Intermittent static in PC speakers

[Holman]

I've got a pair of plain old Logitech desktop speakers plugged into the back of my PC (at the green port or whatever), and they occasionally go all staticky even when no sound is coming from the machine. It's not constant. Sometimes I'll go all day without hearing it, then the next day it will be back. Obviously it goes away when the speakers aren't turned on.

I don't believe it's the speakers failing, as these are newish and they give very good sound. In fact I've noticed this problem with a different pair of speakers on this same PC, and I also recall sometimes having the same problem on other computers I've had.

I believe the problem might actually have to do with interaction among all the wires behind the machine: sound cables, power cables, keyboard, mouse, monitor, router, etc. It seems like I've sometimes been able to make the static go away for a day just by trying to rearrange all the wires, but I've never been able to isolate which ones (if any) are actually causing the static when they come into proximity. (Is this a false impression? Do wires do this?) In any case, the static eventually comes back.

Another possibility I've considered is that maybe fan vibration is transferring through the desk surface to the speakers, but I haven't had any success cushioning the speakers from vibration.

Anyway, I suspect this must be a common problem, and I wonder if there is a common solution. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Isgrimnur]

Wiggle the wires. There may be a short if they've been bent.

[Anonymous Bosch]

I'd also suggest checking the cables, particularly if you have a sizeable jumble behind your system. In that case, your speaker static may well be caused by electrical interference. So be sure to check that your speaker wires aren't running across any power cables (or any other cables for that matter). Desktop lamps can also cause interference, so make sure lamp wires are also kept well out of the way.

[Smoove_B]

You're not tuned into Channel Z, are you? That's one for the older crowd.

At one point I had a 5.1 surround sound system for my PC and was having an issue. It apparently was a ground loop and I was never able to fix it. I wouldn't describe it as "static", it was more of a buzz.

[BooTx]

Right click the volume control in the system tray and click "Playback Devices". Select "Speakers" and then click the Properties button. Navigate over to the "Levels" tab and then mute all of the Input channels (Rear Blue In, Rear Green In, et cetera).

This turned my speakers from a hissing, squealing, static-filled mess into the very pinnacle of silence. Of course I have to re-enable them whenever I want to use my inputs (I have a guitar amp plugged into one and my Blu-ray player plugged into another).

[Isgrimnur]

You're not tuned into Channel Z, are you? That's one for the older crowd.

1989 is for the older crowd? ... Damn it.

[Holman]

Thanks everyone for this good advice! I'll get on it today.

Channel Z? There was a time when I wanted to be Fred Schneider.

[GreenGoo]

While not specific to your problem, it's pretty common for dust to accumulate and when adjusting the volume (assuming a physical knob on the speaker) have significant static bursts. You can "clean" the contacts by twisting the knob back and forth multiple times.

This static typically only shows up when you turn the knob though.

[Holman]

Well I tried one thing, and for the past few hours I've heard no static. Tracing my wires, I realized that back when I set up the machine I rolled up the speaker wire to shorten it, bending it around itself several times and securing it with a twist tie (the way these things usually come out of the box). I thought it would be nice to control wire clutter and keep things neat.

This morning I got rid of the twist tie and let the wire hand straight and free down the back of the desk. No noticeable static since.

[hitbyambulance]

Well I tried one thing, and for the past few hours I've heard no static. Tracing my wires, I realized that back when I set up the machine I rolled up the speaker wire to shorten it, bending it around itself several times and securing it with a twist tie (the way these things usually come out of the box). I thought it would be nice to control wire clutter and keep things neat.

This morning I got rid of the twist tie and let the wire hand straight and free down the back of the desk. No noticeable static since.

you were making your own antenna there. or inductor

[GreenGoo]

And a nice little magnetic field.

If the wire was shielded you wouldn't have had this problem, obviously.