OT - Problem with Sound Prefs/Pro Speakers

[David DelMonte]

Sorry for the off-topic post but a friend in Greece is needing advice. 
All ideas are welcome. Thanks!


I have a problem with the sound on my iMac 17”Flat Panel 1Ghz Super 
Drive -OS 10.2.5
I have had this new machine for about 6 weeks.
The Pro Speakers had worked really well and still do. My problem is 
that one day last week suddenly only one speaker worked when I played a 
CD.

I was able to fix this in the Sound Preference Output panel by 
centering the stereo balance slider. For some reason the slider was way 
to the right.

Next day the same problem except that Sound Preference Output panel had 
no stereo balance slider anymore.

The  startup chimes are in stereo (or at least sound comes from both 
speakers), yet everything else including modem dialling and alert 
sounds come from one speaker.

I reset the PRAM and the firmware. I reinstalled System software 
starting with OS 10.2.3 then updated to 10.2.4 and then to 10.2.5. but 
still no stereo control in the Sound Preference Output panel. In the 
output panel the “device for sound output” is set at “Built-in audio 
controller” . But under “settings for selected device:” it says “There 
are no settings available for the selected device”. That’s where the 
stereo balance slider used to be.

In the Apple website I found no evidence of anybody else having this 
problem.

Can anyone propose a solution?

Tom in Skopelos, Greece