Buzzing Speakers

Maxim Tomato

I own a pair of Swan M200 Speakers.

Early this morning, I was awoken by a loud buzzing, which I determined to be coming from my desktop speakers. I unplugged them from the output source (my laptop), but the buzzing persisted, so I turned them off for a while. When I turned them back on, still unplugged from my lappy, the buzzing continued. I didn't have time to play with them more, because I had to go to work. They are now unplugged and powered off until I get home. Any ideas what could be causing this? Are my speakers shot? I don't have the cash to buy another pair, unfortunately. I'll be pretty bummed if I can't salvage them. They're great.

Oh, it should also be noted that the volume of the buzzing was inconsistent with the volume setting on the knob. It was much louder than the setting would indicate.

Halp?

Raneados

i've heard of some cases where there's something on nearby causing this to happen

hmm

like this guy
http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/p/126972/1283803.aspx

his was from a dimmer switch

Maxim Tomato

Hm, interesting thread. I'll have to play around with them when I get home. I should also add that they (the speakers) are almost always on, and they have been in the same location for almost a year.

DragonPup

Where do you keep your cell phone? Cell phones and cordless phones near speakers or the wiring can causing buzzing.

Maxim Tomato

The only interference caused by my cell phone occurs just before receiving a call or a text message. Otherwise, it has never caused any issues. I got sent home early from work, so I'm here playing with my speakers now. I tried opening them up to see if the buzzing was coming from the power supply or some such thing. It's not, as far as I can tell, and I'm afraid to play with the other goodies. I could have saved myself the effort by holding my ear to each speaker, but I often overlook simpler solutions.

The volume of the buzzing is independent of both the volume knob and the setting on my computer.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Darkewolfe

Probably unrelated, but my speakers will occasionally pick up radio stations when there's no sound coming through them. Not pick up as in play loudly, but just this tinny, barely at the threshold of hearing sound. It's pretty creepy at 3am.

romanqwerty

My guess is that they are picking up RF intereference (similar to what you mentioned with your cellphone) likely caused by some incorrectly shielded electrical device/circuitry. Try taking out all the electronics in your room out of it and see if it persists. Is your house on multiple circuits, if so, can you switch of the power to your room, and run the speakers from an extension cord to another room? Its possible that the light circuitry is behaving dodgily.

EclecticGroove

Darkewolfe wrote: »

Probably unrelated, but my speakers will occasionally pick up radio stations when there's no sound coming through them. Not pick up as in play loudly, but just this tinny, barely at the threshold of hearing sound. It's pretty creepy at 3am.

My computer speakers occasionally pick up CB Radio from truckers on the local highway... it usually starts as a low whisper, and can sometimes build up till it's blaring at almost full volume... try THAT at 3AM... first time it happened I had no idea wtf was going on, I jumped out of bed quick as hell.

Iceman.USAF

You know, I work as an Engineer in the AF. We got a request last week to move a microphone for the AF Band because their recording equipment was picking up some electronic noise. We kinda laughed and said "yeah we'll get to it" kind of attitude.

You know what it was? Dimmer switch. I wouldn't have even commented but that first post made me think of it.

Also, you could try grabbing one of these from your local radio shack. You can probably find them cheaper too.

Maxim Tomato

Iceman.USAF wrote: »

You know, I work as an Engineer in the AF. We got a request last week to move a microphone for the AF Band because their recording equipment was picking up some electronic noise. We kinda laughed and said "yeah we'll get to it" kind of attitude.

You know what it was? Dimmer switch. I wouldn't have even commented but that first post made me think of it.

Also, you could try grabbing one of these from your local radio shack. You can probably find them cheaper too.

I'll give one of these a try. If it persists, can I assume it's some other component within the speakers?

Iceman.USAF

Honestly I'm not smart enough on speakers to know. I just know that a ground loop isolator solved my problem with my receiver and speakers (similiar to what you've got going on).