Please Advise: Left side computer speaker is distorting

[Navigator]

I have a set of small computer speakers (JBL Duets, first version) that I like a lot. They plug into my laptop via a 1/8" plug.

The left speaker was cutting out intermittently a while back and I determined it was the plastic housed plug, so I replaced it with a Radio Shack gold-plated plug. All was well for a few months, but now the left speaker is again acting up again.

It's distorting lightly. The sound is like static from an FM radio station that's not quite tuned in. And today it started to cut out a little as well. It's the same problem as before.

Any idea what it might be? I considered that the plug end itself might need to be cleaned so I hit it with some contact cleaner (Deoxit D5) and worked it in and out of the jack in the computer (thinking a contact might be dirty there) but nothing is changing. Also, I just plugged in my iPod earbuds into the computer and I do NOT hear the distortion. I guess that indicates that it is NOT the computer jack that is the problem.

Any ideas? It's really annoying because this is my main listening set of speakers. Thanks in advance for any insight, feedback, and suggestions for a fix!

[aknapp]

Did you plug the speakers into anything else? Another computer? How old are the speakers? Has the plug been inserted many times, or once and it just stays there? (sounds weird if taken out of context.... ) When you put the new plugs, did you cut the wire back so you were starting with "fresh" cable and wire?

Sounds like either the wires inside might be fraying or the Radio Shack plugs are going bad. Radio Shack's quality ain't what it used to be....

[velorush]

Try this: contact cleaner on the volume pot. If it's like most of these, the right speaker controls volume of both with an on/off-volume switch/pot. The pot gets dirty, but not equally on both tracks. Worked on mine.

[Navigator]

Did you plug the speakers into anything else? Another computer? How old are the speakers? Has the plug been inserted many times, or once and it just stays there? (sounds weird if taken out of context.... ) When you put the new plugs, did you cut the wire back so you were starting with "fresh" cable and wire?

Sounds like either the wires inside might be fraying or the Radio Shack plugs are going bad. Radio Shack's quality ain't what it used to be....

Good question aknapp, about plugging into something else. I just plugged them into the headphone jack of my stereo receiver and I don't hear the distortion--weird. Not sure what to make of it.

The speakers are just a couple of years old, and while I use them daily, they're used lightly and not at all abused. For the most part the plug stays inserted into the computer, except when I take the laptop out of the house (sometimes a few times a week). I also plug them into a monitor switcher occasionally as another reference when mixing original music. And, yes, I did strip back the wires to solder fresh wire to the new, sturdier plug.

[Navigator]

Try this: contact cleaner on the volume pot. If it's like most of these, the right speaker controls volume of both with an on/off-volume switch/pot. The pot gets dirty, but not equally on both tracks. Worked on mine.

Thanks for the suggestion velorush. I might have to try that. Did you just shoot it into the unit around the knob? (Man, that sort of sounds wrong.)

[velorush]

I pulled the knob off. That provided access to the underlying pot. Mine are not so nice as what you describe. Yours may actually have a way of taking them apart to get to the back of the pot. My set of Dell's were pressed together more or less permanently in China and so the front of the pot was my only way of getting the cleaner in there.

If, however, after the Knapp experiment, it appears the fault is not with the pot, how about spraying some cleaner on the plug and using it to clean in the jack on the PC? Could be that the jack is oxidized.

[Navigator]

I pulled the knob off. That provided access to the underlying pot. Mine are not so nice as what you describe. Yours may actually have a way of taking them apart to get to the back of the pot. My set of Dell's were pressed together more or less permanently in China and so the front of the pot was my only way of getting the cleaner in there.

If, however, after the Knapp experiment, it appears the fault is not with the pot, how about spraying some cleaner on the plug and using it to clean in the jack on the PC? Could be that the jack is oxidized.

Thanks for the additional info velo. As you note, after my little experiment I'm not sure where the problem originates, but I think I'll try taking the knob off as you suggest. The JBLs are like yours, plastic-housed computer speakers. Nothing fancy, but they actually sound quite good and don't disturb the neighbors.

And I did spray the plug and worked it in the jack, but that didn't seem to do anything. I think I may have to cut the plug off again and try resoldering it on again, making sure to be even more meticulous than I was the first time. It is a bit perplexing and a PITA to have this problem and not be able to be sure of what's causing it. I suppose to some extent it's down to the disposable nature of so many consumer electronics these days. It begs the question, "What's the Hamer of computer speakers?"! But that's for another thread. Thanks again.