I found a pair of speakers with proprietary four-pin connectors and bought a four-pin-to-USB adapter. The adapter appears to provide power, but the speakers never appear as an audio output option in my PC. The speakers are labeled "6 OHM 10 W," so I suspect they may have come from a television. Is there a way to make them work with my computer, and what additional equipment would I need?
3 Answers
These are passive speakers, probably salvaged from a TV. The USB adapter may provide power, but it does not amplify the audio signal, and Windows will not detect the speakers as a separate output. You need a small stereo amplifier that accepts a 3.5 mm or RCA input and supports 6-ohm speakers. Connect the PC’s audio output to the amplifier, then connect the two speakers to the amplifier’s left and right speaker terminals.
You do not need special computer software for this setup. The PC will continue using its normal headphone or line-out device; the amplifier handles driving the speakers. Once everything is wired correctly, select the PC’s regular analog audio output and adjust the volume on the amplifier.
The four-pin plug is likely a proprietary TV connector rather than a USB audio connection. You’ll probably need to cut or otherwise adapt the speaker wires, identify the positive and negative wires for each speaker, and attach them to the amplifier’s speaker outputs. Check the amplifier’s wiring diagram carefully and make sure it is rated for 6-ohm loads. Do not connect the speakers directly to USB or the PC’s headphone jack, since the output will be far too weak and could potentially damage the computer’s audio circuit.
A cheap mini stereo amp with a 3.5 mm input and support for 4–8 ohm speakers should work. Use a suitable power supply for the amplifier, and keep the volume low during the first test.
Thanks! I’m new to this—would a basic inexpensive stereo amplifier be enough, or do I need a specific kind for these speakers?