How to connect the speakers to the PC via cable
Let's start by seeing how to connect the speakers to the PC via cable (or cables), making a necessary distinction based on the inputs provided by the sound card available on the PC and the audio device in use.
Jack from 3.5 mm
Il jack from 3.5 mm it is the most common way to connect the speakers to the computer: if you had never heard of it, this type of connector is the same that you can find on the vast majority of smartphones and tablets, to connect common headphones.
Taking advantage of the connection via the 3.5 mm jack is really very simple: all you have to do is connect the speakers to the electrical socket closest to the computer, extend the audio jack coming from the latter and connect the plug to the appropriate input on the back. of the PC (or, in some cases, even on the front panel of the case), to be precise in the housing colored green.
If the color is not indicated precisely, you must insert the plug in the entrance marked with the writing line OUT, Headphones o Front L / R; you do not have to configure anything else: the operating system is able to automatically recognize the connection via jack and convey the sound through it.
USB
Some speaker models provide for connection via USB port, so as to receive the power supply and the sound through the same cable. Connecting the headphones via USB is very simple: just place the headphones where you want them, then plug the cable into one of the free USB ports on your computer and that's it. In most cases, the operating system is in fact able to automatically recognize the new device and install the necessary drivers to transport audio via the USB port.
If, after connecting, you should not hear any sound coming from the speakers, you can manually set the operating system to play audio from the speakers connected via USB: if you are on Windows, fai clic sull 'sound icon located at the bottom right, then on the dart facing up and select, from the proposed menu, the relative item to USB audio.
Su MacOS, instead, you can get the same result by clicking on 'sound icon located at the top right and selecting the USB speakers from the list of output devices. If there is no sound icon in the menu bar, open System preference (the gear icon located on the Dock bar) and choose the item Sound from the window that opens.
If you still don't hear anything, I suggest you read my guide dedicated to computer sound problems to try to find a solution.
Multi-channel speakers (analog audio)
If you bet on a system consisting of several boxes (for example a 5 or 7 satellite system with subwoofer), to obtain an even more enveloping sound, you must take care to connect each speaker to the respective computer input via a special plug, very similar to the "classic" 3.5 mm jack but identified by a specific color.
Before even buying this type of speakers, check that the sound card of your PC is compatible with them, making sure that on the back of the computer there are all the sockets necessary to connect the various satellites: each socket manages two channels, so you will have to find in all four colored entrances (plus two for other purposes, for a total of 6 slots).
The sockets to be used for multichannel audio are color-coded, so as to limit errors resulting from the connection (in this case, the colors are always the same).
- Pmade green: front left and right speakers (can also be used for stereo speakers or headphones);
- Yellow socket: center speaker and subwoofer;
- Black socket: upper left and right satellite;
- White socket o silver: lower left and right satellite.
In this case, you can ignore the pink socket (microphone input) and the blue socket (audio input). Having become aware of the colors to be associated with the various satellites, connect the speakers to the electrical current and connect their respective plugs to the computer, according to the colors just shown (remember that each cable provides audio to two speakers, so you will have to connect a total of three or four cables ).
If your system consists of 5 channels plus 1 subwoofer (5.1), connect all the plugs as illustrated above, ignoring the white or silver socket (in this type of systems the channels for the lower satellites are missing, which are “replaced” by the subwoofer).
Multi-channel speakers (optical or coaxial S / PDIF digital audio)
If you are going to use your computer to build a small home theater, you can use the digital audio output to carry the sound to a home theater or preamplifier. To understand if your sound card allows it, you need to check if there is one of the sockets indicated below on the back of the PC.
- Coaxial (Digital OUT): orange RCA-type jack socket;
- Optical (Optical OUT): black internal socket with flap, from which a slight red light comes out.
Once you have identified the right socket, get the right cable and connect the speaker system to the computer; the operating system should immediately recognize them. If you've connected everything correctly but you can't hear anything from the speakers, make sure you select the right audio device (output Digital audio S / PDIF) on your operating system, following the same procedure I told you about in the previous bars of this guide.
