Jump to content

Sound without Computer ON


leis

Recommended Posts

I have the Klipsch pro media 2.1 and without the computer on (and this may sound a little crazy) but there is a take-over as if I've piped in to a party that happens to have Spanish party music playing and people clapping and singing along with the music. This has happen several times but this is the first time i've actually unplugged the PC that i have the speakers connected to and was surprised that it kept right on playing as if it wasn't even or needed no computer connect in order to play and obviously did not! So, with leaving the speakers plugged in at all times that I have, this is the 1st time i unplugged the speakers to kill the sound that I believe is tapped into a frequency?? No joke.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Equipment will sometimes act as a receiver for nearby AM broadcast stations.  You could confirm this by listening to AM stations in your area and compare the music.  Is there a large broadcast antenna nearby?

 

If you don't have an AM receiver (your automobile probably does) you might check the Internet to investigate whether a local station has an audio feed to compare.

 

WMcD

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  Thanks for the input WMcD, i don't know if there is an AM broadcast station nearby and i don't have an automobile and when it started tonight (right now) i unplugged the speakers to get it to stop with the playing of music and then rep-lugged speakers back in and now no sound!

This is impossible to have these kind of problems with a set of dang computer speakers. I thought the technology is so great these days. But to have speakers you can't turn off only accounts for them picking up these radio stations?  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe there is an explanation.  But it is hard to diagnose your problem from a distance.

 

One essential component in decoding or demodulating an AM signal is a diode.  The early AM receivers used a hunk of germanium rock and a "cat's whisker" connector.  [Edit:  Whoops, it seems I[m wrong, see below]. This was of course  called a crystal radio.  Later, folks building similar set could later use an off the shelf 1N34 (?) diode which was actually a factory made made equivalent.

 

There is another mechanism which performs as a diode.  it is simply a poor connection.  You see this reported in a "fox hole radio."  You can look up all the above on Wikipedia.

 

You reported that unplugging a connector and then reconnecting solved the problem. Therefore I suspect that was the "poor connection - diode."

 

Of course the crystal sets were listened to with sensitive headphones. In the case of your computer speakers there is an amplifier and speakers and perhaps in there a feedback loop.  This could amplify the AM radio signal.  I understand that although the computer is off, the speaker system amps are on.  Therefore the small signal from the poor connection can be amplified and heard.

 

A few BTWs: 

 

1) We have had reports here where the very efficient K-Horns pick up radio signals even with no amplifier.

 

2) Back in the late 1960s there was a blackout in the Northeast.  I  was just a lad.  Maybe it was a Communist attack.  We didn't have any battery powered radios at home and worried. But the guy around the corner just  went to his car and turned on the radio.  I felt so stupid. That is why I referred to using a car AM receiver.  Automobiles have a lot of technology.

 

Best,

 

WMcD

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, WMcD said:

The early AM receivers used a hunk of germanium rock and a "cat's whisker" connector.  This was of course  called a crystal radio. 

 

I built a crystal set in elementary school.  I didn't know the crystal was germanium, though.  I get that the blackout could have suggested a Communist attack to a youngster -- that's what they were telling us on the radio!  Then, the "all-clear" siren and, "This was just a drill."  Those were the days when we were taught to curl up under our desks in case of attack, put one hand over the back of our necks (to keep it from breaking), close our eyes ("To keep your eyeballs from frying like eggs"), and, in the words on a satirical poster a few years later, "Kiss your *** goodby."  The Communists soon dominated the crystal set.  There were hearings in Washington, transcribed and played back for us west coasters.   Then, in the cub scouts, I built a 2 tube radio, put it in a plywood box and stenciled a big image of a wolf on it.  The Communists were nowhere to be found.  I don't know if the wolf scared them off, or what.  Much later I read that Arthur M. Schlesinger said that the most notable conspiracy in history is the conspiracy of stupidity.  Now the stupids are all over the radio -- and TV.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I put a little edit in my post.  I checked Wikipedia.'

 

I thought the galina rock had specks of germanium in it,  but apparently not. 

 

On the "poor connection" theory:  It seems that oxides of the metal are involved.

 

WMcD

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, WMcD said:

I put a little edit in my post.  I checked Wikipedia.'

 

I thought the galina rock had specks of germanium in it,  but apparently not. 

 

On the "poor connection" theory:  It seems that oxides of the metal are involved.

 

WMcD

 

 

 

 

 

William, I believe you will find that Galina has Lead and Silver in it???

 

Rog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A buddy of mine since grade school has two Klipschorns and Three La Scalas for surround sound. He has had his La Scalas since Highschool and actually moved from one house because the idiot next door had an extremely tall tower with a huge antenna and a big illegal Linear 1000 watt CB amp. That idiot was on at all hours day and night, and the Klipschorns and La Scalas would play his voice even if unplugged and he would get on even at like 2 or 4 am. We cut his antenna wire more than once!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/20/2018 at 11:48 PM, twistedcrankcammer said:

A buddy of mine since grade school has two Klipschorns and Three La Scalas for surround sound. He has had his La Scalas since Highschool and actually moved from one house because the idiot next door had an extremely tall tower with a huge antenna and a big illegal Linear 1000 watt CB amp. That idiot was on at all hours day and night, and the Klipschorns and La Scalas would play his voice even if unplugged and he would get on even at like 2 or 4 am. We cut his antenna wire more than once!!

 

Even better than cutting the wire, take a pin and drive it through the wire.  Cut off the excess on both sides.  The system now has a dead short that is darned near impossible to find.  It will either drive him crazy, or he will run a new cable from the amp to the antenna.  Repeat as needed.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Disconnect the wires from the back of the speakers and not the computer.  The wires act an an antenna at times with a nearby strong signal.  If this works for one or both speakers then shorten the leads or lengthen them to reduce the chance of matching the signal and you might be able to keep it all hooked up?

Edited by Mopardamo
misspelling
Link to comment
Share on other sites

https://www.parts-express.com/ferrite-core-1-2-cord-noise-suppressor--110-454

 

I think  you should buy four of these.  They're cheap and you may want to buy something else PE in view of shipping charges.

 

Of course you put the speaker wire pair though the hole and close (at the control panel end).  It will work better if you first wind a second loop through.  Three loops are even better.  You might need to put another on the speaker side of the wire run.

 

You've seen a version of this on some computer wires, usually encapsulated.  They suppress radio frequency noise but also other r.f.

 

WMcD

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...