oriecat

When my speakers are turned on, they pick up radio signals (or something anyway) and I can almost always hear this faint buzzing talking noise behind whatever I listen to. Anyone know why it does this and how to stop it?

Thank you!

Jackalope

Consider using shielded cables. And check for loose connectors.

Oxidizing Material

Speakers can't pick up radio.

I'm guessing you have some sort of magnetic device around them and that they're magnetically/ionically unshielded, which would account for the distorion. Shielded cables or new speakers sound like the trick.

mac_philo

As already noted, move away any other magnetic devices. Also minimize contact between your speaker wires and any other wires. If wires must cross, make them cross at a 90 degree angle; do not run wires that are parallel and touching each other. (This cuts down interference generally; I'm not sure if it can help your particular problem.)

You could also go to Google groups and do a search on this, probably hundreds of people have had this problem. Buying new speakers seems a bit extreme at this stage. Then again, it's always fun to get new speakers.

Loren Pechtel

Clean all contacts.

Unlike what the previous poster said, speakers *CAN* pick up radio (AM only, not FM), as can virtually any circut. The bare minimum for a radio is a reactifier. Inefficient but servicable reactifiers can be made from corrosion. Realistically you also need some sort of tuning system but you've got some big magnets in there--the coils are inducutors and combine that with normal parasitic capacitance and you have a tuner (albeit one that's hard to adjust).

The old crystal radios consisted of nothing but a tuner and reactifier. In fact, I've made such a radio with a kids electronics kit.

Every so often you hear of cases of AM radio being picked up in odd things. I've even heard of one case of it happening inside someone's mouth--a damaged filling.

I know a guy who had trouble with a pirate radio station in his neighborhood (blasting hundereds of watts in the CB band)--he routinely picked up the radio on things like the telephone. Numerous complaints to the FCC did nothing as the inspectors worked a normal workday and the pirate was smart enough to broadcast only in the evening. The inspectors weren't smart enough to pay attention to that fact and check in the evening.

Corwin

Another thing that might solve the problem... there's a ring you can get that you wrap a section of your wires around. The ring is made of iron and cuts interference. Toroid something or other. (We used to use them when I did sound card support...) I think some phone cables use something like this to cut down on line noise.

MJones

Maybe is 'cause they're hooked to yer radio or somethin...

Dirty Dog

PopeInTheWoods

Not a problem unless accompanied by tap-dancing noises from your roof. In that case, I'd try an exorcism.