Trouble adding external speakers to iMac

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Trouble adding external speakers to iMac

I have a 24 inch flat screen iMac. I'm trying to add my Klipsch external speakers to the iMac. The speakers have a sub-woofer that gets plugged in. The other audio jack is plugged into the iMac's headphones port (I've tried the audio port as well). For some reason, the iMac goes silent, but no sound comes from the external speakers. The speakers worked fine with my pc. I've gone to system preferences -> Sound-> and verified that the Output is "headphones". I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Yes, the speakers are powered on and the volume is turned up. Any other ideas??? I don't know where to turn at this point. Any help is appreciated!

IMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8), Klipsch external speakers

Posted on Sep 27, 2009 7:26 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 27, 2009 7:38 PM in response to MightyDre

Try connecting regular headphones (like iPod earbuds) into the headphones port. Do they work? If they do not, System Preferences Sound pane Output tab is set correctly, and the sound volume is not set to mute, there is something wrong with the headphones port. If they do work, there is something wrong with the speakers.

If the problem appears to be the port, you might try resetting PRAM. Some sound settings are stored there.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

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Answer 2

MightyDre Author

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Sep 27, 2009 8:00 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Ok, headphones do work when plugged in. I'll need to re-connect the speakers to my old pc and test them again. Thanks.

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Answer 3

Oct 7, 2009 8:32 AM in response to MightyDre

Did you get your speakers to work? I have the same issue. A set of speakers that worked on a PC, plug in to headphone port and it doesnt work. Head phones work fine.

Anyone have any ideas?!?!?

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Answer 4

Johnny84

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Oct 7, 2009 9:46 AM in response to MightyDre

Sounds a bit obvious (but the same happened to me) have the speakers got a source select button?

That is the only thing I can thing of unless the speakers are faulty?

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Answer 5

Oct 8, 2009 8:34 PM in response to MightyDre

Hey, I've a set of Klipsch powered speakers too.

The sub-woofer box has a rocker switch that might be triggered off.

Also, the line in on the sub-woofer box has a four (or five) pin jack that is the weak point in the speaker system. I've heard that this jack can go bad when exposed to stress. If that's your problem sometimes it can be manipulated to undue the short that occurs when it is placed under stress.

The jack is easily replaced by opening the box and unscrewing the old one and screwing in a new one.

Hope this helps.

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