Repair of Corsair Gaming Audio Series SP2500

[invalidcommand]

Hello all,

I have a Corsair Gaming Audio Series SP2500 stereo + subwoffer speaker system that stopped working.
I picked it up from my basement after around 6 months of rest down there... After plugin it in, it was working all right. but then I turned the volume a bit up, it gave its final high sound, not from the speaker unit... and havent made a sound since.

It Didn't smell,
The sound I can best describe as sounding like a stone hitting a window without breaking the glass - pretty loud also.

I think it would be a waste to throw it out, have good sound, and I have a feeling the problem is rather simple... so I opened the set, but I don't really know what to do inside it... I hoped to some some capacitor that was clearly sick, but I can't really see it...

I have some photos, perhaps you can see something, or can give me an idea of what to measure.

Here one pcb, the power distribution I think, I suspect it might be the capacitor bottom left of the right heat-dispersions thing.




Backside of power board:


and then there is a second pcb in there, it looks even finer, haven't taken it out so i don't have the back of that:



So, what are the odds that I can repair this given my very limited experience with electronics?
best regards.

 

[kellys_eye]

Repairs are always possible however:

given my very limited experience with electronics?

may be a problem!

Do you have a test meter and are you familiar with its operation?

You may be working with potentially lethal voltages on that power supply board so you need to know the risks and how to avoid harm.

The simplest thing would be to replace the PSU module with another that can deliver the required volts and amps to eliminate the PSU as the cause.

If you know what voltage is output from the PSU (it may be noted against the connectors, your photo's don't cover that area - nor are they properly focussed) then you could measure them to see if they are within spec.

Given the main fuse hasn't blown the PSU could be working just fine.

Have you given the board(s) a good number-one eyeball and sniff test?

 

[invalidcommand]

Thanks for your feedback, I didn't think of replacing it, as I'm not sure there is more complicated than 'just power' going on in this board. But I think you might be right that it just is power.

only thing is that usually it has power all the time... and on the volume control there is a button that will do the actual 'power on' so there is also some standby functionality.

Here is one of two 'output terminals'

I see 12, 5 and 27V potential, but no indication of current.

and here is the other terminal:


I can't smell anything. but the following looks suspicious to me :

over that resistor i measure 790kΩ
if I am using my meter correctly, the capacitor is dead, i measure 0f over it:

(I measure with this selected and just put probes in the backside of pcb where the capacitor sits)

 

[invalidcommand]

btw, here's the terminals from the backside:

 

[kellys_eye]

I can't smell anything. but the following looks suspicious to me :

Technically we say 'that's f****d'

Given it's a switched mode supply there could be any number of faulty parts in it now. The main control device is the component bolted to the heatsink just above the 'dodgy' part. It may have failed open-circuit as, should it have failed 'short' the main fuse would have blown.

This is just speculative though as there are too many other associated parts to simply point at one and say 'change it' - doing so may just cause other bits to blow up.

SMPS circuits also (usually) have over-current protection (shut-down) that would act in the event of a fault on the amplifier board but since there appears to be actual component damage on the PSU board the amplifier itself is likely to be ok.

Have you tried sourcing a replacement board (you need the make/model/type number from it) - if you find those details you can often find repair kits for the parts that most commonly go 'pop' for a few $ and changing them (usually) restores operation.

This may require some soldering of parts on either side of the board - note the size of the smaller parts too.... reckon you have the skills to replace any of them?

Sad to say, unless you can source a PSU board to swap out, it looks like you'll have to employ the services of a professional to get it fixed. Unless it's under warranty????

 

[invalidcommand]

Technically we say 'that's f****d'

yes... I was thinking that, afraid it is a bit over my expertise level to fix this nice fellow... Generally he just looks good, only a few areas that looks a bit to brown and then the exploded component i took a picture of.

Its much out of warranty, perhaps 5 years or older, don't really remember.
On the bright side, I will free up a chunk of space from the corner where it is standing

Thank you for your input.
I will use a couple of days looking at it before sending it to the recycle station.