Non-powered speakers to PC?

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kesterdevine

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I need to know if it is possible, and HOW to hook up a set of non-powered Bose speakers to a PC. The new computer I'm getting doesn't include speakers, and I'd prefer to wait 'til the budget allows to buy decent powered monitors, and use what I have in the meantime.

I already own a Peavey 4 channel power head that I've used as a PA mixer. And I have a Pioneer home stereo receiver/amp.

Is there a safe (meaning I won't fry any gear) and efficient way to use either of these in conjunction with the PC to power my speakers? I want to use these as monitors to mix songs on the PC.

I'm just venturing into PC recording and need to do so in baby steps due to budget restraints. Buying the PC is step one, and there may not be much money left after that.

All suggestions are very much appreciated, as well as any other tips you can offer to cut corners when just starting out.

THANKS SO MUCH!
 
Most PCs supply SPEAKER level power, not LINE level. You are best off with attenuaters, but you might get by by reducing volume to a minimum and bringing it up very slowly.
 
I hate to disagree, but your average sound card will indeed supply (usually somewhat poorly calibrated) line level.

If you want to use your speakers with your Pioneer receiver, just head out to Radio Shack and grab a 1/8" stereo to dual RCA splitter (may be labeled as an "insert" cable), plug it into the "line out" on the sound card, hook it up to an open aux input on the receiver and you're golden.

This is of course, assuming that your sound card is 1/8" out...

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com
 
Many PCs come with unamplified speakers. I rest my case.
 
Your case may be rested, Derek, but it's rested wrong. The Line Output is Line level. Every PC speaker I've ever seen has a wall wart power supply and/or a battery compartment. Actually, that's not strictly true. Some cards have headphone outs that will drive a set of Walkman phones, but not regular PC speakers.
 
In Derek's, defense, I do remember a few companies putting out systems with built-in low level (1 or 2 watt) amplifiers for desktop speakers. HP had one, IBM, Gateway...

Also, dozens of (video) monitors were sold that had 1-5 watt amps built in. They would take the line-level signal from the card and amplify it for the speakers (many of which mounted directly to the video monitor).

In AlChuck's (and my own) defense, I haven't actually seen one since around '94 or '95. I assume that they figured out that having an audio amp in something that was already an oven was a very bad idea. And, I can't recall ever seeing one actually "on" a sound card. That being said, I haven't seen every card out there.

G'day.

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com
 
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My Micron notebook has BOTH a headphone out and a line level out - surprise when you hit the wrong one going to the amp!

-Scott
 
Scott Adams said:
My Micron notebook has BOTH a headphone out and a line level out - surprise when you hit the wrong one going to the amp!
Click to expand...

That's gotta hurt...
 
thanks for the help

I really appreciate it alot when you guys take time to answer what I know must seem like very basic questions. Interesting how there are so many different opinions on these topics, which is very educational (in a confusing sorta way.) ha, ha!

Thanks again!
 
In summary:

1. Speakers need power. Line level will not cut it. Although you can often drive headphones with the line level sound card outputs you will not get much volume to speak of when you put a speaker there, no matter how easily driven it is.

2. Once upon a time, many soundcards had wimpy amplifiers that could be used to drive wimpy speakers. This is very unusual today.

3. In comculsion, you need some kind of external amp, eitehr built into the speakers or separate.

4. Since your speakers do not have built in-amplifiers, you will need an external amplifier.

There.
 
you can get non-powered speakers. headphones are an example and the computer speakers derek's talking about are nothing more than large ones of these. obviously they have a tiny power rating.

clearly also you cannot plug a set of bose, or any other unpowered speakers into a headphones/line out socket and expect any sound.

try plugging a set of PA cabs into your unpowered mixer. you can buy adaptors til they outnumber the bricks in your house but you ain't getting sound.
 
Massive Master said:
If you want to use your speakers with your Pioneer receiver, just head out to Radio Shack and grab a 1/8" stereo to dual RCA splitter (may be labeled as an "insert" cable), plug it into the "line out" on the sound card, hook it up to an open aux input on the receiver and you're golden.

This is of course, assuming that your sound card is 1/8" out...
Click to expand...

He is 100 % right..

I use a stupid 25 watt reciever to get my speakers powered..im doing exactly what that guy wants to do!!
 
i'm not convinced they were. wasn't the whole world black and white back then? :rolleyes:
 
Larry's site had to do with sound cards. Where do you get analog from?
 
from the picture entitled 'Attenuator for Portastudio'...
 
Because he shows an attenuater for "a Portastudio" has nothing to do with the fact that the circuit reduces the SPEAKER LEVEL output of the sound card to LINE LEVEL.

Also, while there has never been an analog computer sound card, there have been one or two "Portastudios" that were digital.
 
Yep, you got me there.

It just brought back to mind the days I used to mess around with an old 424 portastudio. Good memories
 
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