Logitech’s Z533 subwoofer and speakers feature amazing audio quality and user-friendly design. However, users like my friend Jane, experience technical issues from time to time. This can be very frustrating as a poor experience means many people will simply trash the product and buy another.
She contacted me to help out and I decided to take a closer look at the problem. Along the way I discovered many other issues that people have been experiencing with this product.
This article documents all possible issues with the Z533 speaker and subwoofer and step-by-step solutions.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
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Logitech Z533 One Channel Not Working
Problem
One speaker of the Z533 sound system stops working suddenly. If the troublesome speaker is the left one – swapping the speaker’s connections, i.e., plugging the left speaker into the right’s output and vice versa, causes the left one to work again with no sound from the right one.
Solution
Remove the rubber pad underneath the volume controller, and you will find three screws on the metal base. Unscrew them and test the sound from both speakers. You must now hear the sound from both of them. Put the screws back by turning them them lightly.
Redditor sure_not_ has been able to solve the problem with a more permanent fix:
I then took the base cover off and found the main harness was being pinched by the circuit board solder joints. I put a small piece of electrical tape between the circuit board and the harness and the issue is gone. My Z533 speaker system is now fully operational.
It’s likely that the solder joints were causing an electrical short. Screwing the base back not as tightly would alleviate the pressure thereby preventing the short. The electrical tape does a better job of isolating internal elements and also preserving the structure.
Logitech Z533 makes a Buzzing Noise
Problem
The speaker system constantly produces noise even if nothing is being played. Some users report this buzzing noise issue even if the speakers and subwoofer are turned off.
Solution
Some have reported this issue when the speakers are left plugged in for too long. However this should never be an issue as electronics is designed to be “always on”. I design electronics for a living and the specifications or proper operation are never conditional on the system being powered off periodically. There are definitely products that are shipping out with poor quality components.
The problem could be resulting from interference or noise. Here are a few tips to resolve this
- plug your Logitech Z533 speaker system into another power outlet
- if it’s plugged into a power bar, try plugging directly into an outlet
- move the speakers away from other electronic devices
Lastly, don’t forget to recheck the cable connections to ensure they are plugged in correctly and the connecting cables aren’t faulty and damaged.
Z533 Power and Volume Control Problem
Problem
The Logitech Z533, when turned on, is at volume zero. When the user tries to turn the volume up by turning the potentiometer on the controller, the LED indicator flips, and the speaker system turns off.
Solution
The On-Off switch under the potentiometer is no longer working.
The following steps will resolve the issue:
- Remove the bottom part of the controller by removing the rubber pad first.
- Unscrew the three screws and remove the metal plate.
- Solder the two points of the On/Off switch together and put the removed covers back.
- Now, the Logitech Z533 will turn on. The LED light will also turn on. The volume control will work perfectly fine. The only catch is that users can no longer turn the controller off by rotating it. It has to be unplugged from the power source to turn it off.
Here is a video that demonstrates this
Summary
If your Logitech Z533 speaker and subwoofer isn’t working and the system is under warranty, you can always ask for a replacement.
If your speakers are no longer under warranty use our solutions before giving up on your speakers. Problems we have resolved in this post:
- One channel not working
- Speakers making a buzzing sound
- Power and Volume control