Troubleshooting Common Karaoke Machine Problems

A close-up of a woman singing karaoke into a microphone.
  • 1/2 hr
  • Beginner
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Your karaoke machine may come across some problems eventually, but you will find that a lot of these issues can be easily fixed. As long as you know what to look for and what tools you’ll need, there should be no difficulty when it comes to troubleshooting your machine.

No Power

If your karaoke machine doesn’t seem to have any power, you sometimes find it is something as simple as making sure that it is plugged in. Check both the outlet and the end of the cord that is connected to the actual machine.

The cause could also be the actual electrical outlet itself. Try plugging in another appliance that you know is working to see if power is coming to the outlet at all.

If the karaoke machine is battery-powered, you will need to check the batteries. They could either be bad or they could be inserted incorrectly.

After eliminating all of these simple causes, it’s time to look more closely at the machine. Do a more thorough inspection of the power cord this time to be sure neither of the ends has loose or fraying wires.

For battery-powered machines, go back in and check that your connectors aren’t bent or corroded. This can impede the power traveling from the batteries to the machine, so just bend the connectors back into place gently or clean the corrosion with vinegar or a baking soda paste and see if this solves your problem.

No Sound or Video

If there is no sound coming from your karaoke machine, and/or no song lyrics appearing on screen, there are a couple of things that it could be. You will need to be sure that you are on the right function on your television set for starters.

There are often several different functions that you can choose from for the sound and picture to come through, but of course, you need to choose the one the machine is specifically connected to.

If you’re unsure which connection the machine is wired to, just check the back of your television. You may also want to check the PA. Turn up the sound and make sure the device is playing so you can hear it when you find the right input.

If all of this is in working condition, check the wiring and be sure that the right wires are plugged into the right spots on both the machine and the TV.

Other Issues

If the CD player does not recognize the disc, there are a few things that you will need to check. You will need to begin by making sure that the CD isn’t dirty or scratched.

You may want to wipe it clean with a soft cloth if you find dust or dirt on it. You may want to try a couple of different CDs to see whether it’s the machine or the disc itself having problems.

If the CD deck has any type of moisture then you will have to allow at least a half-hour for it to dry. If you will need to reset the unit, you will need to unplug it and wait nearly half a minute before you plug it back in.

If you experience problems with the microphone, you will need to be sure that the sound channels are adjusted the way that they should be. In order to do this, you will need to press the audio button until the stereo sound has been selected.

Troubleshooting Common Karaoke Machine Problems FAQ

Do karaoke machines need special CDs?

Karaoke machines and singing machines are usually designed to read regular CDs but optimally, you will have CD+G discs. These discs have graphics built in that display the lyrics to the song on a television screen or computer monitor.

Can a karaoke machine remove vocals?

Karaoke machines are designed to play music without vocals so that the people doing karaoke may add their own singing. This is done with the Out of Phase Stereo (OOPS) function.

There are also several software programs that remove vocals from music tracks, along with multiple apps that are designed to work with karaoke machines.

Why is my singing machine not reading discs?

If your karaoke machine is not reading discs or not reading them properly, check the disc to see if it needs to be cleaned or if it is scratched. Next, test a clean and unscratched disc in the player.

If you cannot get more than one clean disc to play, try cleaning the machine's laser reader and test it again. If this still does not work, you need to do more troubleshooting.

How do you fix a disc that won't play?

If you have a particular disc that isn't playing, try cleaning the disc with a soft cloth. Microfiber works well because it won't leave lint behind.

Check the parental control options on the machine. Also, make sure the disc is compatible with the machine.

Try playing the disc on another device, ideally a similar device, and see if the disc will play anywhere. You could have a formatting problem.

What is the best way to set up karaoke at home?

As long as you have a television screen or computer monitor ad a DVD or Blu-ray player, along with a microphone that connects to your speakers, you have everything you need for karaoke at home once you get the machine and some discs with music on them. There are even some console games that allow you to enjoy karaoke using little more than the console and your television.