Many modern computers come with built-in speakers, but the sound of all these devices can be improved with higher quality external speakers. Here we are going to show you How to connect speakers to PC by USB, via Bluetooth and other common methods.
How do we connect speakers of all kinds to our computers? The way we connect an external speaker to a computer depends on the type of speaker.
Bluetooth speakers They are connected wirelessly via Bluetooth; USB speakers They connect via USB cables and typical speakers require some interface, either internal or external, to connect to a computer.
PC and Speaker Audio
The computers are digital devices where you can store and play digital audio. Instead, the speakers They are inherently analog devices. They require continuously variable analog audio signals to function as transducers and produce sound.
Therefore, to properly connect a speaker to a computer, a digital to analog converter (DAC) between the two. As the name suggests, the DAC will convert the digital audio from the computer into analog audio that the speaker can actually produce as sound.
Each of the connection methods has a DAC at some point in the signal path.
Selecting PC Audio Output
There are cases where the computer is properly connected to its speakers, but the audio is not being sent correctly. In troubleshooting, the most common cause of this is that the computer's audio output is not sending the audio where it should go.
To successfully send audio from a computer to a speaker, the computer's audio output must be set to the correct device.
This is an important piece of information to mention at the beginning of this article. We will refer to this as we go through connecting the various types of speakers to computers.
It is important, then, to note that the term “driver” applies to two completely separate parts of the connection between the computer and the speaker. Let’s define each:
Speaker Driver: A speaker driver is the transducer element of the speaker responsible for converting electrical energy (analog audio signals) into mechanical wave energy (sound waves).
Controller hardware computer: A computer hardware driver is a group of digital files that enables a computer hardware accessory to communicate with the computer's operating system.
How to Connect Speakers to PC via USB
computer speakers They come with USB connections. These speakers, as the name suggests, connect digitally to the computer via the USB port.
The instructions for connecting USB speakers to a computer are pretty straightforward:
- Connect one end of the USB cable to your computer via the USB port.
- Connect the other end (if necessary) to the speaker.
USB speakers act as their own interfaces and have built-in digital-to-analog converters. The computer outputs the digital audio through the USB port, travels through the USB cable, enters the USB speaker's DAC, is amplified, and drives the speaker.
We may need to install the necessary computer drivers to use the USB speakers. Many work as Plug-and-Play without a manual driver installation.
Often, the computer will automatically select the USB speakers as its audio output device the moment the connection is made.
However, if the computer does not output audio to the connected USB speakers, we can manually select the USB speakers as our output devices in the “Control Panel” of Windows.
It is important to note that these USB speakers typically need to have a built-in amplifier, as computers do not output speaker level signals.
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How to Connect Speakers to PC via Bluetooth
Bluetooth devices have greatly increased in popularity along with the rise of the smartphone. There are many Bluetooth speaker options on the market today that can be wirelessly connected to computers.
The term "pairing» is used when connecting Bluetooth devices to each other. Let us then describe how to pair a computer with a Bluetooth speaker.
First, the computer must support Bluetooth. This is the case for almost all modern computers, tablets and smartphones.
Let's see how to pair Bluetooth speakers with computers running MacOS:
- Make sure the computer is discoverable by going to “System Preferences” and then “Bluetooth” select «Activate Bluetooth«.
- The next step is to make the speaker discoverable by turning it on and disconnecting it from any other devices.
- To pair your MacOS computer with the speaker, go to “System preferences".
- Then select "Bluetooth".
- Now click on the button "Match” next to the speaker name in the “Devices".
The speakers and computer are now paired. The next step is to select the speaker as the computer's audio output device, as we would do with other types of speakers.
Now, let's go through the steps to connect a Bluetooth speaker with a computer with Windows operating system:
- Again, we start by making the computer discoverable. To do so, go to “Configuration”, then select “Devices".
- In "Devices", Choose "Bluetooth".
- Then click on “Manage Bluetooth devices".
- Now click on «Activate Bluetooth«.
Make sure the speaker is also discoverable by disconnecting it from any other devices.
- To pair your computer to the Bluetooth speaker go to “Configuration".
- Then select "Devices".
- Now click on “Bluetooth and other devices".
- Here, select «Add Bluetooth or other device«.
- And then you click on the name of the speaker.
Once paired, make sure the speaker is selected as the computer's audio output device. Smartphones and tablets can also be connected to Bluetooth speakers in a similar manner.
How To Connect Speakers To PC Using Internal Audio Interfaces
Sound cards Computer sound cards act as internal audio interfaces. If your computer has a headphone output, your sound card will even have a DAC.
Please note that speakers connected in this manner must have internal amplifiers or there must be an in-line amplifier. Computers typically output line/headphone level signals which are usually too low to drive speakers properly.
To connect to the computer's internal audio interface, we need to locate an analog output. This, again, is usually the 3,5mm headphone jack.
