Log about repairing speakers volume control DIY way

[Frankie]

Hey guys, I have a question. Would you be interested if I make a log about repairing volume control on my old Creative Inspire 5300 5.1 using standart electronics components ? 

Potentiometer in that volume control started fluctuating up and down randomly (common problem) and it started to annoy me so I did take it apart to find out if I can replace it somehow, because you can't use the speakers without it.

I got it functional by using random components I find laying around and ordered the right stuff that I need.

So please write your opinion on this topic (it could maybe help somebody ?) I know it's not hardware modding per se but maybe you are interested anyway or is it boring for you ?

And by the spirit of LTT it's going to be ghetto, functional but ghetto

 

TL:DR My volume control went and I gonna be repairing it the ghetto DIY way, should I make a log or no ?

 

Culprit

 

2017 note - This was one of my first threads here, getting used to posting and it's little rough around the edges as a result. Still, nice to hear that it's helping people out.

[Frankie]

84 views. So I take that as a no

[Lutkeveld]

Just shoot a couple of pictures of the proces, always fun to see 'ghetto' DIY-ing

[Frankie]

Just shoot a couple of pictures of the proces, always fun to see 'ghetto' DIY-ing

 

Okay Should I post it right here or make a log at case modding and other mods ?  I am torn because it is audio related, but I also ordered a black plastic box which I am gonna mod to contain the ´´new´´ volume control.

[Frankie]

.

[Lutkeveld]

Post a couple of pics here. Don't think a potswitch deserves a thread in modding.

[Frankie]

Post a couple of pics here. Don't think a potswitch deserves a thread in modding.

 

Yeah you are right I am overthinking this because I like to follow the rules of the forum.

 

Pics of the ´´ghetto prototype´´ incoming shortly

[Frankie]

It is super ghetto but I needed to wrap my head around how it works so I didnt want to isolate anything.

 

 

And its alive Only the potentiometer was bad the rest of the components and PCB was fine so I reused it. The original potentiometer had two functions as on/off switch and for regulating the volume obviously. But I didnt find potentiometer like that anywhere so I go the way of least resistance and basically split it to have on/off switch and volume control separately.

 

 

I ordered the parts I need and that is more suitable and smaller on/off switch not this giant one small project plastic box to place this all into and 50K ohm logarithmic potentiometer which I find out after a little research you should always choose ahead of linear when dealing with audio.

 

Tomorrow I should get the parts and finish this up in a more professional way then just have unisolated wires hanging everywhere

[Frankie]

Its done. It took me several hours of work which I didn't expect because it took measuring, drilling, sanding (Black box came without any holes of course) and a lot of soldering. Only thing that bugs me is that when you don't play music there is a little bit of static but you have to be like 20 centimeters/7,8 inches close to the speakers to even hear it and when music play it's inaudible on any volume level. But it works way better than before so I guess its a win

 

You can see the tape on the balance button, I taped it down because I don't use it anyway and it always annoy me when I bumped into it and then had to level it back again.

 

 

It's way less ghetto than I expected It's not the nicest piece of hardware you gonna see but it works and it was really cost effective about 3 bucks/2,50 euro. So I guess it not bad considering I make it only using hand tools

 

 

I would like to thanks @Lutkeveld because he was only one interested (At least at the time I am typing this) so far

[Lutkeveld]

Haha no problem. I think this is more of a headphone forum. My DIY log isn't skyrocketing either.

Turned out nice, are you going to leave the pot like that or are you putting a knob on it?

[Frankie]

Haha no problem. I think this is more of a headphone forum. My DIY log isn't skyrocketing either.

Turned out nice, are you going to leave the pot like that or are you putting a knob on it?

 

Oh, you have a log too ? I am gonna check it out

 

I wasn't sure which knob to get, because fitting the components was by hand and custom, so I probably just gonna make one from something, have to figure it out first

[creatip123]

Haha no problem. I think this is more of a headphone forum. My DIY log isn't skyrocketing either.

