# Are my computer speakers haunted? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 2, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793 "2003-07-02T16:01:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jessondair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@jessondair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jessondair)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/1 "2003-07-02T16:01:58Z")
I’ve got these Polar Bear computer speakers that have an amplifier/woofer and two speakers. I also have another set of speakers attached for surroud sound (I do a lot of audio stuff on my computer). Here’s the weird part: Almost exclusively overnight, the amp/woofer and speakers attached to it start making this humming noise, and it’s a sort of cyclical sound, if that makes any sense. It sort of ebbs and flows. It’s very loud and it wakes us up. Doesn’t happen if I remember to turn them off before going to bed, but it does happen if the amp/woofer is on but the computer is off. And I’ve only heard it happen during daylight hours once, and that was still pretty early in the morning. I’m not sure if the time of day/night has anything to do with it, but it almost exclusively happens overnight. Anybody have any idea what’s causing this? 😕 Jess ---
**Author:** ![InquisitiveIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3ec8ea/32.png) [@InquisitiveIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InquisitiveIdiot)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/2 "2003-07-02T16:14:23Z")
I’m afraid they are haunted. My advice would be to stab them all with a wooden stake, sprinkle them with holy water, and bury them at the nearest crossroads at midnight. Seriously, I’ve only noticed sounds like that when there’s a cellphone nearby, so I’d say very strong radio waves may be the culprit. Do you live underneath a major power line, or right next to a radio station? ---
**Author:** ![CaptainHenreh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@CaptainHenreh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptainHenreh)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/3 "2003-07-02T16:19:34Z")
Wanna hear something even weirder? My computer speakers, when powered on, and turned all the way down play _Q101_, a local radio station. Very faintly, of course. Anyone know how THAT works? ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/4 "2003-07-02T17:26:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CaptainHenreh \* > \*\*Wanna hear something even weirder? > > My computer speakers, when powered on, and turned all the way down play _Q101_, a local radio station. > > Very faintly, of course. > > Anyone know how THAT works? \*\* Hi **CaptainHenreh** , welcome to the boards :). Searching for “speakers” and “radio” using the board’s search function displays the following relevant threads: [Low quality speakers picking up radio signal](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=185934) [Radio Coming In On Computer Speakers](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=143661) [My stereo made music without speakers. How?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=190129) [Is my computer possessed?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105445) [Radio tower interference problem](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=89031) ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/5 "2003-07-02T18:16:50Z")
They are probably picking up radio and microwave frequency. You probaably only notice it at night because it is quiet and you don’t have other stimuli distracting you. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_On\_My\_Sleeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/77aa72/32.png) [@Heart\_On\_My\_Sleeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_On_My_Sleeve)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/6 "2003-07-02T20:13:37Z")
My little Altec speakers on my desk sound like they are taking a dump when my wireless palm is downloading email. ---
**Author:** ![T.rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@T.rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.rex)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/7 "2003-07-02T22:55:39Z")
I digitally photgraphed the progress of my speakers, as they moved by themselves 4 inches across my desk over a period of 5 weeks. It was not noticeable to the naked eye. You think that was weird, you should check out Carol-Anne’s room. ---
**Author:** ![SandWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@SandWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/8 "2003-07-02T23:58:08Z")
I think you need to record the sound, then play it backwards at high speed. It might be the future you using coherent nuetrino beams to activate the coils in your speakers, telling you that you need to do something, or not do something. I hope you do the right thing, er, or not, whichever the case may be. ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/9 "2003-07-03T02:19:39Z")
Ok, now seriously. When I have my computer off and the speakers off, the speakers still have a hiss going on. Is this due to the fact that they are still plugged in? It’s Altec Lansing woofer and four speakers. I had Altec before, just two speakers and no woofer, and didn’t notice this. Maybe similar to OP question? ---
**Author:** ![jessondair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@jessondair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jessondair)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/10 "2003-07-03T03:02:49Z")
OK… so I should record the sound, play it backwards to get my future destiny, then stab the speakers with a wooden stake and sprinkle holy water on them, then bury them. Did I get it all right? 😉 Seriously, thanks for the links and suggestions. Shoot, I was hoping it would be an easier problem to fix, like reversing the wires, than having to go take down an entire power line. But I’ll do it if I have to! 🙂 Or maybe I get rid of the amp and just use direct speakers. Not NEARLY as important looking, but then it won’t wake us up. Oh yeah, I meant to say earlier that this noise is SO loud there is no way I wouldn’t be able to hear it during the day over regular house noise. It really only happens at night. So maybe it’s AM radio waves or something. Thanks again! Jess ---
**Author:** ![ElectroSunDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@ElectroSunDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElectroSunDog)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/11 "2003-07-03T03:36:54Z")
Maybe you should put the speakers in a jar, and sell them on eBay. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![patchbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dc4da7/32.png) [@patchbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/patchbunny)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/12 "2003-07-03T05:12:26Z")
My speakers make funky noises whenever I get near them with my cel phone. Does that help at all? –Patch ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-computer-speakers-haunted/185793/13 "2003-07-03T11:09:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by T.rex \* > \*\*You think that was weird, you should check out Carol-Anne’s room. \*\* Hey, thanks for the offer.