6 signs it’s time to upgrade your speaker

Like most audio technology, speakers don’t last forever and will eventually need to be replaced. If you use your Bluetooth, portable or bookshelf speakers a lot or have had them for a long time, you’ve probably wondered when it’s time to eventually replace them.

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Whether you have new needs that require new speakers or your regular speakers have clearly deteriorated with use and time, buying new speakers can be costly and personally difficult to justify. We’ll give you some signs that you might need to upgrade your speaker setup or replace your old ones, so you know when it’s time to make that decision.

1 Poor sound quality or volume

Internal damage occurs over time

One of the most obvious signs that you need to upgrade or replace your speakers is a decrease in sound quality over time or the volume is not as loud as it used to be – this is a sign that the speakers are wearing down with use.

When speaker cones tear or split from constant use over time, this will eventually cause a noticeable decrease in the sound quality of your speaker. The foam around the edge of the speaker cone deteriorates over time, becoming hard and brittle, eventually leading to cracking and breaking. This restricts the speaker’s movement and limits the way it can produce sound, thus affecting the quality and volume of your audio.

Additionally, the electrical components inside will wear out over time and use, causing a loss in sound quality. While these parts are technically repairable, it’s a major undertaking for most people, at which point it’s more worthwhile to just replace the speakers.

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2 There is visible external damage

Maybe it’s been dropped too many times or maybe the cat chewed on the cable.

Maybe your kitchen smart speaker is scratched up after eight years of constant use. Or maybe your beach speaker is scuffed from repeated bangs on the concrete. If your speaker has severe visible damage, it may need replacing. While visible damage isn’t necessarily an indication of internal damage (though there can be a correlation), it’s definitely a sign that your speaker has seen enough use and wear to consider replacing it.

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Another visible damage issue that may indicate you need to buy new speakers is broken or frayed cables on fixed speakers that don’t have replaceable cables. Cables with exposed internal components can be a fire hazard, so it’s better to pay for new speakers up front than to have your house burn down.

3 Shorter battery life

Charging time is limited

Battery capacity degrades over time with each charging cycle, which is an unfortunate reality of all battery-powered devices, so if you notice that your Bluetooth speaker no longer holds a charge, it’s definitely time to buy a new one.

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The best way to prevent this is to not use Bluetooth speakers, but of course you’ll need a portable speaker in many situations, especially if you’re an outdoorsy person. Choosing a speaker with an easily replaceable battery will extend the life of your speaker, but right of repair may be difficult to find as right of repair is not very widespread among manufacturers. The next best thing is to get a speaker with a larger battery capacity, so you’ll have fewer charge cycles over the course of your ownership and your speaker’s battery will last longer.

Four If you need different connectivity options

Until universal standards are established, connectivity needs will vary

While speakers may have met your needs up until now, buying a new gaming console, media player, TV, or music subscription means you’ll need new connection options. This means you may need to look for a speaker system or soundbar that supports HDMI ARC to simplify your living room audio cable setup.

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Or maybe you want a speaker that’s compatible with a specific ecosystem or service, like support for Apple Music, or that’s compatible with other specific speakers in your home, like adding to your Sonos ecosystem. You can’t easily retrofit a non-smart speaker to give it smart capabilities, so if you have new connectivity needs like these, upgrading your speaker might be all you need.

Five I want updated features

The options are endless when it comes to unique features

Aside from connectivity, there are many other features you may want in your speakers that you may find lacking. If you’re setting up a home theater and want Dolby Atmos support or 7.1 channel surround sound, you may want to upgrade your speaker setup to meet those needs. You may also want a louder setup or more diverse drivers, such as getting a soundbar with tweeters, more drivers, or an external subwoofer.

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You might also need speakers that are more responsive to your audio quality needs. If you want to start listening to lossless audio, Bluetooth won’t do that and you want to make sure you can hear the whole track. In that case, you’ll need wired speakers or speakers that support wireless connectivity over Wi-Fi, and you’ll need speakers that sound good enough to actually hear the nuances of lossless audio.

6 There is a need for new speakers in the physical environment

Different use cases require different speakers

If your current everyday speaker is portable but not dust-proof or waterproof, or if you’re just getting into hiking, have a pool, or have a toddler who loves to splash around in water, you’ll probably need a different speaker to better meet your needs.

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Or maybe you’ve moved to a larger home and need a soundbar that sounds better in your new space than your current home. As life changes and evolves, our needs change too, and that can be reflected in your speakers.