Have my speakers just blown?

[EvoKazz]

Hiya WHIFI guys, I have been using some Cambridge Soundworks Megaworks THX Speakers for about 8 years, and they have been immensly amazing, standing the test of time for all my PC needs. About 2 weeks ago, I put some music on, and realised the right speaker wasn't working. I unplugged the cable from the back of the PC, and plugged it back in, and everything worked fine. Today the same thing happened, so I did the same, and both speakers are working now.

However, now when I turn the volume up to anything above 25/100 I get an insane crackle/pop from the left speaker, if I turn the volume down it goes away, what does this mean? I tried a different sound card, same results, plugged it into a different outlet, and wiggled the wires, all the same results, have my speakers finally decided to die? Or could it be something else?

 

[EvoKazz]

Just noticed when changing volume on the speaker itself, it doesn't crackle, but in Windows 8 it does, any ideas?

 

[Kefref]

Can you swap the left and right speakers to try and find out if the speaker is faulty, i gather these are powered but do the have independant connectors?

Swapping the speakers over should narrow it down a bit. Or try a set of headphones in each of the audio ports and see if cranking the headphones has the same result in the same port.

If so may be a driver conflict/issue in windows, try reinstalling the software/drivers.

You need to try and narrow it down a bit.

Although there is a good chance that something has gone wrong with the active electronics inside the speaker. Could just be a faulty capacitor, or the voice coil could be gone in the speaker itself.

 

[EvoKazz]

Can you swap the left and right speakers to try and find out if the speaker is faulty, i gather these are powered but do the have independant connectors?

Swapping the speakers over should narrow it down a bit. Or try a set of headphones in each of the audio ports and see if cranking the headphones has the same result in the same port.

If so may be a driver conflict/issue in windows, try reinstalling the software/drivers.

You need to try and narrow it down a bit.

Although there is a good chance that something has gone wrong with the active electronics inside the speaker. Could just be a faulty capacitor, or the voice coil could be gone in the speaker itself.

I just unplgueed the left one (crackling one), and I put it into the right socket, it works fine, I plugged the working right speaker into the left socket, and now thats crackling, so its not the speakers, but it seems the left socket on the Sub is at fault, would this also rule out a driver problem? Im guessing so seen as I tried 2 sound cards lol. Anymore info appreciated.

 

[Kefref]

Can you swap the left and right speakers to try and find out if the speaker is faulty, i gather these are powered but do the have independant connectors?

Swapping the speakers over should narrow it down a bit. Or try a set of headphones in each of the audio ports and see if cranking the headphones has the same result in the same port.

If so may be a driver conflict/issue in windows, try reinstalling the software/drivers.

You need to try and narrow it down a bit.

Although there is a good chance that something has gone wrong with the active electronics inside the speaker. Could just be a faulty capacitor, or the voice coil could be gone in the speaker itself.

I just unplgueed the left one (crackling one), and I put it into the right socket, it works fine, I plugged the working right speaker into the left socket, and now thats crackling, so its not the speakers, but it seems the left socket on the Sub is at fault, would this also rule out a driver problem? Im guessing so seen as I tried 2 sound cards lol. Anymore info appreciated.

So it is not the speaker, and if you tried another soundcard then unlikely it is pc related. Although you could try another source like an ipod or similar to confirm this is the case.

Sounds very much like an issue with the sub, if you are lucky it is a faulty rca socket where the speaker plugs in. which should be quite easy to repair if you are handy with such things. if not, then it is a more serious fault with the amp circuitry in the sub.

Maybe let someone with electrical skills have a look and see if it is an easy fix.

 

[EvoKazz]

What's strange is the issue only happens when I changed the Windows volume, if the volume from the sub is changed its fine! This is a recent change though as before I used Windows volume all the time.