Sound problem

[Hammer2001]

I’m using the onboard sound of my MSI Mag Tomahawk Motherboard.
l‘ve been using a creative 5300 5.1 speaker system which I can’t remember when I bought them but it was a long time ago!

Everything has been working fine until a few weeks ago when an intermittent sound problem has started happening. I can be happily using the computer and there will be a pop from the speakers and then the sound volume is really low. Turning the volume controls has no effect.
Sometimes after a while it will pop again and then start working normally.
Sometimes powering everything off and on will fix it, sometime not.
Sometimes unplugging all the speaker cables and reconnecting fixes it sometimes not.
So I’ve now been able to pin point what exactly fixes it other than it will work properly again at some point.

I don’t really know if its an issue with the onboard sound or the speakers, I’m suspecting the speakers due their age.

Anyone else had issues like this? Or offer any advice?

 

[Hammer2001]

Thanks for the replies.
I think it's definitely the speakers that are the issue.
I tried a cheap pair of desktop speakers from my son's PC and haven't had the issue.
I will try lowering the windows output level and raise the speaker volume as suggested and see if it still happens.

As i say it doesn't always happen, but when it does it's usually at the most inopportune time!

I may bite the bullet and treat myself the a new set for Christmas.

I've been looking the Edifier speakers namely the R1280DB, but I do wonder if they are too big to just sit on a desk and too powerful for my needs.
I don't really need room filling sound, just casual gaming and background music when working on the computer, so not sure if that type of speaker is overkill for my needs.