My friend Ricardo got a pair of new speakers before his birthday bash. Sadly, the speaker started popping a huge noise when turned off. Of course, he was feeling very bad about it. He needed an instant solution and asked for my help. Luckily, I followed a simple hack and fixed it instantly!
If your speaker also makes such popping noise and you are looking for solutions, voila! This is the right place to dig in! This article will tell you a few hacks so you could say bye-bye to this annoying problem!
Why Does My Speaker Pop Up Noise When I Turn It Off?
You need to diagnose and understand the problem first and then opt for its solutions. Now tell me, what makes this popping noise?
Well, in most systems out there, you get a voltage transformer and a capacitor. These get charged while you turn your system on. Again, they get discharged while you are turning the system off. This discharge generates a reverse current on your device output. This treats as a signal coming from the amplifier and thereby results in the popping sound.
Other reasons include:
- A disrupted/broken audio signal
- Interrupted electrical current/AC signal
- Loose cables/connections
- Dirt and debris
- Faulty output transistor, resulting in the increase of the DC drift.
- Cheap amplifier circuits
- Cheap and aged capacitors
- Design flaws
An Easy Troubleshooting Step To Fix This Problem
This problem can be solved if you follow the following troubleshooting steps:
- Inspect all the connecting wires. Play your speaker at a low volume while you wiggle the wires and identify the faulty ones. Also, confirm that the wires are securely connected to both the speakers and the audio device.
- Now turn OFF the speakers. If possible, turn off the nearby electronic devices to avoid the interference of signals.
- After you identify the faulty wires, replace them with new ones. And make sure that all the connections are snug and secure.
- Once you finish, turn it ON while observing whether there is any more popping sound coming from your speaker.
Tip: A general rule of thumb is to power on the speakers before any other devices. And turning it off at the last.
A Few Hacks To Get Rid Of This Problem
1. Add A Relay
Add a relay on your signal processors. So while turning off the system, the generated reverse current gets already off. For this, you need a power supply and a relay module. As a matter of fact, many amps these days have protective relays.
However, you must make sure that the relay input voltage turns out to be the same as the power supply output voltage. Also, the relay contact voltage and current must be higher than the power you need to connect the devices.
- Start by cutting off the wires to the power supply where you want to add a relay.
- Connect the neutral wire right from before the switch. And connect your power supply to the neutral wire right after the switch.
- Now add a relay module while putting the jumper from the positive to the input.
- Next, connect a phase wire to open the relay contact.
- This time, when you turn off the system, the capacitors on the power supply will keep the relay on which makes the delay on the power outlet that’s connected to your relay.
2. Ensure An Uninterrupted Power Supply
When there is a frequent interruption of the power supply between your speaker and the audio input source, this results in a popping noise.
Right when you turn it on, the output transistors transmit DC to your speakers. As a result, you hear the ‘pop’ sound immediately after turning it on. Therefore, an uninterrupted electrical power supply will help to prevent such issues.
3. Cheap And Aged Capacitors
Cheap and faulty capacitors might also be responsible for the popping sound. So you need to check the capacitors as well.
If there is an aged capacitor, it might remain partially discharged even after you turn it off. The next time you turn on your speaker, it might still hold power and produce this popping noise.
Similarly, when there is a leaky electrolytic capacitor, at a certain temperature it might discharge suddenly and result in this popping noise. Make sure to identify the faulty aged and cheap capacitors and replace them with good quality ones.
4. Faulty Output Transistor
If you add a relay yet you get this popping sound out of your speakers, then it is evident that your amplifier output transistor is faulty. When the output transistor is faulty, the DV drift might rise up to a greater extent.
Additionally, if there are heat issues as well, then this DC drift surpasses the range and the output stage gets all hot! In that case, you need to take it to a repair shop asap. This makes an active threat to your speakers.
5. Dirt, Dust & Debris
Your speaker might get contaminated with dirt and debris but you never knew! Dirt and dust particles could also be one of the reasons why your speaker makes a popping noise. Then again, these dirt particles might block the power signals between your speaker and the audio source.
It might also hinder the smooth ground connection. Due to the signal and connection blocking, there often creates a spark where the power supply gets interrupted. Thereby, you hear the popping noise coming out of your speakers.
In order to clean dirt and debris from your speakers, you can use small vacuums to suck out the dirt particles. Make sure to turn off the speakers and wait for an hour until all the powered capacitors are completely discharged.
6. Use Different Power Supply Sources
Sometimes using different power supply sources solve this problem. If your speaker monitors are powered, you can connect them to their own power source.
Precisely that means, you’d be using different power supply sources for your audio device and your speaker. Try this trick and check if the popping sound continues. It might sound too simple but trust me, it works!
7. Get Rid Of The Faulty Power Strip
Sometimes, it is the power strip that leads to such annoying problems. If the power strip gets faulty, there will be internal issues with the current and signal. As a result, your speaker will not be able to operate smoothly. Hence, it will start making such popping sounds.
There is a power strip tester available that helps you to know whether your power strip/power surge is faulty or not. If it turns out faulty, you can replace it with a new one.
8. Replace Your Speakers
Suppose you have tried all these hacks yet are unable to stop the popping noise, then your speaker might turn defective overall. They might wear out as a result of which, it is unable to operate efficiently.
Moreover, there could be technical issues- your speaker might get damaged internally due to extreme heat. There could be other factors as well. In such cases, you need to replace your faulty speaker with a new one.
Why Does My MacBook Pro Speaker Keep Popping?
When you hear audio that has strong bass in full volume and such popping noise comes out of your MacBook speakers follow this easy fix:
- Go to Command Space of your MacBook and type Audio Midi Setup.
- Move to MacBook Pro Speakers and change the default value (88 200 ) hertz to 44 or 48.
Hopefully, that will help you get rid of those annoying popping sounds.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Covering this part of the article with some Frequently asked questions concerning your speaker popping noise. If you would like to know more about it, you can check this section.
Why does my speaker pop when I turn it off?
Your speaker might pop while turning it off due to interruption of AC signals or inappropriate ground connection. It could also be due to loose cable connections or faulty power sources. There could also be dirt and dust particles inside that blocks the signals and thereby you receive this annoying noise.
What does a blown speaker sound like?
A blown speaker might sound more like a buzzing or scratching uncomfortable sound. That means the pitch and note might get rougher. Or it might not produce sound at all.
Can you damage speakers by playing them too loud?
Yes, and it is not recommended at all. In fact, playing the speakers at their highest volume limit will pose threat to their efficiency. Because at high volume, your speaker driver coil melts due to extreme internal heat. As a result, it will get technically damaged over time.
Conclusion
Hope this article helps you to solve the “speaker popping noise when turned off” problem for good! However, if you have tried these hacks yet the popping noise continues, your speaker might have mechanical issues. Things might get out of your hand so you might need professional help. In that case, you can also opt for replacement options.
