Sound card + Regular stereo speakers. Possible with amp? 1

[IPofficeuser]

Hi All,

I have a regular PC with a regular sound card. Then I have regular stereo speakers with copper wire. I would like to play music from the PC over the regular speakers. I know that the PC sound card is probably not enough to play regular speakers very well so do I just need some type of amplifier in between? Would this work?

I was thinking about something like this;

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...igkw=amplifier&kw=amplifier&parentPage=search

 

[wahnula]

That looks like a line-level mixer/amplifier...in other words, not speaker level. You would still need an audio amplifier to get from line level to speaker level.

You can do what you want with powered speakers, that take the 8-16 Ohm output and amplify it to make it louder, look at Logitech, M-Audio and Creative, but they must clearly be marked as PC speakers. They usually contain an amp in the subwoofer.

To use your speakers w/ your PC, you will need a standard audio amplifier, and connect the "out" from the sound card to the "in" of the amplifier. This will not give you audiophile sound, as the S/N is quite high, but it will work.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[paparazi]

Cheap stereo amp with mic (microphone in) socket, these are pretty standard. Then all you need is a connection cable between your audio out and the mic in.
This will probably be a 3.5mm stereo male jack one end to old fashioned 1/4 inch stereo male the OR
If you use auxilary in then 3.5mm stereo male to twin phono.

It does work but is not ideal, a good set of 2.1 powered speakers with sub would be better.

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=4&subcategory=789&product=10657

Martin

On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar and sleep

 

[burtsbees]

I have mine hooked to a stereo---works great.

Burt

 

[felixc]

The audio level of a sound card is "line". It is compatible to just every audio power amp on the market. All the "CD", "line", "tuner", "aux" inputs of a power amp are all of the same "line" level. But NOT the Mic input!

So any working audio amp that you could find at ebay or in a garage sale would do the job. If you already have your sound system, then all you need is an adapter from the 1/8 jack of the sound card to two RCA audio plugs. Make sure that the 110-v comes from the same power bar for all components. It may prevent hum, and some other power-on thump issues.

 

[LawnBoy]

But NOT the Mic input!

Or phono, or (sometimes) tape in.



"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[gbaughma]

I've never seen a tape in that wasn't line-leve (1v p2p).

Personally, I run my stuff through a Mackie 1202 mixer, then through a 100 watt sony home stereo amplifier and a set of infinity speakers.

ROCKIN'.

Of course, I also have a CRAPLOAD of stuff going into the mixer, including: 2 pc's, microphone, drum set, 3 synthesizers.....



Just my 2¢
-Cole's Law: Shredded cabbage

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[LawnBoy]

The Yamaha amp in my living room has tape in that's not line level. Intended for a raw feed from the heads, and has a preamp similar to the phono input.

It's more common in older amps, thus the (sometimes) in my post.


"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[gbaughma]

LawnBoy:

Wow... I guess I'm *NOT* too old to learn something new.



Just my 2¢
-Cole's Law: Shredded cabbage

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[LawnBoy]

<sigh> Sometimes I do feel like (a) methuselah...

Ouch. That hurt just typing it.



"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[wahnula]

I would like to add (as Methuselah's older brother) that the headphone out jack on any sound card is not a true line level out. Here's a Wikipedia page on Line Level:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level

In a perfect world, there would be a "line out" in addition to a "headphone out" on every PC sound card, but the compromise of using the headphone out as a line out is globally accepted, but still that doesn't make it correct audio-wise.

The gentleman explains how to build an attenuator to use the speaker outs with line ins:

http://www.tkk.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/speaker_to_line.html

The fact remains that connecting a PC's speaker out to an audio amp's line in DOES work, but, as I mentioned earlier, the voltage/impedance mismatch results in high S/N levels.

Oh, and in the "old days", the input level of the Tape In, Phono In, and Line in were all different to accommodate the equipment's unique requirements. "Line In" and "Aux In" were usually the same.

I was brought up to NEVER connect a "speaker out" to a "line in" lest you blow somwthing up, but that must have changed sometime in the last forty years ...

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[Sympology]

I think the Tape In is a legacy from old (better?) Reel to Reels. As these often went to Pre Amps, same as Phono's I pretty sure this is where the confusion lines. I would think modern amps Tape In is Line level.

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004