Comments on: Diagnose computer speakers or replace them?

Question: Diagnose computer speakers or replace them?

JoanArkham — Wed, 23 Jun 2004 05:55:41 -0800

When I got home from work yesterday, my computer speakers were making an incredibly horrible noise. When I unplugged them, the transformer was hot to the touch. There were storms in the area yesterday, although the surge protector plugged into the same outlet wasn't tripped and nothing else in the house seems to have been damaged. (The speakers were plugged directly into the wall, not the surge protector, because I had run out of room.)

So my question: would it be dangerous to plug them back in tonight and see if they're a lost cause? Should I just buy some new speakers and be done with it? (The speakers were expensive, but about 6 years old.)

By: Smart Dalek

Smart Dalek — Wed, 23 Jun 2004 06:04:39 -0800

It's possible the transformer's just old and needs to be replaced. The speakers should be fine.

Power "bricks" are cheaply made, and will malfunction after a few years. In some cases, the plastic covering will melt, or even catch fire. Take note of the power rating before purchasing a substitute from any electronics store/department.

By: tommasz

tommasz — Wed, 23 Jun 2004 07:44:46 -0800

Buy new. They get better and cheaper over time so you're likely to get better sound for the same money.

Also, you should check your sound card before you buy speakers to make sure it hasn't also been damaged. Headphones are fine for this. I had a similar incident to you and only after I bought new speakers did I discover the additional damage.

By: Keyser Soze

Keyser Soze — Wed, 23 Jun 2004 07:55:43 -0800

Good speakers+low quality sound card= Low sound quality. If you want good sound, try plugging a 24bit sound card into your home stereo. It sounds like overkill but is in fact easy to do, not to mention the sound difference is worth it.

By: Goofyy

Goofyy — Wed, 23 Jun 2004 23:25:45 -0800

So, did you try them, and if so, what happened?