I am trying to use a DFPlayer in a project of mine with an Arduino Nano Matter, but every time I power on the board, nothing happens. I asked for help with this in the past and ended up coming to the conclusion that the module was just damaged somehow since it wasn’t working in IO mode and bought a few more to replace it. When I tried again with one of the new modules, I had the same issue. I tested the 2 old modules and a brand new never used module in IO mode recently and only the new module worked, the others didn’t even power on their leds. The module is powered by the Arduino 5V pin. How do I stop this from happening?
As this problem involves damage, I won't ask for software, but for certain you'll need to provide a complete, annotated schematic clearly showing all connections to all components, and (optimally) provide links to all components.
This is so we can observe sometimes subtle interconnection problems that simply never come across in wordy descriptions of people's projects, even when the OP tries to verbally describe the connection details.
Draw it on a clean sheet of paper, annotate copiously, take a high-rez photo of the drawing, and post it here, in this thread, in a new message, please.
I would recommend a two step process, First draw it by hand, then make a second drawing where you use a ruler to neaten things up.
The object is to make the wiring as simple as possible by having as few wiries crossing as possible. Do not be constrained by trying to show the physical location of the processor's pins, just a PIN number and a note saying what it is used for will be enough.
It is almost certain that you are doing something wrong with the power wiring, like supplying a component with too much voltage than it is designed to use.
A schematic would help!
Start by posting an annotated schematic which has already been requested. Since you are having problems we cannot be sure it is wired 100% correctly. In fact you admit to a major goof. Take a close look at rule #1.
Gil's Crispy Critter
Gil's Crispy Critter Rules for Processor Hardware:
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Rule #1: An Arduino is NOT a Power Supply!
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Rule #2: Never connect anything inductive (motors, speakers) directly to an Arduino!
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Rule #3: Avoid connecting or disconnecting wires while the power is on.
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Rule #4: Do not apply power to any pin unless you are certain of what you're doing.
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Rule #5: Do not exceed the maximum voltage or current ratings.
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Rule #6: Many Arduinos cannot power transmitters directly.
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Rule #7: Before powering your project, take a break and double-check the wiring.
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Rule #8: Bad soldering makes for project failure.
LaryD’s Corollaries:
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Coro #1: When starting out, add a 220Ω resistor in series with both input and output pins to protect against shorts.
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Coro #2: Invest in a Digital Multi-Meter (DMM) to measure voltages, currents, and resistance.
Note: Violating these rules can turn your Arduinos into crispy critters. For optimal performance, keep your wires under 25 cm (10 inches).
Additional Tips:
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The L293 motor driver, though common, is inefficient as it can lose around 3V as heat when driving both legs of a motor. Consider using a motor driver with MOSFET outputs to reduce heat loss and conserve battery power.
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Not all motor drivers work with each motor, they have to be compatible.
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The nRF24 radios do not work very well when powered with an Arduino even if the 5V adapter is used.
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For more on powering Arduino boards, explore this guide: Powering Alternatives for Arduino Boards.
Give up. How many DFPlayers do you have to fry before you figure out you just can't get it right? From your other thread on the same subject you have asserted that you did everything right so the obvious conclusion is that you're just not cut out for this hobby.
@samuraidestroy
That is not an indication of correct wiring. It is only an indication that something is recieving power. That something is also frying your DFPlayer.
It is YOU that are frying the player with your faulty wiring. But as you refuse to post even a photograph of your setup we can only guess at what the cause is.
I normally advise such people to take up knitting instead.
It’s not the best image as my phone camera kind of sucks, but it should do the job well enough considering I also provided a schematic. I also noticed after taking the image that I put the damaged module back into the board backwards before taking the picture. It also doesn’t have the SD card in it in the photo as it’s currently in the module I tested and got working in IO mode.
Your frizzy is not a schematic but a wiring diagram. It is missing power sources. The data sheet shows only one speaker: DFPlayer Mini Mp3 Player - DFRobot Wiki
If you are still using the Nano Matter then it has 3V3 logic levels so you would not use the 1K series resistors as the DFPlayer is 3V3 logic as well. It is recommended that you power the DFPlayer from 3v3 even though the description says 5V is okay. Its logic pins are not 5V tolerant regardless. It is designed to operate with one speaker connected between Spk1 and Spk2.
For the time being, the Arduino is powered by USB, but the finished project will use 2 9V batteries in parallel.
Ah, ok. Some of the diagrams I saw made it seem like you could have 1 speaker connected between Spk1 and Spk2 or 2 speakers connected to the Spk1 and Spk2 respectively and ground.
So this would cause the DFPlayers to stop getting damaged?
According to some reports, 5V power can damage the player and its I/O is not 5V tolerant. Since the Nano Matter logic runs at 3V3, that is the proper way to power the DFPlayer as well.
Informative web site talking about all the clone variants of the DFPlayer Mini from DFRobot.
The 3.3V Secret: Despite being rated for 3.3V-5V operation, many users report significantly better behavior at 3.3V. One user noted: “Though the dfplayer is claimed to work from 3.3V to 5V, I’ve found it is much better behaved at 3.3V! Running it at 5V gives me odd noise and stability problems that vanish at 3.3V.”
Ground Connection: ALWAYS connect both GND pins on the DFPlayer. This isn’t optional – it significantly improves stability.
What is the impedance of the speakers, that would be noted on an annotated schematic. It is possible connecting speakers the way you have you could have overloaded the outputs and fried the output driver. Powering this from the Nano would probably damage it especially at higher volumes. use an external supply. The supply could power both if you want to do that assuming it is adequate for the load.
I'm not sure how much of the 1A spec of the buck regulator on the Nano Matter you can actually use. Probably safe to test at low volume settings.
Man I wish I had this when I was starting out. Would have saved a few UNOs and a truck load of componets!!!!!!!!! 
At least now it will help you with future designs. This was posted many times on this forum, I am sorry you missed it. Let us know how you do.
I'm good now that I now how to use a Arduino properly, and I have a benchtop psu to comply with crispy critter rule 1.
EDIT: What impedance are the speakers and do you have it driving more than one? If the answer to the last question is yes, then have a speaker bigger than a 3W 4Ω speaker that might be why. If you need more than one use a external amp.
I cannot directly answer that question. The key is the voice coil, which you said was rated at 3W, 4 Ohms. Physical size and mounting have a large effect on sound. The voice coil converts the AC power you dissipate in it into sound.
For basic calculations, use Ohm's law. Two 4-Ohm speakers in parallel become2 Ohms, or 8 Ohms if connected in series. You can use that relationship to determine whether your amplifier can drive them properly.
Your amplifier increases both the drive voltage and current (depending on the load). This, in turn, increases the amount of energy drawn from its power source.