Have your speakers suddenly started making static buzzing sounds every time you try to play your favorite songs? We understand how annoying of an ordeal it can get. But if you’re thinking of replacing your speakers and buying a new set only for this reason – then you’ll be making a mistake.
What if we told you that you can fix the noise problems yourself after reading this article? That’s right. Let us walk you though some of the popular troubleshooting techniques on how to eliminate static noise from speakers.
Why Do Speakers Often Make Buzzing Noises?
If you want to solve the issues, you must figure out what the issues are first. There could be so many things wrong with your speakers – dirty jacks, damaged wires, poor-quality cables, etc. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of all the possible reasons to help you out with your diagnosis. Let’s go!
1. Rusty Speaker Jacks
As you already know, your speaker has multiple audio jacks here and there for plugging in an external audio source such as your smartphone, iphone or a computer. We can’t forget about the input and output jacks as well.
If your speaker jacks have metallic collars, they may have gotten rusty over time – perhaps due to frequently coming in contact with moisture or simply because it’s an old model you’ve been using for years. For this reason, the connections are poor and the external devices don’t get properly inserted, causing the static noise.
However, if your speaker jacks look all fine and polished, move onto the next one.
2. Obstruction by Nearby Devices
If some other electronic devices nearby have Bluetooth activated, the signals in the form of electromagnetic fields of those devices may meddle with the speaker coils. Consequently, your speaker starts to make weird noises.
3. Loose Cable Connections
If the cable connections are loose and not firm enough, chances are that your speaker is generating crackling sounds to indicate short circuits being caused in those connections.
4. Computer Isn’t Grounded
If you notice that your speakers make such static noises every time you connect it to your PC or computer – one possible reason is because your computer isn’t properly grounded, meaning, the free-flowing electrons or static charges are flowing from your computer to your speakers. Hence the buzzing sounds.
5. Physical Damage
If your speakers got hit hard by a heavy object or had fallen down flat on the floor in the past few days, perhaps the static noise is because of the physical damage.
6. Internal Damages
Although it’s easier to detect scars on the external surface from any physical damage, it’s extremely difficult to figure out if any internal components of the speakers – such as the wires, magnet, graphics card, gasket or coils have become faulty and need repairing or replacing.
7. Incorrect Audio Settings
If you notice that the static noises begin right after you play music, it’s probably because something’s wrong with the EQ or audio settings and even the media clip.
How to Get Rid of Static Noise Coming From Speakers?
Here are ten suggestions for you to follow if you want to enjoy a smooth music streaming experience without any background static noises coming from your speakers:
1. If you have big electronic devices like a refrigerator, microwave oven, a Wifi router or a radio very close to the speakers, try moving them farther away to eliminate the possibility of electromagnetic interference from the surroundings.
2. In case of low-quality, substandard power supply units and adapters, they will not properly tackle the fluctuations in AC power circuits. What you can do is change the speaker power cables for better ones and use a surge protector. Moreover, a DI box can also help to balance the fluctuations in the AC power units.
3. If it’s confirmed that the main culprit behind the problem is your computer, you may consider ‘grounding’ it simply through any metallic wire or ESD connectors to bypass the free-flowing charge from your computer to the speaker.
4. If you notice that something’s wrong with the supplied power source, you may want to use an external DAC to eliminate internal noises as the internal DAC which comes with the sound card isn’t powerful enough to do so.
5. Update the existing wires and cables. If the wires got entangled, are of poor-quality or have become damaged, consider replacing them with better copper wires. If you want to buy new cables for your speakers, choose the high-end ones that have copper or aluminum shields and ferrite beads – although can be expensive, but will be long-lasting.
6. Sometimes, if the speaker volume is set at its highest, you may hear some minor static noises. If that’s the case, try lowering the volume and amplifier gain. You may do it through your phone or computer as well if they are connected to your speakers.
7. If you’re doubting that the speaker driver inside may have gotten corrupted, you must update the driver or you can permanently uninstall the driver and reinstall from scratch using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller)
8. If the speaker jacks are deeply covered with dust and debris, you should perform a thorough cleanup. Grab a cotton swab, clean napkin and isopropyl alcohol to wipe all around the edges, center and corners. Once the jacks are cleaned up and no longer wet, reconnect the cables.
9. Do the audio cable connections feel too loose? You need to tighten them up by unplugging all the cables first and inserting them back in with good force. You may also want to replace the cables if they refuse to firmly stay in place.
10. Last but not least, you should consider using a power conditioner. What does it do? It will filter out any internal noises caused by the electrical signals and supply your speaker with clean power.
Final Thoughts
Hope you were able to get rid of static noises from your speakers after successfully troubleshooting and following our guidelines.
Always remember – prevention is better than cure. With some love, care and regular maintenance, you can prevent your speakers from producing static buzzing noises in the future again. Always be on the lookout for any damages or tears and most importantly – do regular clean-ups through rubbing alcohol or wet wipes and don’t let your speaker compartments get smothered with dirt particles.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What causes static noise in speakers?
Answer: Your speakers could be producing static buzzing noises if – the wires are faulty, the speaker jacks are dirty or rusty, audio cables are loose or damaged, power supply units are faulty and of poor quality. The noises can also be caused by incorrect audio settings, corrupted graphics card and speaker driver, physical damages, interference in the electromagnetic fields caused by nearby electrical devices or simply due to internal technical issues.
2. How do I stop white noise on my speakers?
Answer: White noise on speakers is typically caused by loose connections. You should thoroughly examine the wirings and cables – if they are tangled, loose, worn-out or damaged. Or you can simply upgrade the wiring set and replace with greater-quality ones.
3. Why do my speakers sound fuzzy?
Answer: If any of the internal components of your speaker is of poor-quality and on the verge of wearing out, you may notice sound distortions from your speakers, making it sound fuzzy. You should diagnose all the wires, cables, jacks and all the other important components to identify where specifically the problem lies. You may also seek professional help from an electric technician.
4. Does static noise damage speakers?
Answer: Yes, if the problem is left untreated for long durations or even days, some internal components can become permanently damaged. It’s not wise to delay and you should start troubleshooting immediately.
