Why do Speakers Crackle?

Sometimes it's the little things in life that just annoy the daylights out of you. Crackling speakers can be one of them. yesterday they were fine, today that annoying sound distorting your listening pleasure. But why.

3 Reasons your speakers might crackle

1. A loose speaker wire. This is likely the number one reason your speakers are crackling. It's also the easiest to fix once you find it. Check the speaker terminals on the back of the speakers as well as your amplifier and insure they have a solid connection. How does this happen? Think cat, dog, kid. 
2. Yeah, a loose wire. This time it might be within the speaker assembly itself. The wires that go from the terminals on the speaker to the speaker cone. This, unfortunately is not something you're likely to successfully fix yourself. 
3. It could be your amplifier. If the crackling is occurring when you adjust the volume knob on your amp or receiver, then it's likely dirt in the pot (potentiometer). There are potentiometer cleaners you can try to mitigate the problem but it's hit or miss. 

Bluetooth speaker crackling? Throw it out and get a new one.

There are other reasons like cone alignment which would only happen on very old speakers, but the most likely reason is a lose wire.

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Fixing broken Speakers

A good article in the Los Angeles Times on the Sunda family. For 40 years they've been doing speaker repair bringing new life to old worn out speakers.

Even if the speaker is decades old and the brand no longer made, OCS probably can repair a damaged cone or replace a coil. Prices range from under $50 to six times that depending on the size and maker. Another frequent source of trouble is the edging that surrounds the cone. Made of foam, it typically begins to harden and crumble after a decade or two. First a dry rattle emerges from one or both speakers. Aggravated by bass notes, the rattle becomes a bark. That edging also can be replaced.

The reason to fix and old speaker rather than buy new? The Sundra's claim that most speakers made today are for home theater and not for music reproduction. Accentuating the high's and low's forgoing the midrange where all important voices, piano and guitar reside. Is this true? We I'd likely differ with the Sunda's on this. There are many manufacturers out there that still make speakers meant for music listening. We'll post links later this week to both places to repair old speakers and places to buy speakers made for music.

The reason to fix and old speaker rather than buy new? The Sundra's claim that most speakers made today are for home theater and not for music reproduction. Accentuating the high's and low's forgoing the midrange where all important voices, piano and guitar reside. Is this true? We I'd likely differ with the Sunda's on this. There are many manufacturers out there that still make speakers meant for music listening. We'll post links later this week to both places to repair old speakers and places to buy speakers made for music.

Want to try fixing your speakers youself?
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