Yes magnetic device distorts the files on a computer or any device damaging them permanently. For example a T.V. If you put a magnet on the screen, the color on the screen aren't properly organized anymore instead you got a multicolor tv. Another example. A cd rom drive playing a cd music. You put a magnet on  top of it and it damages the data on the cd. But most speakers these days offers the anti magnetic sheild device on the casing of the speakers. But i think it's still much better to be safe and locate the speakers away from the computers and etc.

Goodluck,

Chris

You will only damaged your computer if you actuall put a magnet on top of your cd rom that has a cd playing on it. Besides that the computer having a plastic case protects your pc to such magnetized object. As long as you don't play to loud and don't rattle the casing, the screw on your pc will stay as it was when purchased em.

Chris

Well its a guitar amp, and I am pretty sure its not magnetically shielded. Can just having it sitting next to a computer harm the computer? Or does it have to touch a component of the actual hardware? Can the sound waves that it gives off harm a computer? I don't know if its done through touch or just proximity of it. Anyone know? Anyone have a guitar or amp near there comp?

If it were ME, I would keep that amp across the room from your computer.  Not knowing how strong that magnet is I would fear damage from it.  Its not the magnet...its the Magnetic Field it makes.   It also can screw up every chip on your mother board as well.  And I don't think that would be covered under your warrenty.

Dimension 4600
2.8 GHZ 800 FSB
512 DDR ram
80 GB HD
60 GB External Fire Wire HD
GeForce TI 4200(replaced CHUNKY 5200)
P991 19" Monitor
DVD/CD-RW
CD-RW
Floppy Drive(A must have for a old timer)
5.1 SB Audio
Added Firewire card
A stoopid modem I didn't want 

A properly shielded PC will have no affect from a guitar amp.  Being a musician I've got several Peavey's, a MosValve, a Carvin (bass amp) and an Evans around.  My PC is in my "music room/recording studio".  There is no affect on it.  I've placed tapes (which are magenetic sensitive) on top of amps and it never hurt them.  The only real magnets are in the speakers.  I've had the back of an amp (with the speaker magnet facing the PC) sitting in front of a PC for several hours and no problems.  Floppy diskettes or mag tapes (e.g. tape backup unit) are the only real potentials and the magnets have to be very close to even affect them.

I worked in computer rooms and around computers since "BPC" (before PC's) and except for mag tapes and the old floppy diskettes there was never an issue.

If you still got your warranty running and did not expired yet. If you ever drop a coffee on your keyboard or drop any parts of your computer by any chance they'll replace it without a charge. Don't you guys read your warranty that came with your pc's. As long as it's accidental.

His warranty include accidental damage and this goes to every pc. If his warranty expires thats it for the computer.

Sbring44,

               Did you take your modem off your mobo. Coz i took mine out. Actually i would consider dial up modem obsolete. Since now i'm using a cable modem. Although i'm planning on purchasing another computer but most pc's these days are equip with either modem or LAN so what's the point. lol.  Oh well it's going to the recycling bin.

chris

Message Edited by henesseynalert on 10-21-2003 08:15 AM

"His warranty include accidental damage and this goes to every pc. If his warranty expires thats it for the computer"

Just curious, what does this mean?

Finally a rational answer. Placing a STRONG magnet on top of a floppy MAY damage it. Placing a magnet near the monitor will mess up the display/colors - a strong magnet may mess them up semipermanently - although multiple power cycles will auto deguass the monitor after a while. There is nothing else in a pc that is magnetic field sensitive as regards to the fields available to the consumer. (I work with MRI systems. We use large STRONG, up to 7T, magnets.)

The speakers from a guitar amp may distort the image on your monitor. If they do, move them further away. There is nothing in the guitar amp itself that will have any effect - except perhaps as alluded to earlier - if you turn the volume up too high you may shake some screws loose.

To add to what ddeerrff said.

I work in a steel warehouse, & we have magnets with a lift rating of 30,000 lbs.

For the last 15 years we have been moving them with in inches of our machine

controllers, which are 400 celerons, & yet to have any kind of a problem. The

monitors will  get to looking like rainbows once in awhile, but we wave one of

our small hand magnets in front of it, & it will clear up

When we were using floppies for our programs, we didn't have any trouble with them either, & we left

 them laying every where

Just my $.02 worth

Bob

ddeerrff      is 7T  seven Tons ?  or seven Telsa ?

Message Edited by bob350 on 10-22-2003 04:28 AM

henesseynalert, pulled another on the audio section.  I don't remember the exact problem but someone was having problems hooking speakers (I think) to the sound card and his response was "Dude just try every jack on the sound card until it works".  Great logical troubleshooting.

Have you ever taken an old hard drive apart? There are magnets internal to the drive that are part of the head-driver. These are quite strong magnets and are in close proximity to the drive media. If these magnets don't damage the hard drive platters, no reasonable external field is going to have any effect on the system.

7T = 7 Tesla = 700,000 gauss. Whole body toroids.

I am sorry for all of the confusion and misunderstandings I have created. The computer I was talking about wasn't even a Dell, its self built. Anyways, I thank everyone for the response that my concern attracted. I now have a better understanding of the situation. Let me get this right, by placing my computer near my amp, it can not cause any damage unless played too loud. Still I will probably keep the guitar and amp in a different room. Thanks everyone.