Using a 3,5mm male to male TRS cable, you can connect your computer to your speaker. Connect one end of the cable to your computer and the other end to your speaker.
Sometimes the speaker has a different size plug and a size adapter will be required to properly connect to the speaker.
It's important to emphasize that just because the 3.5mm headphone jack is the most common audio output on computers, it's not the only one. Other audio outputs can be used to connect computers to speakers via the internal audio interface.
The audio input may also be different on the speaker (XLR, RCA, etc.).
With this type of connection, the signal flow is as follows: The computer plays a digital audio signal, the signal is converted to analog audio by the internal DAC. This analog signal is sent through the headphone jack and through the audio cable to the connected speaker.
The speaker then amplifies the signal and uses it to drive the controller.
How To Connect Speakers To PC Using External Audio Interfaces
The external audio interface It is very common in professional and project studios. It acts as a single input and output device for the computer and allows multiple inputs and outputs on a single device.
Even a small audio interface can have combo inputs (XLR and 6,35/6,35" phono), a XNUMX/XNUMX" headphone jack, and line outputs (left and right channels). Some even connect via USB.
Connecting speakers to the interface is then a matter of running audio cables from the interface monitor, or line outputs to the speakers.
Make sure the proper hardware drivers are installed to allow communication between the interface and the computer. Once installed, the audio interface should be selected to be the computer's output device.
Please note that generally speaking, these interfaces are designed to connect to active studio monitors.
Active studio monitors have built-in amplifiers and are designed to accept line-level audio signals.
Sending line-level audio from your audio interface to a pair of passive speakers (which do not have built-in amplifiers) is likely to produce poor results unless there is an external amplifier in line between the two.
In this configuration, the signal flow happens like this: The computer plays digital audio and sends it through the digital connector to the audio interface. The audio interface's DAC converts this digital audio into analog audio and sends it through its outputs.
Through the outputs, the audio signal travels to the speaker/monitor via an audio cable (TRS, XLR, etc.) and through the crossover network and amplifiers. Once amplified and crossed over, the signal can drive the speaker drivers to effectively produce sound.
Audio interfaces become much more complex and involved as we add more inputs and outputs. There are many excellent professional-grade interfaces on the market.
Because interfaces output line-level signals, the audio must be amplified before it can properly drive connected speakers.
An audio interface can be connected to a stereo, or standalone, amplifier to amplify the signal and send it to passive speakers/monitors. Alternatively, the audio could be sent directly to active speakers/monitors that have built-in amplifiers.
How To Connect Speakers To PC Using Other Wireless Protocols
Bluetooth It is the most popular wireless protocol for wireless speakers, but there are Other ways to connect computers and speakers wirelessly that we should know about.
Some speakers, such as some Sonos models, connect via Wi-FiThis allows more speakers to be connected at a much longer transmission range at once.
In this case, we usually connect the speaker to Wifi, download an application to our computer and/or mobile device and easily connect the speaker and computer.
Some other wireless speakers use classic transmission of radiofrequency to send audio wirelessly. In this case, we would need a wired transmitter connected to the computer.
The transmitter would encode the audio signal into a radio frequency carrier signal and transmit it wirelessly.
The receiver, usually built into or connected to the speaker, would receive this modulated RF signal, decode the audio signal, convert the audio to analog if necessary, cross-over and amplify the audio, and then use it to drive its drivers to produce sound.
How To Connect Speakers To Your Monitor
To connect correctly speakers to a computer monitor, the monitor must be able to output audio. Then it is a matter of sending the audio from the monitor to an amplifier, if necessary, and then to the speakers, using adapters.
Although speakers can be connected directly to the monitor, not all smart TVs or computer monitors come with audio ports that are used to connect speakers.
En general, connecting speakers to monitors is bad practice. Instead, connect your speakers to an audio cable of your choice (HDMI, RCA, or 3,5mm jack audio cables) that connects to your audio source such as a computer or AVR sound system.
In the case of home theater speaker systems, the two speakers connect to the woofer and the subwoofer connects to the audio source or monitors that feed through the back of the computer.
Each monitor has built-in speakers, or in other cases you can use external speakers.
The thing about external speakers is that they mostly have better sound and can get louder. The built-in speakers on many monitors aren't as good, and the sound they make is also tinny, and they're not as loud as external speakers.
The monitor speakers can be used without an audio cable when you connect the monitor via HDMI or when the VGA or DVI display does not transmit audio as well, that is why an audio cable is needed.
To close
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You may always feel the need to set up Bluetooth and USB speakers on your PC. Usually, internal computer speakers do not produce good audio.
To get better sound quality while playing games, watching movies or listening to music, the best option is to go with external audio output devices.
So, as you already noticed through the post, you can have several connection options.
My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
I have been publishing about technology and gadgets on the Internet for over 15 years, especially in mundobytes.com
I am also an expert in online marketing and communication and have knowledge in WordPress development.