Deteriorating speakers -- Class A today, C Tomorr

I have to say it. Many of us just have to change our system because we just get bored with it, not because it changes, but because we change. This happens because we either hear something better, more exciting, or we just plain want something new. So, if we wait long enough (usually anywhere from 6 months to as long as 5 years [when the speaker warranty usually expires]) we can get to the point to where we're willing to sell our gear at whatever price -that's where the price ends up going down, in order to sell it faster. Bottom line, whether there is one or not, many of us are always searching for that "utopia" in sound. It's fun (and expensive)!

All speaker drivers, as well as the internal wiring and crossover parts need at least 100 hours of usage before they reach 90-99% performance level. Especially the driver suspensions need to be loosened up in order to move in and out rapidly and uniformly. I've owned over 20 pair of new speakers in the past 15 years, designed and built even more, and all have sounded worse then a broken in set of demo speakers, and did not have the proper low frequency weight or high frequency speed, delicacy or extension until about 100 hours or more. Also, the wiring, resistors, and film capacitors need to be "burned-in". As far as the effects of old age on drivers, as long as the surround around the edge of the cone is not foam, (deteriorates rapidly), cloth or butyl rubber will last and remain consistent in performance indefinitely. The spiders surrounding the motor/voice coil also tend to hold up indefinitely in my experience, however, they can wear out with heavy usage and allow the voice coils to be off-center, which is rare with high end audio gear/usuage.
Also, with use the driver and other mounting screws can become loosened and require tightening from time to time, which can also improve performance.

As dombubble above, I've found that speakers can last a very long time. As Oz notes, some parts may need replacing, but generally they perform. Technology, however, doesn't seem to last that long, and materials & parts improve -- or at least, become cheaper & thereby what was found only in giga$ models yesterday can be had for just(!) mega$ today. In that sense, "overpowering time" is a blessing.
(But the Grande Utopia are mega performers, today too, IMO.) Maybe we shouldn't worry because as W says, we usually change them before they kick the bucket... Cheers

I own a pair of speakers made around 1979 and other than replacing the foam surrounds they are all original. I don't know what they sounded like in 79 but they sound superb in 2002.

I have gone and auditioned some pretty high end gear and compared it with my system at home, the Infinity IRS V for my mains and I have some very low serial number betas as well. They still sound class A to me.