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HOW TO AVOID SPEAKER DAMAGE
Use an appropriate amplifier. At high volumes, a very powerful amplifier can overdrive your speakers
and damage them. On the other hand, if your amplifier isn’t powerful enough, it can produce clipping
distortion that can easily damage high-frequency drivers.
(See dealer.)
Don’t be fooled by your amplifier’s volume control. It adjusts listening level—it does not indicate
power output. If your speakers begin to sound harsh or grating, or if you hear the bass breaking up,
turn the volume down immediately or you will damage your speakers! This type of damage constitutes
abuse and is not covered by the warranty!
Tone controls and equalizers can demand even more power from an amplifier, lowering the point at
which it produces clipping distortion. Use them sparingly, if at all, and do not use them when listening
at loud levels.
LISTENING OUTDOORS
Outdoors there are no walls to contain sound. Background noise is louder and the distance listeners
are from the speaker(s) is usually greater. Achieving a reasonable listening level can be more difficult.
The tendency is to turn up the volume, however this may disturb neighbors and when turned up
too high, can seriously damage the speakers or your amplifier.
The solution? In larger areas we recommend using multiple Rock Monitor
™
speakers. Using more
speakers ensures that sound is evenly distributed, allowing for reasonable listening levels at lower
volumes. Demand on the amplifier is reduced and neighbors are not disturbed. Think of it this way:
When lighting a large outdoor area, using multiple floodlights on a dimmer set to a low setting is
far more effective than using a single floodlight with the dimmer set to high.
