Our loudspeakers are making a loud crackling noise.
It seems like the noise is hard to ignore, and customers or staff are noticing. A crackle can also stop by the time anyone comes to look, which makes it easy to put off.
What crackling can mean
A crackle, buzz or distortion can come from a damaged loudspeaker, a poor connection on its circuit, or the amplifier driving it. In the jobs behind this page, a crackling mall loudspeaker was the warning sign of an amplifier output becoming unstable before it failed completely. By the time the technician arrived, the crackle had stopped because the amplifier had stopped.
What you can safely check
- Record it. A short phone video with sound, and a note of exactly where you were standing.
- Check whether it is one loudspeaker or several. Several in one area points away from the loudspeaker and towards the circuit or the amplifier.
- Check the panel for an amplifier, supervision or short-circuit fault.
- Don't turn the volume down or switch the zone off to make it stop. That also silences the emergency message there.
When to call a technician
Soon. If it is an amplifier, the standby amplifier may already be in use, and the next failure could leave an area with no emergency broadcast at all.
Questions for whoever comes
- Was it the loudspeaker, the circuit or the amplifier?
- If the standby amplifier has taken over, what covers the next failure?
- Is a replacement part held, or is it on order?
Would it be unreasonable to send us the video before anyone comes out?
Or call 01273 034 630.