For some reason, the home theater system you purchased does not include the cables needed to connect to the computer? You can get them for a few euros, even online: here are some of them.
Dedicated sound card
Have you noticed that, on the back of the desktop computer in your possession, there are not the necessary inputs to connect the type of speakers you have chosen? Then you may have to focus on a dedicated sound card, to be installed inside the computer using the appropriate slots on the motherboard. Here are some of them.
Doing this isn't difficult: once you've gently removed the right case panel, identify one PCI-Express x1 slot free (usually, it is present immediately below the slot dedicated to the video card, in the lower part of the motherboard) and connects the dedicated sound card to it, "wedging" it gently and feeding it, if necessary, through one of the cables that come out from the power supply.
If you do not feel able to proceed independently with this operation, do not hesitate to contact a specialized technician or a friend who is an expert in the sector.
How to connect the speakers to the PC via Bluetooth
You can't stand the presence of wires scattered on the desk, so you have chosen to use a system of Bluetooth speakers? Then this is the section of the tutorial that suits you best: in fact, below I am going to explain how to make this type of connection. Obviously the sound quality will not be comparable to multi-channel systems connected by cable, but it can be a good solution if you need to have a tidy desk.
Windows
If your computer with Windows 10 has an integrated Bluetooth module, all you have to do is enable it and make the association with the Bluetooth speakers in your possession. First of all turn on your wireless speakers and enable pairing mode, which can usually be obtained by holding down the power buttonuntil the speaker LED indicator starts flashing quickly.
Once the crates are ready, turn on the computer with Windows 10, click the Notification Center (Quella a forma di comic located next to the clock, in the lower right corner of the screen) and presses the button Bluetooth, so as to enable it.
When the aforementioned button lights up, go for it click destroy on the same and select the item Go to Settings from the menu that appears. Next, click on the item Add Bluetooth or other device and select the item Bluetooth. The search for compatible wireless devices will start: as soon as you see the breakage, click on them to pair them with your computer and start using them.
Su Windows 7 and Windows 8.1Instead, you can add Bluetooth speakers by clicking the button Home (the flag icon located in the lower left corner of the screen), then type the entry Devices and printers in the search area and select the menu item of the same name Control Panel.
In the window that appears, click on the button Add device placed at the top, wait just a few seconds for the computer to "see" the Bluetooth speakers, then click on their name and press the button NEXT to connect. If the PC asks you for a PIN, enter the code 0000 (or the pairing code specified in the speaker manual).
If the audio is not being sent to the Bluetooth speakers, you may need to change the audio output on your computer: click the volume icon at the bottom right, then the button in the shape of a Arrowhead up and select the output Headphones o Bluetooth audio to be able to listen to the audio through the newly configured speakers.
If your computer doesn't have a built-in Bluetooth module, you can make up for that by purchasing a small one USB Bluetooth adapter to be connected: here are some of them.
See offer on AmazonMacOS
I Mac, both portable and fixed, are natively predisposed to the Bluetooth connection, therefore connecting the wireless speakers is very simple.
If you have not already done so, turn on the speakers in your possession and activate the pairing mode (usually, just hold down the power button or press the combination of keys indicated in the manual).
Subsequently, if you have not already done so, turn on Bluetooth on your Mac: Click the button System preference (Quello forma di gear) attached to the bar Dock, select the icon Bluetooth among those present and finally presses the button Turn on Bluetooth.
At this point, wait for the Bluetooth speakers appear among those available for pairing, then click the button Connect placed next to the name of the same and wait until they are connected.
To properly play the sound from the speakers, click the del icon sound located at the top right and select the Bluetooth speakers as the sound reproduction device. If you are unable to see this important icon, you can quickly enable it by going to the menu System preference > Sound and inserting the segunta di spunta accanto alla voce Show volume in the menu bar.
In case of problems, I invite you to carefully read the instructions I gave you in my guide on how to connect Bluetooth speaker to PC, in which I have covered this topic in detail.
How to connect the speakers to the PC
