Do Car Speakers Get Quieter Over Time?


All devices feel the impact of use over time, and this can directly affect their performance as time goes on. We often don’t even consider that our devices can wear down in such a fashion until it’s already too late. The same can be said of car speakers, which are often forgotten about by the average car owner.

However, an audiophile is no ordinary car owner, and it makes sense why many of them would want the answer to this long-standing question. Do car speakers get quieter as time goes on? Or do they have such a massive life span that it’s never an issue?

Yes, as we said earlier, all devices, including car speakers, wear down over time and thus have the potential of getting quieter. However, the quality of your speakers will greatly affect exactly how long it will take for the speakers to be noticeably less effective and significantly quieter.

In this article, we’ll be going over all the different facets that act as reasons why car speakers particularly get quieter over time. This will slightly compare car speakers to regular speakers, which might have a longer or shorter expiry date depending on their make and model.

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Have Your Car Speakers Gotten Quieter?

Many people who have had their cars, and more importantly their car speakers, for a very long time, will begin to notice that even with the stereo set to max level you often cannot hear the full volume of your car speakers. Instead, you are probably only able to listen to maybe a fraction of that total audio power.

In the eventuality that your car speakers are becoming quieter, then you should check out both of your cars and your driving because both of them have some sort of effect on the internal mechanism of the car speakers, which can ultimately cause damage and reduce some functionality.

All of this is to say that, yes, your car speakers can get quieter as time progresses. This is because, unlike stationary speakers, which usually are not jiggled around everywhere and do not have to constantly be available on command, car speakers are far more prone to damage and loss of parts.

Inefficient Audio Systems Get Quieter

The biggest issue with having car speakers installed into your ride is that they usually do not have the power capacity that matches the output of your audio system. And this can be a major problem as it is one of the primary factors that can negatively impact your car speaker’s performance.

Especially when it comes to how loud a particular sound can become, you see it is the power rating of the output; within this case, it’s the audio system that largely dictates the ability of the receiver; in this case, a car’s speaker, to produce an accurate, loud, sound.

If the original is out of the speakers and the device that you are using does not match, then what this causes is that an audio signal with extremely low energy goes into the microphone or speaker, and that can produce scuffed or heavily weakened, or quieter audios then we are used to.

Without a separate device, such as an external amplifier, this issue of car speakers getting far quieter over time cannot be easily solved. As the more wear and tear the car goes through, the more likely it comes that the car speakers simply would not be able to handle such situations and would weaken over time.

Related: Why Do My Car Speakers Smell Like They Are Burning?

So What Is The Solution To This Issue?

One of the primary ways in which we can solve this issue is by removing our old and worn-out speakers and installing a new, more powerful set. Since we know there is a potential that the speakers themselves might be weaker over time and might have sustained damage, the blame could solely lie on them.

This would mean that the first thing that most people should look into is replacing their car speakers as soon as they begin to realize that they simply cannot keep up with your specific song requirements. However, this is not the only issue to report, and often even brand new speakers might face this issue.

Many new speakers face the issue of quietness due to the power difference in their outputs, as we discussed earlier in this article. This means that to fix the solution regarding a weaker input device, you will be required to purchase an item such as an external amplifier.

The specific duty of an amplifier is that it increases the audio output power of the input device, in this case, the car’s audio system, and makes it compatible with the speakers connected at the moment. If your main issue is your new speakers are quieter, then this solution should not only improve your situation but can often be a significant upgrade to your baseline earlier.

However, regardless of the solution that you decide on, you will need to ensure that wiring is not an issue either. Making sure that your wires are not bleeding out information or are not the reason why your audio system is losing power is important and might save you from making a huge purchase that you’ll regret.

Remember, now, a wiring kit can truly be your friend. And devices that help you check the efficiency of your wiring, speakers, and input devices can be essential when examining the problem of quieter speakers, especially over a long period.


And that’s about all you need to know regarding the question Do car speakers get quieter over time? The answer is a resounding yes, because of the various issues that can arise with time.

Speakers can get worn out or damaged, wiring can become faulty, and your input device can be a mismatch for your speaker system. A host of possibilities exist in this particular scenario. And we’ll note a few solutions to each of them within this article for your convenience. Stay safe, folks! Peace.

Audiophile Haven

AudiophileHaven is a site dedicated to Hi-Fi audio, and helping others learn more about premium quality sound equipment.

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