How to Replace a Stereo Speaker

Normally, the first part of a home audio system that begins to wear out is the speakers. This is true for a five-piece surround sound system, all the way down to a two-piece stereo. Instead of buying an entire new system, it's possible to simply replace the speakers.

Pull out the receiver of the stereo system so the back can be accessed. The receiver is where the audio is adjusted. For boomboxes it is where the CD player is housed. All speakers will be plugged into the audio receiver. It is essentially the brain of the entire system.

Disconnect the speakers. They will either be connected by plugs, or by two wires. When connected by wires, there will usually be a black wire and a red wire and they will usually be inserted into two separate holes (color coordinated as well, with the black cord going into the black hole, and the red cord going into the red hole) and held tight by tightening clamps on the side of the holes. Flip the clamps and remove the wires from the holes. The speakers use two different wires because a stereo signal is made up of two different sound channels.

Read the back label of the amplifier to see what the total wattage is for the speakers. There will be a small, usually white, sticker on the back which has important information about the stereo system. It will also state what the total wattage is. This is important to know because if you pick out speakers which need a higher amount of wattage, it could overload the amplifier and either short out a fuse or damage the entire system.

Purchase the replacement speaker making sure the wattage is correct. The replacement speaker can be purchased from many different locations, either in person or online. Online stores may offer the convenience of being able to order the product from the comfort of your own home, but the shipping may be expensive, because some stereo speaks can be rather larger and extremely heavy. Most local electronics stores, such as Best Buy, will have an adequate selection and the majority of their staff within the home audio section of the store will be able to help you out with your search for the right replacement speaker.

Place the speaker back into the location of the original speaker, then plug the connecting wires into the amplifier, just as the older speaker had been. A new crisp, clean audio sound should come out of the newly installed speaker.