A small dent in a speaker cone usually doesn't significantly affect sound quality because the cone is designed to flex and vibrate across its entire surface, meaning a localized dent doesn't drastically disrupt its movement, especially if it's only on the dust cap which is primarily a protective layer; the key factor is that the cone material remains intact and can still move freely to produce sound waves.
Key points to consider:
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Dust cap function:
The part that usually gets dented is the "dust cap," which sits on the center of the cone and is mainly there to protect the voice coil from dust - not to contribute significantly to sound production.
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Cone material properties:
Speaker cones are designed with materials that can flex and vibrate evenly, so a small dent might not disrupt this movement enough to cause a noticeable sound quality change.
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Severity of damage:
While a small dent might be negligible, large dents or tears in the cone can significantly affect sound quality by disrupting the cone's ability to move properly.