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Geek Culture / Speakers

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DK_
20
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Joined: 4th Jan 2004
Location:
Posted: 10th Apr 2004 00:57
I have a laptop and it has really small built in speakers, I want to get bigger speakers for games and such. I would go out and buy new ones but I may be able to save myself some money, I have an old stereo that I don't use with big speakers, I would like to use those. The problem is is that it doesn't have any plugs, it they just have 2 wires coming out of each speaker and nothing at the other end of these wires. The plug I would use to put speakers on my lap top looks like the plug on headphones that you would use on a CD player. I was wondering if, if I could get a plug like that and attach the two wires to it would that work?
if so I would need to know if there is any special way to put the wires in the plug or since the plug is round can I just put them anywhere?

CattleRustler
Retired Moderator
21
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Joined: 8th Aug 2003
Location: case modding at overclock.net
Posted: 10th Apr 2004 01:01 Edited at: 10th Apr 2004 01:02
you could theoretically use them but you need t know the resistance in Ohms before doing so. You would also know how to solder the correct plug onto the ends with the correct wiring schem to preserve the stereo quality.

the parts you need can be found at like a radio shack but I would read up first

would be easier to run a line-out line to your stereo from the sound out on the pc


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andrew11
21
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Joined: 23rd Feb 2003
Location: United States
Posted: 10th Apr 2004 01:13
Earphone Jacks have 3 wires, Left, Right, and Ground. Each speaker (I assume you have 2) has 2 wires, Ground and Signal(?). What you have to do is cut up an old earphones, and get the 3 wires, then connect the grounds of the speaker to the ground of the Earphone, the connect left to the left speaker, and right to the right one. That should work, but I doubt it would be any louder than it is now though without an amplifing the signal. It would be much easier to hook it up to your stereo, as CattleRustler said.

"All programmers are playwrites and all computers are lousy actors" -Anon
Fallout
22
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Joined: 1st Sep 2002
Location: Basingstoke, England
Posted: 10th Apr 2004 01:41
If you set your laptop up by your hifi, all you have to do is connect the output for speakers from your laptop into the aux port on your hifi. Then you dont have to dismantle it, or do anything technical. Just get a standard 3.5mm jack (the headphone type one) which splits to L/R inputs. Almost all comp speakers have a cable like that to connect to the PC. You might have one lying around somewhere.

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DK_
20
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Joined: 4th Jan 2004
Location:
Posted: 10th Apr 2004 01:42 Edited at: 10th Apr 2004 01:46
OK I cut off a plug from some headphones and I wired it correctly but it's not as loud as I thought, like you said. So how would I be able to amplify it, I don't think that I can go through my stereo though, It's kind of an older stereo, it just has the four sockets for the wires from the speakers a socket for the power supply and one for headphones. It doesn't have an aux port, I don't think.

Mentor
22
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Joined: 27th Aug 2002
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 10th Apr 2004 22:34 Edited at: 10th Apr 2004 22:38
you should stop trying to use those speakers on your laptop NOW, if the impedance is too low/high you will burn out your output stage on the soundcard, just buy some cheap powered speakers (£10 or less on the market), far cheaper than either getting your laptop repaired or replaced.
NOTE: electronics is my hobby, I must stress you are running a risk of destroying your audio output stage, do not just wire anything up to a amplifier and expect it to work, most amplifier outputs are matched to the speakers, too low an impedance is like a short, it will burn stuff out, too high a resistance will make for weak sound and the amp will have to run full power, again risking a blowup, thats the reason many sound systems have warnings about the correct speakers being used plastered on the back, modern circuits are tolerant and can operate over a wide range, but costs cut corners and you can`t be sure your laptop maker didn`t cut corners, you should expect something like that, I mean do you realy think the makers built it to run some 3ft tall speakers as well as an in-ear set of headphones?, just get a set of cheap powered speakers, much safer for your laptop and your wallet, why do you think powered speakers have the powered bit? to save current drain on the soundcard since the speakers could draw more than the card could supply on it`s own safely.

Mentor.

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jrowe
22
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Joined: 12th Oct 2002
Location: Here
Posted: 11th Apr 2004 00:07
Yes do what Fallout says, there should be one or more pairs of red and white plugs in the back of your hifi (Even very old ones have them). All you've got to do get the cable to connect them to your laptop.


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