Turned out nice, are you going to leave the pot like that or are you putting a knob on it?

 

Tell me about it. Aune T1 caps mod topic only got views, no replies at all....

[Lutkeveld]

I wasn't sure which knob to get

 

Probably 6mm

 

 

Tell me about it. Aune T1 caps mod topic only got views, no replies at all....

 

Despite of the nice pics. And then seeing a headphone topic with a 3 line topic starter get 3 pages of replies within notime makes me cry a little inside ;p.

[creatip123]

Probably 6mm

 

 

 

Despite of the nice pics. And then seeing a headphone topic with a 3 line topic starter get 3 pages of replies within notime makes me cry a little inside ;p.

 

Not to mention the best answer to the 'what headphone to get' question is the almighty M50x, and stay away from DT990 because it got crazy high impedance that PCs are unable to power it.....

[jepps137]

Any chance you made a circuit diagram for the volume control? I lost mine and I need to make one from scratch. I see that there ore resistors on there.

[Frankie]

Any chance you made a circuit diagram for the volume control? I lost mine and I need to make one from scratch. I see that there ore resistors on there.

 

I didn't because I reused the original PCB to save time. You also have Creative Inspire 5300 5.1 or different set of speakers ?

[jepps137]

Exactly the same set. Creative Inspire 5300 5.1.

 

Would if be a hassle if you would draw a circuit diagram for me including the resistor values? for the volume and balance pot, what are the value?

I got a rough circuit online for the pinout. but performance wise, it doesn't work very well because of missing resistors and unknown pot values.

 

This link shows a rough diagram.

 

http://s49.photobucket.com/user/thebug2049/media/remote.jpg.html

http://s49.photobucket.com/user/thebug2049/media/IMG_0236.jpg.html

 

Is the diagram accurate?

 

the part how R300 and R302 and the volume control are connected puzzles me

 

can you confirm 

1. R301, 303 and 304 are the same color stripes (orange-orange-red)

2. Can you determine potentiometer values?

3. what color is R300(red-yellow-orange) and R302 (yellow-violet-red)

 

 

Update (correct)

From Frankie's close up photos

R00       -  4.7k

R01        - 3.3k

R02        - 24k

R03,R04 - 2.2k

 

The

[Frankie]

Exactly the same set. Creative Inspire 5300 5.1.

 

Would if be a hassle if you would draw a circuit diagram for me including the resistor values? for the volume and balance pot, what are the value?

I got a rough circuit online for the pinout. but performance wise, it doesn't work very well because of missing resistors and unknown pot values.

 

Damn I would like to help you, but I was never good at drawing diagrams, what about some close up pictures ? And the pot values are not even written on the PCB, it was honestly prototyping

[jepps137]

Yeah, close up photos of the front and back.

 

can you confirm the colors I listed?

[Frankie]

Yeah, close up photos of the front and back.

 

can you confirm the colors I listed?

 

Give me some time. I am gonna take photos and PM it to you

[Lutkeveld]

2. Can you determine potentiometer values?

 

It is used as a voltage divider so value doesn't really matter. Probably 10k or 50k linear.

[jepps137]

Thanks very much for the photos.

[Frankie]

Thanks very much for the photos.

 

No problem, hope they help you

[murko]

Hi Frankie

 

My volume control has just died. I can't find a replacement, and it will take weeks to jerry-rig something with a new pot. In the meantime, can I connect any of the wires directly to each other to at least get some sound out of the system? Coincidentally, my laptop speakers have given up the ghost on the same day! Typical.

 

Cheers

 

Murk

[Frankie]

Hi Frankie

 

My volume control has just died. I can't find a replacement, and it will take weeks to jerry-rig something with a new pot. In the meantime, can I connect any of the wires directly to each other to at least get some sound out of the system? Coincidentally, my laptop speakers have given up the ghost on the same day! Typical.

 

Cheers

 

Murk

 

Oh, I am sorry dude, I didn't see the notification, it probably got lost between the others. You can, but it always will be on 100% volume, which is loud as heck.