It is quite common that, over time, no matter how good speakers start to “backfire”, not sound good or even distort the sound . Generally, this happens in devices that have been around for a while and have not been given some maintenance, so in this article we are going to show you what to do with speakers that “backfire” , because as you will see, the solution is simple and cheap. and it only requires a little skill to carry it out.
As you know, speakers incorporate different parts and materials within a sound box, but what you should keep in mind here is that there is a cone (diaphragm) generally installed on rubber bands that literally moves to produce the sound. This moving part, like all of them, has some wear and therefore it is necessary to give it some maintenance to keep it in good condition, but even if it has reached the point of backfire, it still has a solution.
Maintenance for loudspeakers that “backfire”
There are many, many occasions when speakers backfire not because the diaphragm or tires are bad, but because of the connectors and / or cables. The first thing we recommend you do is check the connection cable along its entire length to make sure that it is not damaged in any of its parts, and if it is okay, you should also check the connector to see if it is in perfect condition. Likewise, you should check the analog connection on the emitter part (in this case, the minijack connector of the PC to which you connect the speakers) and clean it.
To do this, the ideal is to have isopropyl alcohol (do not use normal alcohol) and ear buds. Soaking the swabs carefully, clean both the male and female minijack connectors of the PC (make sure that the PC is turned off and disconnected from the power); For the latter, gently insert the swab with just a little rubbing alcohol and twist it slowly to make sure it stays completely clean inside.
This will fix most of the problems you might have, but if it doesn’t and the speakers are still sputtering don’t despair, because that means the diaphragm or suspension rubbers are probably not in good condition but can still be fixed in most cases. cases. You will have to remove at least the front of each speaker if they have protective mesh and are not “on the air”, which is the most normal, so that you can access the front of the diaphragm . In the best of cases, the ideal is to disassemble the whole speaker to be able to give it “treatment” also from behind, but except in the most serious cases it is not usually necessary.
The first thing we recommend you do is clean the entire area with a clean , dry microfiber cloth , in order to remove any dust it may have. After that, soak the cloth in isopropyl alcohol and wipe the entire surface again to finish removing any possible dirt. At this point, check if the tires are cracked , because if they are then you may have a problem; If they are not, what you should do now is hydrate them, and for this you will need either horse fat or a little olive oil.
The process is simple: with a clean and dry cloth, impregnate it with a very little amount of horse fat or olive oil (never pour the product directly on the speaker, always on the cloth) and carefully rub the entire surface, trying to no residue left anywhere. Once everything is slightly wet, you should leave it for at least an hour so that the entire area is well hydrated, and after that waiting time you will have to clean everything again with a clean and dry cloth so that no residue remains. This is especially important if you have used olive oil, you must leave everything completely clean (use isopropyl alcohol for this if necessary).
After that, mount the speaker again and test; If everything has gone well, it should stop “backfiring” or distorting the sound, but if it continues to do so, it is quite likely that either the device has been damaged or that the tires are too cracked; In both cases, unfortunately you will have no choice but to change the device for a new one.