How To Fix Speakers That Sound Like They Are Underwater

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I am an audiophile and can’t imagine a minute of my life without music. And this is the reason why I adore speakers that much. But your speakers will not always work properly, and sometimes small issues and problems may appear. What I mean by saying this is that sometimes your speaker may sound odd or like it is underwater.

And since you found yourself searching for this case and reading this article, it is undeniable that you are one of them facing this problem. Let me now discuss why your speaker sounds like it is underwater and whether there are ways to fix it.

Key Takeaways

  • For an audiophile, the most important thing is the sound quality that comes from the speaker.
  • Sometimes your speaker may sound like it is underwater, and there may be several reasons for this.
  • Issues with your Amplifier and AV receivers may be the leading cause of your speaker sounding like it is underwater.
  • If you are sure that your amplifier or AV receiver does not cause the issue, check out the connection

Why my Speakers Sound Like they are Underwater: Reasons

If you are having trouble with your speakers and you are not able to find out the reason why they sound like they are underwater, please do not panic. I am here to help you and write down all possible reasons that may cause this problem.

Besides the fact that I will discuss the reasons, I will also try to explain how to fix them.

Blown Speakers

Blown speakers are one of the reasons why your speakers may sound like they are underwater. Identifying this issue is difficult since several reasons may cause your speakers to blow. The main reasons for this are using incorrect amplifier and speaker set up, overdriving your speakers, and so on.

The speaker’s voice coil is another significant impact in this case. It may be the main reason your speaker sounds like it is underwater.

If the voice coil gets damaged, it starts immediately to make strange noises, giving you the feeling like you have put your speakers underwater and listening to it from somewhere deep in the ocean.

Issues With Your Amplifiers or AV Receiver

The first and most crucial point in this incident will be if your amplifier or receiver doesn’t have a crossover. Let me first explain the main purpose of a crossover at this point.

A crossover is a must since it makes an AV receiver and amplifier function properly with a subwoofer or speaker, allowing the pass-through of some frequencies while reducing the unwanted ones.

So, if you have connected your speaker to an amplifier or AV receiver that lacks a built-in crossover, your speaker will sound like it is underwater.

Note

  • Make sure you are using a suitable amplifier or AV receiver.

A crossover is not the only cause of all of this chaos since many other factors affect it. Always check out the settings of your amplifier or AV receiver as well. Once you ensure that the setting is okay, then it’s time to check your speaker’s settings.

Let’s dive deeper into amplifiers and AV receivers; as you can see, it seems like they may be the main causes of a speaker sounding like it is underwater. And due to this, I can’t skip this section without mentioning that also the low-pass filer of an amplifier or AV receiver can cause the speaker to sound like they are underwater.

If you identify that the cause of the issue is the low pass filter, all you have to do is to reset all the settings on your amplifier or AV receiver. I hope that doing so will help to solve the problem.

EQ in Your DAW

Let’s now mention something very similar to a low-pass filter. This is a manual version of a low-pass filter, so if you notice that your speaker sounds awkward or like it is underwater, the cause may be the EQ.

If unsure why your speaker makes odd sounds, check out the EQ and adjust it appropriately

Connection Issues

Let me mention that amplifiers and AV receivers have specifically designed channels for subwoofers, and this is not done by mistake.

Those channels will have a specific crossover on them. The crossover will allow only low frequencies to pass through. You may now think, what does this has to do with this case? It has a lot to do though.

Let me now explain. If you are using a regular speaker and connect it to these specific channels, your speaker will sound like it is underwater. So, always be careful while connecting your speaker to an AV receiver or amplifier to avoid issues that may occur.

Low Bitrate audio Encoding

You should always ensure that you set the bit rate at an appropriate level. There are some rules you should follow in this instance.

So the bit rate you choose will play a significant role in the quality of the sound you will get from your speakers. In general, 320 kbps is a reasonable bit rate.

If the bit rate is also increased, the amount of audio information will also increase, and the opposite.

Moreover, if you select a lower bit rate, the audio won’t have all the range of frequencies it should have; the speaker will make a strange sound that nobody wants to hear.

Final Words

It is time to give a conclusion to this fantastic and intriguing article; to be honest; it was challenging. I tend to provide you with all the information you need since it is an important topic.

If you are an audiophile, facing issues with your speaker would be a nightmare. But it may happen, and in such a situation, you have to check out this article and find all the reasons and ways to fix the problem.

I tried my best to be more straightforward about each fix. Hopefully, this article helps you solve your problem.

Further Reading 

If you want to know more information about the speakers, go ahead and check out 2-way vs 3-way speakers and 80 ohms vs 250 ohms and mono vs stereo sound system.

If you have a portable and waterproof speaker, throw it away and replace it with the great quality products like JBL Flip Essential, Logitech Z200, JBL PartyBox 310 vs 300, and JBL Xtreme vs JBL Charge 4, you won’t regret it.

Whether you’re looking for information on audio equipment, looking to learn more about how things work in the music field, or looking for reviews of products, we got you covered!

 
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