Protection System for High-Power Speakers

I don't know whether this helps or not, but a friend of mine delighted in going to high end stereo stores and bringing his own CD with him. The CD was a really intense synthesizer artist that used massive and sudden transients. He'd blow out multiple thousand dollar speakers, then walk out with a grin.

It wasn't until speakers carried the "Digital Ready" label that his fun was busted. Anyway, 99.99% of his attacks were based around sudden and massive transients. If you can protect yourself against these, I'm guessing you'll be OK.

In the same context, when I purchased my first high-end system, the dealer was quite happy to GIVE me a copy of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture (remastered vinyl) in which the "Real-Thing" cannons were employed ... torturing ANY system with a thundering roll-down to 6 hertz! For a long while, I held "bragging rights", as I could raise-the-rafters, so-to-speak, while my friends' systems would either produce a belching sound or shut-down altogether! IEEE has all the answers you could hope for, many of which were contributed by long-time Fellow (of IEEE fame) Paul W. Klipsch. Visit www.klipsch.com and see if you can still obtain a full set of the "Klipsch Audio Papers". Fascinating stuff.

Four separate alternatives, with ever-increasing cost:

1. Use Dynamic Audio Compander to reduce dynamic range by at least 24 dbv

2. Use Separate On-Speaker Power Amps

3. Use Hi Slew-Rate Speakers with cooling lubricant coils for low and mid, and piezo elements for high frequencies

4. Use Electrostatic Speaker System

Twenty years ago we work as Disc Jockey. Louspeakers were too expensive. We protect them using an low value resistor in series and high power buffered zener in paralell with speaker. High power bipolar zener can be made using a bridge rectifier, power transistor as MJ15023, standard zener diode and a little resistor. I have not mode to post images here. If you wish a schematic write me at eduardoreimundo@arnet.com.ar.

I can't seem to get your e-mail address to work ....so I am going this way.

I am very interested in the schematics that you speek of, I am a self-taught live sound tech and it would be very useful to me and the bands I work for. My E-mail address is crowpipe@msn.com

Thank you for your time.

Shawn.

you can connect one lamp in seriese with your LS for example

if you have 100 watt LS just connect 24vdc and 240watt lamp in series when your LS consume high current lamp will glow in other case it will work as it is. it protect your LS as well your Ampplifier.

Hi,

I dont think its a problem today now. every matched power amplifier has a good perfect protector for speaker at on/off station.

( because the speaker can easily be burn at on/off state)

The second, match your power amplifier wit y your speaker. both power and resistant. how to select power amplifier may be a problem.