I damaged my headphones or my hearing.
Sure - if the full audio range had been passed to the tweeters, then that would very probably have blown them apart, but isn't that what crossover units are for - to limit such behaviour - as well as to balance out the frequency response? Perhaps some designs don't block out powerful signals which get through in lower frequency ranges - but that's a volume thing - not specifically a clippping thing.
I'm still puzzled about all this and wonder if issues areound this really are urban myths.
Hi Dave, it's no urban myth, as I mentioned, after festive public holidays I would get in speakers with blown tweeters for repair. I would be expecting them LOL.
Regarding the crossover(XO), it can only do what it is designed to do and send a divided signal to their respective drivers.
The problem arises when the amp is over-driven into clipping forming a square wave which contains high frequencies. We now have high frequencies which make up this square wave being directed by the XO to the tweeter at full power which obliges by frying itself.
Under normal conditions when the amp is working within its limits the tweeter gets a very much lower power delivered by the XO and all is well. If you find you are blowing tweeters it's a sure sign of the need for a more powerful amp.
I forgot to mention that the XO is not there to limit power to the drivers, only to discriminate between highs, mids and lows. Any resistors in circuit are to balance the inevitable differences in sensitivity of the respective drivers.
Lawrence001
21-07-2021, 20:35
Clearly by acting as a high pass filter it reduces the power from the entire signal as most of the power is in the lower to mid range. How much depends on the crossover frequency and the order of the filter. The more complex it is (higher order) the more it will reduce the power getting to the tweeter through the steepness of the slope, but also dissipation in the circuit. Capacitors also have an equivalent series resistance (ESR) that acts as an additional attenuator.
Having said all that the voice coils in tweeters are much more delicate than in larger drivers and it doesn't take much power to get through to cause damage.
The tweeter coil will get a differential signal because it is in series with a capacitor. This waveform is spiked and slopes down in the same way as a capacitor discharge curve. Whether or not this represents a great threat to the tweeter depends on many factors.
dave2010
22-07-2021, 09:06
I forgot to mention that the XO is not there to limit power to the drivers, only to discriminate between highs, mids and lows. Any resistors in circuit are to balance the inevitable differences in sensitivity of the respective drivers.I'm not really disputing that tweeters do get blown, but perhaps the way in which that happens. Presumably a manufacturer could test these devices out to destruction using perfectly clean signals with a suitably high powered amp, to find out how much power they could take before they give up the ghost.
The under powered amp argument relies on high frequency components being generated "due to clipping" which are of sufficient power to cause a problem.
Also, if tweeters are mostly just about inaudible, do many people really notice if they are blown?
It also seems to me possible that if tweeters do have extended frequency range and if modern amps are also capable of extended frequency range, that some recordings which have been made using digital filter techniques which trade signals in audible ranges for signals way above the audible range, that that could also be a source of problems. Unless there are filters in the circuits to limit ultra high frequency signals, some drivers may be subjected to relatively high energy signals which we mere humans cannot hear.
Most tweeters come in around 1KHz to 5Khz so there's no question their contribution is audible to pretty much anyone no stone deaf.
Heat is the problem, like anything you run power through it's going to get warm, run too much through it will get too hot and fail.
Amplifiers tend to run up to at least 30Khz, usually much higher so if it's in the signal to the amp it will go to the tweeter.
Ultrasonic frequencies will heat up the tweeter even though they can't be heard, a good argument for not using 'hi rez' playback.
dave2010
22-07-2021, 13:54
Most tweeters come in around 1KHz to 5Khz so there's no question their contribution is audible to pretty much anyone not stone deaf.
Does it depend on the overall speaker design? I have had 3 drive unit systems in the past, and I'm not sure that there was much coming out of the topmost driver.
I was assuming a lower frequency cut off somewhere around 5-7kHz or even higher, so obviously if the actual range for current system models is 1-5 kHz there will be audible sound for most people.
Heat is the problem, like anything you run power through it's going to get warm, run too much through it will get too hot and fail.
Amplifiers tend to run up to at least 30Khz, usually much higher so if it's in the signal to the amp it will go to the tweeter. Makes sense.
Though how much heating is going to be needed to push these things out of operation - not sure. I suppose heat could do one of several things:
1. burn out the coils
2. change the dimensions of the vibrating parts - causing them to jam - with consequent further heating and catastrophic failure
Ultrasonic frequencies will heat up the tweeter even though they can't be heard, a good argument for not using 'hi rez' playback.
Noise shaping techniques in some recordings and playback devices deliberately shift some noise up above audible limits. If this really is a problem, then filters to avoid it should be installed - preferably before the damage occurs.
Does it depend on the overall speaker design? I have had 3 drive unit systems in the past, and I'm not sure that there was much coming out of the topmost driver.
yes it does but i did say 'most' not all. With a three way it depends on the midrange driver and how far up it is run.
I was assuming a lower frequency cut off somewhere around 5-7kHz or even higher, so obviously if the actual range for current system models is 1-5 kHz there will be audible sound for most people.
yes, assuming undamaged hearing you're going to hear up to at least 10Khz even of you're very old.
Though how much heating is going to be needed to push these things out of operation - not sure. I suppose heat could do one of several things:
1. burn out the coils
2. change the dimensions of the vibrating parts - causing them to jam - with consequent further heating and catastrophic failure
I'd say burnt out voice coil is the most usual reason for failure
Noise shaping techniques in some recordings and playback devices deliberately shift some noise up above audible limits. If this really is a problem, then filters to avoid it should be installed - preferably before the damage occurs.
probably not an issue in practice as there'd be a lot more people complaining of blown tweeters but it won't help if already playing near the limits of the tweeter's power handling. Best way to filter it is to use the 44.1 setting and steep/brickwall roll off filter on the DAC which will cut off anything above 23 Khz from going to the tweeter. Many/most supposedly hi-res recordings are just noise above that frequency anyway.
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