How do you fix the speakers?

Speakers are “blown” when they have been driven so hard that the membrane that gives sound pops loose from its moorings, or just plain rips. This happens a lot with computer speakers, as they aren’t intended for really loud sound, but high-end computers can put out a lot of power. But, if the membrane isn’t completely ripped, you can often fix the speakers, saving time, money and bother.

Step 1 – Determine if your speaker is salvageable. The main symptom of a blown speaker is a muddy tone. Often, this occurs after a loud popping noise while playing your speakers at a loud volume. If one or more speakers have gone completely silent, they cannot be fixed. If the speakers physically move and rattle, they cannot be fixed. If they simply have a muddy tone, you might be able to fix them.

Step 2 – Clean leftover magnetic fields. Speakers work on magnetic pulses, and sometimes a blown speaker is jammed magnetically. If your speakers plug into the wall, leave them plugged in and turned on, and take the jack or jacks out of your computer. Rub your fingers over the entire metal jack. You should hear a buzzing while touching the metal, and you might hear a pop. If you hear a pop, test your speakers, if not, move on to step three.

Step 3 – Reverse the channels. If your speakers plug individually into a center subwoofer, reverse them, so left is plugged into right, and right left. Play sound, preferably the same song that originally blew your speakers, but not as loud, of course. If they don’t reverse, pull the plug out halfway so that you only get sound from one speaker. This should fix the problem. At that point, you can re-reverse your speakers. If not, one final step awaits.

Step 4 – Bang the drums all day. If all else fails, take your blown speaker and pick it up, banged it down solidly, but not too hard, on its back. Do so three or four times. Test your speakers.

These simple steps can save expensive speakers from the junk pile. Should they not work, unfortunately, you’ve ruined your speakers. Just remember to keep the volume down with your replacements. But with a few tricks, and some perseverance, blown speakers can come back to life.