SE/30 has awful static from speaker

[SnickterP]

Hey all,

I'm new here. I just picked up an SE/30 on eBay for a decent price (always wanted one of these to add to my collection). It works great except when you boot it from a cold start the internal speaker makes a horrible squelching/squealing noise. If you restart the Mac, it will go away. But if you attempt to turn the volume on it will result in the Mac freezing. Only once did the sound actually work normally, and stayed that way until i restarted. Any ideas? Bad speaker connection, or maybe bad logic board?

Thanks guys!

 

[Scott Baret]

Have you tried external speakers?

 

[ppuskari]

Sounds like bad caps to me based on what the other guys are saying in the other threads the past few weeks.

I'm sure one of them more in the know will have some idea more than me that is for sure. My SE/30 is still in the garage waiting to be worked on.

Good luck!

 

[phreakout]

It definitely sounds like a bad capacitors issue, which also is associated with Simasimac. Symptoms include low volume or no sound at startup, zebra-like pattern, checkerboard or horizontal stripes on the screen, and symptoms not clearing up after reset or cold boot (shut off power and turn it back on). The common solution would be to replace the capacitors C1 through C13 soldered on top of the logic board/motherboard. But before you start replacing parts, here are some things I would recommend doing:

Open up the plastic case and remove the logic board (circuit board on the bottom of the SE/30). Look very closely and take note if there are any leaking caps. They will have a white or clear residue dried and flowing from the top or bottom of the cap. Take note of any corrosion on the logic board. It will appear as a white powder or a blue-green speck around circuit traces and component leads. If you find corrosion, clean it up using a small wire brush, isopropyl or denatured alcohol and soap water.

If the caps look like they burst or bulged out with residue, then I would suggest getting all the caps replaced. Don't replace just one or two; replace them all. If this sounds too complicated, send me a private message (PM) and we can arrange for you to send the logic board to me and I'll do it for you. Read the earlier thread called 'Offering of my services to the 68kmla community' for more details.

73s de Phreakout. :rambo:

 

[SnickterP]

Thank you all for the replies. I'm a work now so I'll have to open it up later. The seller offered me a partial refund or to take it back entirely. You think I should hang onto it if it's the capacitors? Its in relatively decent shape, only minor case scuffing and whatnot.

 

[trag]

Thank you all for the replies. I'm a work now so I'll have to open it up later. The seller offered me a partial refund or to take it back entirely. You think I should hang onto it if it's the capacitors? Its in relatively decent shape, only minor case scuffing and whatnot.

Your chances of getting one that doesn't have bad capacitors isn't very good. So if you like it, and you either don't mind paying for a cap job, or can do it yourself, you would probably be best off keeping it. Even if you find one that works fine now, they all seem to need caps sooner or later.

However, there is some possibility that the problem is not the caps. You should bear that in mind when assessing the risks/benefits.

 

[Quadraman]

Now that you have it, I'd keep it and have the caps done. Every SE/30 needs to have it done sooner or later and it'll probably be better to do it now than later. If the seller offered a part refund, take that and put it towards the cap job.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

Now that you have it, I'd keep it and have the caps done. Every SE/30 needs to have it done sooner or later and it'll probably be better to do it now than later. If the seller offered a part refund, take that and put it towards the cap job.

It is not difficult to recap a Mac. If you have patience and a steady hand, just practice a bit on some junk circuit boards and you should be set.