A number of different things can affect the performance of a speaker in a home stereo system, and there are several steps that a user can follow to try to isolate the problem. The most common issues that people run into are a buzzing in the speaker, no sound from the speaker and faint sound from the speaker. However, it may not be the speaker that is the problem.
Switching
The first step to follow when you have a problem with speakers in a stereo system is to switch the speakers and see if the problem remains on one side or stays in the speaker. Speakers are much less likely to have problems than an amplifier, and sometimes the problem is that the amplifier has a blown channel; switching the speakers is a quick way to check this.
Wiring
Some issues can crop up with speaker wire that can cause you to get bad sound. For instance, if you reverse the polarity of the wires, connecting a wire to the positive terminal on the amp and the negative terminal on the speaker, the speakers will be out of phase and the sound will be funny. Check to make sure that the wire is hooked up correctly. If it is and you still have problems, try switching the wires between the speakers; it is possible for wire to break internally, and this will tell you if you need to replace the wire itself. Test this by taking the wire from the good speaker and moving to the bad speaker and then moving it to the opposite channel on the amplifier.
Check the Drivers
Inspect the drivers on the speakers. A buzzing from a speaker can also be caused when the speaker cone develops a tear. To do this, remove the grill from the front of the speaker and carefully run your finger around the edge of the cone, looking for places it may have separated from the coil. Look for tiny tears in the cone itself. If the driver is torn, you will need to either have the driver replaced, or replace the speaker.
Tags: from speaker, have problems, sound from, sound from speaker, stereo system
