I think I have torn speaker, please help me confirm it?

Hi all,
I bought my VPCZ124GX/B on 12/08/2010.
I started noticing popping sounds whenever I turn on my notebook just when windows 7 logo comes on boot screen.

Today I was playing music and I heard a sound like music from torn ear plug.
I've uploaded a video on youtube. I did little testing by covering up each speaker one at a time.
When I cover the speaker with my thumb (no pressure at all, just covering) speaker makes torn speaker sounds (only the right side speaker, not the left one as shown in video)

Could you guys help me with this? I need to confirm if I have indeed torn speaker.
I maybe hearing things and I am really reluctant to send in my notebook for repair as Sony doesn't exactly handle sent-in notebook with care.

I could live with it but it's been less than 30 days and I have defective notebook which simply to me is unacceptable.

Also when it isn't covered, it sounds normal unless I crank up the volume high (almost to the max)

Well do I have torn/broken speaker? It sounds like I do but I want to have 2nd look from others.
Help~

Here is the video. (about 54-56 seconds into the video, you can hear the problem sounds most clearly.)

Thanks for your input/help guys.

p.s. Sorry for wrong orientation of video, it was uploaded with iPhone4 and I couldn't edit it. Enjoy the music though. lol

 

I couldn't hear anything but, to be honest, I think you may be expecting a bit much from those speakers.

 

Hi jakem1,
Thanks for your honest input. Maybe I am hearing things and my expectation may be high, who knows, may be I am the one who needs my ears checked out? lol

Also, it is bit hard to catch the torn speaker-ish sound from video I took.
Anyways, any more thoughts guys/gals?

I called up Sony support and they say I have 1 year onsite tech service so I can call back later to set up an appointment for checkup.

Now that I think about this, this sound coming from speaker is exactly same sound from my Apple ear plug that has torn mesh (i dunno the term for this part) thing.

 

I think you have uncovered an 'interesting' aspect of the Z design. There is a definite asymmetry in the response of the left and right speakers to being covered with the finger in this fashion.

I think the left speaker definitely has a deficiency that is design related. What it is however I can't quite put my finger on it (no pun intended )

It does seem like the left can be made to distort by simply covering the right speaker (on certain passages) But in any case it does not have the same range as the right.

What was that piece in your video? (so I can play it from an original source)

 

Maybe you didn't listen all the way through. Try at 0:53.

 

Hi Oscar2,
Thank you for your input. I thought about the same thing as in maybe there is a difference in sound due to design of the Z's body. Or maybe due to the design, something is touching the speaker? I don't know.

Thing is unless I put the volume at the max, it really doesn't bother me. However, set the volume to max then I got that torn speaker sound.

Here is the original music. ( HERE) (the music starts to become louder at 2:53 ish)

I am glad I am not the only one hearing this anomaly.

I am becoming more assure of the speaker being torn/broken/touched my other parts, etc as I turn up the volume, I can definitely hear the distortion more clearer compared to lower volume setting.

 

Ah yes. I listened to it again with headphones this time and could hear it.

I just tried to reproduce it with my speakers at max and was unable to. It's funny because the problem occurs in your video at a relatively quiet part of the music.

I could hear some scratching noises that were similar to yours but a lot quieter and they seemed to be in the recording - sort of like the scratches you get on an old record. I can't think of any reason why covering one of the speakers would magnify those sounds if that's what is happening

Are you able to reproduce the problem with any other music?

 

Yes, the sound distortion happens with any music.

I am thinking when there is vibration (regardless of high/low volume) due to the sound, then I think that vibration shakes the speaker which causes distortion in sound. However, I am not sure about why covering the speaker magnifies the distortion too.

It sounds just like what torn speaker cone does, scratching like sounds coming off speaker.

I am not sure how the Z speakers are made, but the problem might as well be torn speaker cone?

 

I opened the Z and took a look at the speakers. They are mounted on the top lid and held in place with tape.

Perhaps something came loose in yours or there is something rattling around on the cone. That would also cause the effect you are hearing. If you are feeling bold, you could remove the speaker, clear out anything that may have fallen on the cone and then re-attach it.

Here are pictures I took of the speakers:

Left speaker:


Right Speaker:

 

Oscar2, thank you very much for your effort!
I really appreciate you for opening your notebook to share.

It looks like both left and right speaker parts are the same hardware. (I thought parts might look different for each left and right one)

Anyways, I called in for support and Sony scheduled me for Onsite warranty work.

I will report back in few days with the result!

Thanks guys for input/help.

 

Mainly I was opening it because, once I tried your left/right 'finger experiment', I was curious about the asymmetry in the sound of the left vs. right speakers. On mine at least, the right is full range (well full is a relative term here ) and the left is pretty much just a midrange only. There is a large difference between them.

I would be curious if anyone else can see if there is a difference on theirs, in the left vs right speakers, when you put your finger over each (playing whatever music)