How long do high quality speakers "last"

Loudspeaker degradation takes on various forms. Almost all speaker designs fall victim to some kind of change with age. In the case of the ProAc Response 2's, look for the following: 1).- The Scan-Speak silk-dome tweeters could eventually lose their stiffness as they are exposed to humidity. As these become softer, their response could change. 2).- The ATC drivers (woofer-mid), if they have a foam surrounds, they will eventually get dry-rot and disintegrate. If the surrounds are of buytl rubber, this material increases in stiffness over time, which changes the response, and eventually will tear under excursion. Buytl surrounds, being difficult to attach to polymer/plastic cones, sometimes detach from the cone as the glue, much like contact cement, dries out. Some manufacturers prevent this by sewing their buytl surrounds to the cones. Lifespan? It could be easily twenty years. However, loudspeaker technology is not one of quantum leaps but of small refinements, which with the passing years means much better loudspeakers in general. The trick is to keep listening to what's available and judge whether it is "better or worse" than what you have. After nine years with the same speakers, this listener recently went looking for something "better" and found it. Nontheless, although better, the new speakers were not strikingly different from the old, just more "refined".

Depending on your budget and changing tastes,there is a great alternative to expensive future replacement of your component speakers.There is a process called reconing as where you remove your old speakers from the cabinet and send them to a reputable company.Proper reconing will make component speakers sound brand new again ,will have the life of any top level speaker,is the same exact speaker that came with your cabinet,and will be alot less expensive than a manufacturers'replacement.Try this site more info. www.nauticom.net/www/speakers

If you have foam surrounds on the cones, expect them to rot away eventually. Check periodically. It can be repaired. If you drive them hard with amp clipping, expect to cook a voice coil or have the coil former start to rub and buzz. A balance between amp power and speaker rating can reduce that chance. Read the instructions for your speakers. Quality speakers last for decades if used within their comfort zone. Maybe you should consider some kind of high output/efficiency speakers for just rock.

I have had one reconed. Have had some 20 years.  "Quality speakers last for decades if used within their comfort zone." I sold one pair which failed but a guy who was there told me that they were on the floor and they were bouncing up and down before they went.

Much will depend on the owner's treatment.