PC speakers in my home stereo?

Question

Good morning, all...

I was wondering if anyone could tell me this: can i simply detach my PC speakers from my PC and use them as additional speakers on my home audio system?

I see that they sell adapters that could connect my pc speakers to the receiver, but the guy at radio shack said my receiver would blow out the speakers. Is he right?

My audio receiver is a 1994 Technics vintage with RCA inputs/outputs for the components (VCR, DVD, CD Player) and regular wire inputs for the speakers. If the PC speakers can be used on the receiver, would I use the component (RCA) outs, or the terminals made specifically for speakers?

Also my PC speakers are assembled like one unit, i.e., speaker-to-speaker-to-subwoofer. Does this complicate matters? Would I need to break this up?

Thanks for your help!

Ed

Answer 1

At the cost of satellites and such, the amount of money you'll be spending on adapters, new cables, time, you'd probably be better off just dropping the coin on proper speakers, and using splitters...



Those little computer speakers aren't meant to handle anything in the realm outside of 3-5 watts... the sub, as mentioned above, is typically powered anyways. This is just a mess... Why bother? Your PC speakers likely aren't going to sound that great anyways. Not being matched with the remainder of the system, you'll end up with staging issues...



Without knowing the model of the existing PC speakers, it's hard to say whether you need to split them... most of them have the matrix prosessor built into the sub box. So that would probably be a yes. Now you're getting into soldering new ends on your speakers. And back to a bigger mess.



Don't get me wrong, where there's a will there's a way... I just don't equate the time and money to the conversion, being worth the performance gain.

Answer 2

Ed, it is possible to use your computer speakers on your reciever.



A stereo receiver is a power source for stereo speakers, the speakers rely on the power amp built in the receiver so it can reproduce sound at an audible level of our choice. Your PC speakers operates a little different, the power source is built INSIDE the speakers and the subwoofer so it does not rely on a receiver for power. Now YOU CANNOT plug the receivers wired speaker outputs into the PC speakers. The "powered" signal would surely damage your Pc speakers. What you need to do is use the RCA outputs from the receiver to your speakers instead. The RCA outputs would carry a usable signal the PC speakers could handle but you are going to need an audio adaptor to do this. If your PC speakers are like most you will have an attached cable that has a 1/8" (headphone sized) plug that goes into the sound card of your computer so you can play music on the speakers. The adaptor you will need is an 1/8" FEMALE to RCA MALE stereo. This will take the RCA stereo outputs from your receiver and convert it to the 1/8" input. Ask for that specific adaptor at a Radio Shack or your local Guitar Center also carries that particular peice. Good Luck!

Answer 3

sure, yet you'll want an amplifier to provide the capacity to the audio equipment considering that there does not be adequate capacity coming from the computer (because of this pc audio equipment require an AC adapter or batteries). how you are able to hook your pc to genuine audio equipment will be to get a a million/8" stereo mini plug to twin-RCA adapter cord (you are able to get those at RadioShack) which may help you to connect your pc to any stereo amplifier with the pink & white (correct and left) RCA inputs.