Harddisk next to speakers?

cansan · Post by **cansan** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 1:56 pm

I've recently bought a speaker set for my laptop (Logitech X-540). I also have my external harddisk on my desk. Is it ok to place them next to each other? I *seem* to remember something about keeping magnetic stuff away from speakers or something? Is there any harm in putting a harddisk next to a speaker? Or am I just making it up from some stuff I heard???

nick705 · Post by **nick705** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 3:12 pm

Nope, you'd need a field of several thousand gauss to overcome a HDD platter's coercivity. No loudspeaker magnet is anywhere near strong enough. The rare earth magnets inside a HDD do generate such a field, but due to their small size it only extends over a very short distance.

Nothing to worry about, apart from maybe vibrations, and even that wouldn't be an issue if the subwoofer is far enough away.

Trip · Post by **Trip** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 8:43 pm

You can hear interference with speakers, or at least I have in the past.

I cut out the rear fan grill of a computer and I think that was the culprit for interference from the computer box. It was very annoying, but it's fixed now.

jhhoffma · Post by **jhhoffma** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:11 am

Also, most computer desktop speakers are shielded anyway, which cancels out the magnetic field. If you are unsure if your speakers are shielded, take one (it doesn't have to be plugged in) and slowly approach a CRT television/monitor. If the colors distort (usually turning purple or darker), then the speaker is unshielded and shouldn't be used anywhere near a CRT or magnetic-sensitive components.

But like I said, most computer speakers today are shielded, even the cheap ones.