Possible audio issues - hlp pls

[HawaiiMacAddict]

Aloha everyone,

When I bought my 20" iMac, I also bought the JBL Creature II speakers. Recently, I've begun hearing a barely audible buzzing sound whenever the speakers are turned on. I would like to diagnose the issue, but don't know whether to start with the speakers themselves or the iMac.

Has anyone who has either an iMac or the JBL Creature II speakers experienced the same? If so, what did you do to alleviate the issue? Could it also, possibly, be due to inadequate power? I ask the last question because the electrical wiring in my house is rather old (my house was built in 1944), and it probably hasn't been upgraded too many times since then. I will be at least upgrading the wiring in the short term - my goal is to actually tear it down and rebuild it - but I'm a bit worried about the total household load onn the existing wiring.

Mahalo in advance for your responses,

HawaiiMacAddict

 

[Scarlet Fever]

try the iMac with other speakers or headphones, and try your JBLs on another device such as an iPod. That should help you diagnose the problem

 

[HawaiiMacAddict]

Aloha Scarlet Fever,

Nice pic btw I never thougth of plugging the speakers into my iPod, as I've never done that. I use with the Belkin FM Tune Base (in my RX300) or with the supplied headphones. I'll try that and get back to you.

HawaiiMacAddict

 

[HawaiiMacAddict]

Aloha Scarlet Fever,

It may just be the speakers. I noticed that, after I unplugged the cable from my iMac, the buzzing sound continued. As a matter of fact, after I unplugged the cable from my iMac and touched the back of my iMac with a finger, the sound increased. I only bought these speakers last August, so I really hope that they don't have a problem, but I would like to determine the cause. I've never had this problem with any other speakers, and these are really nice. Plus, I got the white ones to match my iMac

HawaiiMacAddict

 

[HawaiiMacAddict]

Update !!!

Aloha Scarlet Fever,

It turned out to be a very very bad thing, at least with respect to my speakers. Yesterday, I turned them back on again and once again heard the low buzzing/humming sound. I double-checked the cables, ensuring that the cables were connected to the corrected ports (it's color-coded, so even a brain-dead PC guy/IT specialist/recent switcher like me can't get it wrong ) and decided to give it another shot. I fired up iTunes and attempted to play a song. I say "attempted" because all of my treble and mid-range sound is gone - all I have is the low bass. I'm really dissappointed because I really loved the Creature II speakers. I got them not only because I know that JBL is a very good company with respect to sound, but also because of their shape and color. After all, my iMac is white and they look really cool, so why not, right?!?

Anyway, I'll have to purchase additional speakers as we can't find the receipt (yet another Doh! moment, unfortunately), but my wife is a little gun-shy on getting another set of the Creature IIs. I'll have to see what else I can get, that comes in white, and that looks really really cool Oh wait, maybe I can talk her into the Harmon Kardon speakers hehehe

HawaiiMacAddict

 

[HawaiiMacAddict]

It's not the speakers - it's my iMac

Aloha again everyone,

I went to the Apple Store and purchased new speakers. imagine my surprise when I got home and found that, not only did I once again the low humming sound, but that no sound at all issued from the speakers! I then plugged the "bad" speakers into both my wife's PC and my MacBook Pro and found that they were fine. I can only surmise that I have a problem with the audio in jack on my iMac. I hope it can be fixed somewhat quickly, although i still have my trusty Macbook Pro to use in case the iMac has to be left at the Apple Store.

HawaiiMacAddict

 

[nateDEEZY]

You update your thread rather well!

Hopefully your iMac is still covered under warranty!

Goodluck with getting everything fixed.

 

[HawaiiMacAddict]

Aloha nateDEEZY,

Thanks for your comments. One thing I love about the Mac online community is their willingness to assist other Mac users with issues that arise from time to time. I want to be able to contribute to the community, hence my posting the initial issue and diagnosis, then my step-by-step attempts to correct the situation. My hope is that, if someone else out there has he same situation, they may be able to use my experience to more quickly correct their issue.

To answer your question, yes, I'm still within the initial year of my purchase, but it turns out that it was, indeed, the speakers and not my iMac. In what turns out to be one of the most difficult issues to diagnose, I decided to try both sets of speakers on my wife's PC (my old PC) and my MacBook Pro. The new speakers didn't wok on either of them, but the "bad" speakers did, as previously posted.

Still thinking I had an issue with the audio out jack (I apologize for the type in my ealier post - it was the audio out NOT audio in port), I made an appointment at the local Apple store (easier now that we have two stores ) and took in my iMac. Of course, the issue could not be replicated in the store - the iMac just worked I then went home to try the "bad" speakers again - the ones that actually worked in a PC!

I found out that the speakers were a bit hit and miss - sometimes they worked, but pull the wires out from the back of the subwoofer and reseat them and you may not get the same result. My initial fear was founded, as the subwoofer still appears to be the problem. I went back to the Apple Store and bought a pair of the Klipsch speakers and now have great audio once again.

In summary, I bought the JBL Creature II speakers primarily because of JBL's reputation for great sound, but also because of their aesthetic quality - they look as unlike "regular" speakers as you could get, at least at the time of purchase. I figured, what with an iMac, since it already looks like a piece of art, why not do the same with the speakers? At this point, I really don't care what they look like (I can't justify the price of the Harmon Kardon Sound Sticks, but they're really nice) as long as I have sound. I had bad luck with two sets of the Creature II speakers, but that only means that I had bad luck. Prior to the subwoofer going "bad", I had great sound - I just wish they had worked a bit longer.

HawaiiMacAddict