I have Solarvox TK19S speakers (bought in 1973 or 74) made in Norway. They have developed severe crackling even if not in use, or whether I play radio, CDs or cassette tapes on my Hifi separates system. How can I dismantle the speakers to check the wiring inside them? If its not the speakers, presumably the Pioneer SX-300 receiver must be at fault.
What do you mean by crackling when not in use?
Do you mean when no music is playing, there is still crackling?
That would indicate electronics, not speakers.
Do you mean when no music is playing, there is still crackling?
That would indicate electronics, not speakers.
For future reference, dismantling the speaker involves unscrewing the woofer and tweeter from the front baffle - see attached images.
There may be capacitors inside that are in need of replacing - but first you must eliminate the probable receiver problem.
There may be capacitors inside that are in need of replacing - but first you must eliminate the probable receiver problem.
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Do you own, or can borrow, a spare stereo amplifier to connect to the speakers for testing purposes?
Alternatively, do you own, or can you borrow, another pair of speakers to test your receiver?
Or more simpy, if you are able to plug headphones into the receiver is the crackling sound present in the headphones?
Or more simpy, if you are able to plug headphones into the receiver is the crackling sound present in the headphones?
That's a shame because we are more than willing to give advice to new and less experienced members.
I hope all is OK with @Confused lady.
If the receiver has been identified as the culprit, it would be nice to be told so in order to bring closure to the thread.
I hope all is OK with @Confused lady.
If the receiver has been identified as the culprit, it would be nice to be told so in order to bring closure to the thread.
Thanks. I've tried some headphones and the sound coming through is not crackling. But there is a problem with the headphone connector which has to have an adapter to make it smaller, and in one position I get no sound on the left. In a setting where the speakers and the headphones are on, the crackling still comes from the speakers but not in the headphones.
Thanks for trying out my headphone suggestion.
It's fairly common for sound to drop out on a channel when headphones are not securely plugged in, so I'll lay that aside for now,
Crackling in the speakers, but not in the headphones, is the issue we need to ponder over.
Borrowing another set of speakers is an obvious trouble shooting route, as would be borrowing another amplifier - is either route possible?
This may sound patronising, but have you checked that the speaker cable connections at the back of the receiver are secure and tight?
It's fairly common for sound to drop out on a channel when headphones are not securely plugged in, so I'll lay that aside for now,
Crackling in the speakers, but not in the headphones, is the issue we need to ponder over.
Borrowing another set of speakers is an obvious trouble shooting route, as would be borrowing another amplifier - is either route possible?
This may sound patronising, but have you checked that the speaker cable connections at the back of the receiver are secure and tight?
The cable on those speakers probably terminates in a plug that inserts into a socket on the back of your desktop PC.
You would need speakers whose cables can connect to your receiver terminals the way the SolarVox ones do.
It may be best to supply us with the make and model of those PC speakers so they can be checked.
You would need speakers whose cables can connect to your receiver terminals the way the SolarVox ones do.
It may be best to supply us with the make and model of those PC speakers so they can be checked.
If you had a way to measure the amplifier output. Even a multimeter could indicate DC or significant AC/noise. It's not clear whether a damaged voice coil may be contributing by scraping, but the speakers are not the likely culprit. Changing them will help you diagnose the problem, but if the other speakers have a reduced sensitivity, it may sound less of a problem.
Yes the PC speakers do have plugs on the end.They are Creative Sound Blaster 5.1 supplied with an Evesham PC in about 2002. However with my current PC I only use 2 speakers and the others are not used at all. Is it feasible to cut off the plugs and make wiring connections to the hifi receiver?
Searching "Creative Sound Blaster 5.1" does no lead me to any information about the speakers.
Provided the speakers are passive speakers, i.e., they have no in-built amplifer, volume control or mains/power supply connection, then you may be able to use them.
A photo would remove my doubts. Alternatively, is there any information written on a label at the rear of the speakers?
Provided the speakers are passive speakers, i.e., they have no in-built amplifer, volume control or mains/power supply connection, then you may be able to use them.
A photo would remove my doubts. Alternatively, is there any information written on a label at the rear of the speakers?
Thanks. The little computers are passive according to your description. There are 5 little speakers but only 2 are connected. There are no labels on these. However they plug into a much larger speaker and that does have controls and connects to the computer and also plugs into the mains. This large speaker does have a label. I attach photos of the small and large speakers and the label and connections.
You can use two of the little speakers as test speakers - see attachment.
You can either cut the RCA plugs off, or purchase RCA socket to bare wire adaptors if you'd rather not - see link.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/RIIEYOCA-2...ca+socket+to+bare+wire+adaptor,aps,574&sr=8-3
You can either cut the RCA plugs off, or purchase RCA socket to bare wire adaptors if you'd rather not - see link.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/RIIEYOCA-2...ca+socket+to+bare+wire+adaptor,aps,574&sr=8-3
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I've tried the computer speakers as test speakers. There is definitely a fault with the left hand speaker terminal. It makes no difference whether I connect the test speaker or the solarvox to the left terminal, there is still background distortion even if the volume is turned down completely. The output from the right hand speaker terminal seems clear whichever speaker type I use. If I have either sort of speaker connected to the right terminal, and nothing at all connected to the left, the sound is fine. Is there a technical problem with running the system just using one speaker, on the right? Alternatively with this Pioneer receiver there are places for A speakers and B speakers so you can have a 4 channel stereo system. The B speaker terminals have never been used. I wonder if it would work if I use the B terminals instead of A.
It would appear that the left hand channel of your receiver may be faulty, producing noise in the speaker even when no music is playing.
If you were to run the system with a speaker on only the right channel, you would have to depress the MONO button on the fascia to combine the L and R stereo signals so that all the music plays through the right speaker. Don't worry about leaving the left channel unconnected as it'll not break anything.
However, you should first connect both speakers to the B terminals and report back with the result.
If you were to run the system with a speaker on only the right channel, you would have to depress the MONO button on the fascia to combine the L and R stereo signals so that all the music plays through the right speaker. Don't worry about leaving the left channel unconnected as it'll not break anything.
However, you should first connect both speakers to the B terminals and report back with the result.