Creative SBS 240 Speakers
A speaker that had previously been repaired came back for further repairs. I informed the customer that the PCB was already damaged, so it might not be possible to fix it this time. However, they requested that I repair it because the speaker was a gift and held sentimental value for them.
The customer said that the speaker is working properly, but there is also a crackling sound coming from it.
He forgot to bring the adapter, and I didn’t have a 19V adapter with that specific pin type. So, I asked him to bring it over so I could check for the problem. He told me he had some nearby work to attend to and would return with the adapter shortly, then left. While waiting for him to come back, I decided to open the device and check for any visible faults—such as loose wires, dry solder joints, or a defective capacitor.
So I opened the speaker for inspection.
Looks Clean from Component side. But solder side is very bad PCB is degraded
I checked the components one by one to see if any were loose and inspected for dry solder joints, but everything seemed fine., having doubt on capacitors but I held off, thinking I’d wait for the adapter to arrive before checking; I didn’t see any physical damage.
And in the meantime, the customer came back with the adapter. I inserted the adapter pin into the speaker and noticed it wasn’t plugging in properly; I think I found the culprit.
I held the adapter pin in place while playing a song on the speaker and discovered the exact problem described by the customer: when the pin was wiggled, the speaker produced disturbances and crackling noises.
Upon unplugging the device and examining the socket from the inside, I noticed that the metal leaf plate used for grounding had straightened out instead of remaining bent to grip the pin.
Metal Leaf Pin is Marked with “B” in the following diagram.
Due to a very fine gap, a loose connection forms between the socket and the pin, causing a crackling sound when the pin moves due to vibration. So for replacement I taken one new DC socket from my storage box & replaced On the board.
Connected adapter for testing it works fine without any disturbance noise.
Amplifier based on TEA2025B sound IC total output is 3W, sound great in PC. Assembled everything & speakers are ready to pick up.
I don’t understand why Creative discontinued some of their good products Like SBS240 & SBS20 that ran on power adapters—switching to USB power doesn’t deliver the same sound quality that this range used to offer.
This article was prepared for you by Yogesh Panchal who works as a Computer Hardware Engineer in Mumbai India.
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Note: You can check his previous repair articles on Euronics Automatic Soap Dispenser Repair – Part 3
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Parasuraman S
October 17, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Yes, I do agree with you dear Yogesh Bai; I do not know why some excellent sound quality products have gone off the market! May be quite uneconomical for them because the market is shrouded with furious and low-quality products with high claims and low prices.
Yogesh Panchal
October 21, 2026 at 4:33 pm
Thank You!Sir,
Excellent Sound Quality provided by the Creative Brand with Zero Standby Noise.
Jim
October 17, 2026 at 1:10 pm
I agree these creative computer speakers work great for computer use, nice repair!
Yogesh Panchal
October 21, 2026 at 4:35 pm
Thank You! Jim
Albert van Bemmelen
October 17, 2026 at 6:09 pm
My multimedia PC speakers (manufacturer unknown) also sound great and also have a integrated power supply instead of the mentioned usb fed speakers. Thanks for sharing.
Yogesh Panchal
October 21, 2026 at 4:39 pm
Thanks! Albert
USB-powered speakers do not sound good because their circuitry has a low amperage; furthermore, they produce an annoying noise when in standby mode.
Mark J
October 18, 2026 at 3:24 am
I fixed a problem similar to that with a pair of amplified speakers. Sometimes the volume control knob causes that scratchy noise or sound. Good job on the repair Yogesh.
Yogesh Panchal
October 21, 2026 at 4:50 pm
Thank You! Mark J
In my years of experience, I have found that if a device is working properly, it should not be tampered with.
yes Dust Cleaning is essential for the maintenance of any electronic device.
Philip
October 19, 2026 at 6:24 am
Thanks Yogesh. I once had a DVD player that had an in-built sound amplifier with two small speakers installed. The dual channel output sound IC TEA2O25 made the two tiny speakers sound so nice. I still hope one day to repair it, 18 years down the line.
Yogesh Panchal
October 21, 2026 at 4:53 pm
Philip,
It’s good to hear that the device is still working well after all this time.
MP
October 19, 2026 at 1:58 pm
Good article. I like the nice fourth picture, it looks almost real. How about resoldering in the board areas that appear roasted ? Or even changing the 'fire-spitting' components ?
Yogesh Panchal
October 21, 2026 at 5:13 pm
Thank you! MP
I checked the track by scratching it; it seems fine—only its color has changed, likely due to environmental factors.
Waleed Rishmawi
October 19, 2026 at 5:00 pm
good job on the repair..it is a very good idea to have a variable power supply in the shop that way you do not have to wait for the customer to bring it over which might take time. I usually test it with my bench power supply watching the power setting, amp ratings which give me an idea what is going on. thanks for sharing and have a blessed day
Yogesh Panchal
October 21, 2026 at 5:23 pm
Waleed,
Heard from you after such a long time. I hope everything is going well on your end.
I didn't have a DC pin of this size, and if I had soldered the wires directly onto the circuit, it wouldn't have been immediately clear whether the fault lay with the socket.
Tito Kanshulu
October 20, 2026 at 5:48 pm
Good job Yogesh.
Yogesh Panchal
October 21, 2026 at 5:24 pm
Thank You! Tito Kanshulu