• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

using home theater bookshelf speakers as computer speakers?

E

earsjr

Senior member
I did a little research, but I'm getting mixed reviews about whether or not you can hook them up directly to the sound card on your computer, or if you HAVE to run them through an external receiver first (which defeats the whole purpose of my idea).

The back of the bookshelf speakers are spring posts (not binding), and I found some adapters at RadioShack that might work, but I'm afraid that it might not be the right gauge, or it might not be safe for the computer or speakers, or whatever. I don't know much about this... so any help would be appreciated!

I'm planning on using 2 of these to plug into the bookshelves, then using this thing to convert the RCAs (left & right channel hopefully) into my sound card. Does this seem okay?
 
lol... guess you gotta trash your whole plan

if you notice pretty much for all computer speakers there's an amp (either in one speaker or in the sub). For home theater speakers, it's in the receiver.

so yes you'll need an external receiver, unless you want really really quiet sounds coming from your speakers)
 
hm... weak. so what if i were to buy a REALLY cheap computer speaker set with a crappy sub...

could i chuck the speakers the set comes with, then just turn down the sub all the way (basically not use it) and hook my bookshelves into the sub?

also, i'm still wondering if those radioshack wires will be okay... since they're "tin" or whatever (sounds kind of cheap & weak)
 
eh yeah i guess you can do that... the thing is w/ a crappy speaker system you get a crappy amp... so well hooking up your speakers will probablly make it sound better, but probablly not much. also they might be set w/ bass blockers.


you won't need those wires from radio shack. I havn't spliced a those wires for a while... but i do believe all you need is a 3.5mm jack to whatever you want... cut the ends of the side you don't want, and attach it to your speakers.

IMO: you can probablly find a used low end receiver for very cheap, and it'll probablly work better than the other idea.
 
yeah probably, but i don't want a bulky receiver unit... but i might have to do that. thanks for your help.
 
oh wait, if iwere going to use a sub or receiver anyway, i still need RCA connections, not 3.5mm.

i just need wires or adapters that i can use to go from spring post (bare wire) to RCA so i can plug the bookshelves into a cheap sub or reciever to get 2-channel sound.
 
ok i'll just try to help myself haha...

Can I terminate regular home theater speaker cabling with an RCA connector? From what I've seen, RCA connections have 3 sets of wires (I'm guessing positive, negative, ground?) but speaker cabling only has 2 sets (positive, negative) so how would I do this?

Thanks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top