Popping and humming sound in Logitech X-530

[Sib Bachchan]

I am a hardware assembler who deals in computer peripherals. I had around two customers who purchased Logitech X-530. After a month of their purchase, one of them came back complaining that the speaker makes a loud popping sound whenever turned on and at random times. The popping sound is so loud that it seems like a bullet being shot out of pistol. Another customer came saying that he hears a humming sound coming from the speakers which irritates him while working. I tested the speakers and yes the problem existed as described. I couldn’t find any fault in the connections, wires and plugs of the speaker but couldn’t find the problem. Did anyone else too experience similar problem? Has anyone found the cause of this problem?

[Chahel]

The problem of popping sound is caused due to bad circuit design of the speakers manufactured by Logitech. Many times the popping sound is heard when other electric appliances of the house are started. As soon as I switch on the fan or tube light, the popping sound comes. The sound is so loud that you will feel like someone has shot a bullet in the room. This mostly happens when the speaker’s power supply is connected to the main switch without any spike guard or similar middle appliance. Many people who are facing the same problem are blaming the electronic appliances without realizing that not all appliances can create such problems. Many people have also got their electric circuits checked. Also the humming sound is result of same bad circuit designing. This humming sound is usually heard from the sub-woofer in the system. I have heard people complaining that the speakers sometimes also capture the nearby radio signals. Many people who live near a radio station can hear its light sound on the speaker when it is powered on.

[Mayoor]

These problems when first brought into notice of Logitech, they ignored it saying that their products were tested before manufacturing. But when the same problem started appearing in large numbers and in various audio devices, Logitech’s technicians started taking notice of it and tried stopping it. On figuring out what the problem was, a minor modification provided by the technicians solved the problem. The design error in the Logitech products was that of improper shielding being provided to the circuit of the speaker. Some of the speakers were so badly designed that modification was not possible in their case. So Logitech has replaced those speakers with new ones.