Don't assume. What OS do you have?
Do you have a front sound out jack. Plug the speakers into that instead. Does it work now?
Do you have a pair of headphones with the right jack or an adapter so they will fit. Plug them in. Do they work?
What OS do you have?
It seems more likely to me that the wire inside the cord has broken than that the amplifier died.
What OS do you have?
snipped-for-privacy@none.com wrote in news:n0723b9ootlunlfmtck3k8088oag54ip2n@
4ax.com:
try and lower the bit rate in audio properties.
Before I looked any further, I'd try one more test. Plug a pair of headphones into the jack where you normally plug the speakers and ensure that you have sound at the jack.
I know you mentioned "another computer which you know has working audio" but I'd stick with the system you are using and be 100% sure it's not the system itself. A different computer adds a another variable. There's no need for that - yet. First eliminate the original system as the root cause.
Do you have an audio extension cord between the computer and the speakers? I do and I once found that it had gotten disconnected behind the desk. I discovered this *after* I determined that the computer was fine by using a pair of headphones.
Try getting/buying an entirely different spkr system.
JBL is now jes Chinese junk, so no big loss. I think I got my current pwrd spkrs (Sony Vaio) from a used computer shop, free, and I have another system, complete w/ a sub-woofer, rotting in the shed. Ppl are throwing them away. If you pay more than $15, even new, yer getting screwed. ;)
nb
Did you confirm your computer output, with a different set of speakers? I lost audio one time, and had to reinstall the audio drivers from the CD that came with the computer.
I have a pair of Powered Computer Speakers JBL brand. They worked fine, and suddenly there is no sound. I did not blow them by too high volume, in fact they were shut off, and when I turned them on, they did not work. (I normally have them shut off, since I dont like a "noisy computer". I only turn them on to play MP3 songs, or to watch a video.
They are powered from a wall transformer, which apparently is working because when I push the "ON" button, the light lights up, and I hear a slight click in the speakers.
But they dont play the sound coming from the computer. (Yes, they are in the correct plug on the computer). Thinking there was a problem with the computer audio, I plugged these speakers into another computer (which I know has working audio). Still no sound. I also know that normally, touching the tip of the cord (speaker input wire that goes to the computer), that a hum is heard. Now, there is no hum.
I'm assuming that there is an amplifier board inside the speakers, and it must have somehow died. I have not yet attempted to open them. It looks like there is a screw on the bottom, hidden behind the stand. Whether that will open it, is questionable.
I suppose I should just buy new speakers, but these were good sounding and quite expensive, so I'd like to see if they can be fixed. Have any of you ever repaired these things? Is there an actual amplifier board, or is it just a chip? I have my doubts about finding any replacement parts, unless it's just a capacitor or power supply diode. Or, might there be a fuse???
Thanks
If there is no hum then indeed they are dead and not worth fooling with any more except for one thing:
This is very rare but I've seen it twice now... the power brick has failed but not completely. Enough power to turn on a light but the voltage drops under load.
Possible that's what happened but not likely
There is no extension, and it was plugged directly into computer. While the cord could have a break, it's highly doubtful since the wire has not been moved around, it's just been plugged into the computer and not disturbed. I dont own any headphones. I never could stand them. I do have a pair of battery powered mini speakers somewhere around here (for a laptop). When I find them, I'll try them. Either way, if you read the part where I sand there is no hum when I touch the tip of the plug, that alone says the speakers are dead.
I can now see that these speakers cant be opened without destroying them. I took out that screw behind the stand, and the 2 halves of the plastic case wont separate. I drove a screwdriver into the crack and it will not pry apart. It appears that there may be more screws under the cloth over the front of the case, and that cloth is not removable. So either I start making holes in the cloth or just toss them, and buy new speakers. Just more disposible crap that can not be repaired.....
I think it's time to go shopping!!!
By the way, they look like this.
I think you're right. I actually have some small non-powered speakers with a sub woofer and all of that. (made for a home entertainment center). I think I'll look online for a small amplifier, and just use those. At least those speakers are in real boxes that can be opened.
I paid $10 for these JBL ones about 5 years ago, at a garage sale. They were nice while they lasted.
Ideally, I'd run the sound thru an actual stereo system with BIG speakers. I used to do that, but I dont have the room for that in my bedroom, which is where I have my computer now.
