How to Dispose of Old Speakers and Stereo Gear

How to dispose of old speakers depends on whether they are powered and whether they still work. Working speakers, especially vintage brands, often sell to audio hobbyists. Powered speakers, soundbars, subwoofers, Bluetooth speakers, and smart speakers contain electronics, and many contain batteries, so they belong in e-waste recycling. Passive speakers with no electronics beyond wire and a crossover are often accepted by e-waste programs too, and the drivers contain magnets and metal that scrap yards may take.

Sell or donate first

Vintage speakers from well-known brands can be worth real money even with worn foam surrounds, which are repairable. Working modern speakers donate easily. Thrift stores often accept passive speakers but may refuse powered ones they cannot test.

Types of speakers

Batteries in portable speakers

Bluetooth speakers usually have built-in lithium-ion batteries. Do not put them in the trash, where they can catch fire. Take the whole speaker to e-waste or a battery drop-off that accepts devices. See where to recycle batteries.

Smart speakers and privacy

Before recycling a smart speaker, remove it from your account in the app and do a factory reset. That unlinks it from your account and clears local settings.

Taking passive speakers apart

If your e-waste site will not take large wooden cabinets, unscrew the drivers and crossovers. Drivers have steel frames and magnets and can go to scrap or e-waste; crossovers go to e-waste. The particleboard or wood cabinet goes to bulky waste or trash.

Stereo receivers and amps

Receivers, amplifiers, CD players, and turntables are e-waste. Vintage receivers often resell well. See electronics kept out of the trash pit.

Remote controls and cables

Remove batteries from remotes and recycle them. Speaker wire and audio cables go to e-waste or scrap as insulated copper wire.

Repairing worn speakers

The most common failure in older speakers is foam surround rot: the foam ring around the cone crumbles after twenty or thirty years. Refoam kits are sold for many popular drivers and take an afternoon to install, and audio repair shops do the work for a modest fee. Crackling can come from dirty connections or a failing crossover capacitor, both fixable. Before you recycle a pair that sounded great until recently, check whether a simple repair would bring it back. A refoamed vintage pair is also worth noticeably more if you decide to sell it.

How to dispose of old speakers FAQ

Can speakers go in the trash?

Passive speaker cabinets may be allowed in some areas, but powered and battery speakers should go to e-waste.

Are old speakers worth money?

Vintage brand-name speakers often sell to hobbyists.

How do I recycle a Bluetooth speaker?

Take it to e-waste or a battery drop-off that accepts devices.

Should I reset a smart speaker before recycling?

Yes, remove it from your account and factory reset it.

Do speaker magnets have scrap value?

Drivers can go to scrap with other mixed metal, though value is small.

The bottom line

How to dispose of old speakers: sell or donate working and vintage pairs, take powered, Bluetooth, and smart speakers to e-waste, reset smart speakers first, and recycle passive speakers as e-waste or by scrapping the drivers and trashing the cabinet. Use the map to find an e-waste drop-off near you.