Cannot hear any sound through my external speakers - help!

More information will help.

Is this a problem that just started for you, or have you never been able to plug in headphones or external speakers and have them work?

Are you sure you are plugging into the correct jack on the computer? On my slightly older iMac I sometimes reach around to the back and hit the wrong jack.

When I open "Sound" in System Preferences and hit the "Output" tab, I see "Internal Speakers" listed. Then when I plug in my headphones the "Internal Speakers" automatically changes to "Headphones."
Is this what you see on your computer?

Good luck.

Arch

I have the same problem, I have a set of Bose companion speakers but neither my iMac or MBP "see" them. Under audio output settings the only option is the internal speakers, I am selecting the correct jack, the headphone one sees my headphones ok but as it is a problem with both macs it must be something i don't have set up correctly.

Im running 10.6.4

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Sometimes the design of the plug prevents it going all the way in; this can happen if the body of the plug is a bit fat (I've occasionally had to use a penknife to shave the body down a bit).

You could try getting a headphone extension lead from an electronics shop (look carefully at the plug end ) and using that.

Thanks for the reply. Its all connected correctly.

I have it working after a fashion but only via the headphone socket !!

cheers

I have it working after a fashion but only via the headphone socket !!

What socket were you trying?

I have the same problem with my Harmon Kardon Sound Sticks. After a year and a half of working perfectly, they disappeared from System Preferences Sound options. I've checked the connections and switched the jack around. My only option is my internal speakers. How can I get my Sound System Preferences to recognize my Sound Sticks?

Never mind. The problem was cased by MacKeeper, and I corrected it.