Even though these JBLs had decent sound, they were nothing like a REAL Stereo.
Everybody everybody!!
Orig. Poster: Quickly the speakers into your smartphone or music player and plays something through it! Sheez!
If you actually hear music through those speakers, then your computer/OS is suspect.
RP,
Assuming a Windows OS, there is some sort of audio control panel. Go under the control panel, find it and see if it's set up to run your speakers. This control panel should say SOUND. There may also be a control panel for your sound card. Play with the various controls. Google your speakers to see if they may be opened easily. Got a voltmeter? What's your power supply voltage? Check the continuity of the input cable. Cheap speakers aree always available on CraigsList.
Dave M.
First things first - confirm the computer is producing sound in headphones. If not make suere speakers are not muted. Sometimes removing and replacing the audio drivers is required. IF you have sound in the headphones it is a speaker problem. Many GOOD speakers have detachable audio cables - the cable could be bad (or plugged into the wrong jack on the speaker - or even the computer)
An alternative way to test is to plug the speakers into the headphone jack of any portable audio source - like an MP# player.
JBL = Junky But Loud
There is almost always a way to open them. I'd bet, gently prying up the grill will reveal some screws ... if indeed there are no other screws. I once heard of an old film camera that had no screws. But, if you turned the film wind know, which had a small hole in it, to a particular spot, and looked into the hole, there was a screw behind the knob. That screw opened the camera body.
That suggests that either the speakers are dead or the cable is bad (or the jack that you plug the cable into has gone bad - I've seen this before).
Jon
I've had this happen many times.
Almost always it was fixable from the control panel. Somehow the sound settings got changed.
I have actual stereo amps connected to the laptops. Watch yard sales, you can get a good older one for $5 to $10 now that everybody wants 5.1 or 7.1 sound.
the first thing to do is to unplug and then replug in all cords.
sometimes a cord may look connected, but can get some oxidation, dust or gunk in it which stops conductivity.
worth a shot.
a blown fuse is another option, some manufacturers make it easy to replace them and others don't.
also, if you are trying to open the units see if there is a manual on-line for them (often there is or for similar units) so you can see how to open them easily. those little rubber footies underneath often can hide connectors...
songbird
p.s. check your mute settings for the global sound and for the speakers themselves. sometimes things get clicked when you're not looking...
songbird
snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca posted for all of us...
Haha +1
I got it apart. The whole grill comes off. The cloth is attached to a plastic frame and it all pops off. Under there are 4 screws, (plus that obvious rear screw on the back). 5 screws total and it came apart.
As far as testing it. The wall module is marked 12VDC. It measures 15.5 volts, with or without the power switch turned on. That's pretty normal, since a car's battery voltage is about the same. (I'm using an analog VOM meter).
Placing the black lead on a known ground, I am seeing a voltage at random places on the circuit board, such as resistor leads. There are two IC chips on the board, one smaller one (Preamp), one larger one with a heat sink, (Audio Output). The heat sink gets warm if the power is left turned on for awhile. Of course I have no schematic so I cant actually do any actual testing, and ICs are generally near impossible to find replacements for.
Other tests: The input cord has a resistance on both L & R channels to the tip of the cord (with my meter on 1K ohm scale). So that tells me the cord is ok. The actual speaker inside of the case clicks when I touch my test leads to the terminals (with circuit board wires unplugged from it). That indicates the actual speaker is ok.
There are no visual bad parts such as a charred part(s) or bulging capacitors, and from what I can see on that tiny board, there are no loose solder joints or cracks in the board.
This pretty much tells me that the amplifier circuit (board) is bad. Probably one of the chips failed. I'm not sure why the output chip heat sink is getting warm with no sound coming out of it. That may be the failed part, or maybe the preamp chip????? Either way, I now know it's the board itself, and without a schematic and all sorts of testing devices, it's not really possible to test any further. (Nor worth my time).
I'll have to go on craigslist and find some new speakers.
I'm going to save the actual speakers from these. They may come in handy for some other use.
It's kind of weird how this speaker was working fine the last time I used it. I turned it off, and when I turned it on, it was dead. Nothing was disturbed. But I suppose some part died, either a IC chip or capacitor (most likely).
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