How to Connect a PC to an Audio Amplifier

By John Papiewski

Audio speakers work by converting electrical signals to sound.
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Though many home computers have good speakers for personal music listening, it is not "room-filling" sound for entertaining; for that, you need to connect your PC to an audio amplifier. The amplifier provides added power to drive larger speakers while keeping the sound free from distortion. A traditional stereo has RCA connectors that accept input from your PC; newer stereos have USB inputs. USB audio eliminates the mild buzzing the computer's components generate. Either way, the connection is easy to do and takes only a few minutes, even for the technically challenged.

RCA Adapter Cable

Step 1

Turn the amplifier and computer off.

Step 2

Locate the PC's audio connectors. These are round, color-coded jacks on the back of the computer --t he amplifier output jack is lime-green. Insert the 3.5mm stereo mini plug into the jack.

Step 3

Locate the RCA audio connectors on the back of the amplifier. These are grouped in pairs, with one connector in each pair colored red. Each set is marked according to function; look for a pair labeled "auxiliary," "aux," or "line in." Connect the red RCA plug on the adapter cable to the red RCA socket, then connect the remaining RCA plug to the other socket in the pair.

Step 4

Turn the amplifier on. Set the amplifier's input selector switch to "aux" or "line in."

Step 5

Turn the computer on. Click the speaker icon in your computer's system tray. Click the slider controls for "Applications" and "Device" and set each to about midway.

Step 6

Play a music selection through your favorite media program. You should hear the sound coming from your amplifier's speakers. Adjust the volume control on the stereo if the sound is too loud or soft.

USB Cable

Step 1

Turn the amplifier and computer off.

Step 2

Connect the rectangular, flat end of the USB cable to a USB socket on your PC.

Step 3

Locate the USB connector on the back of your amplifier. The socket should be labeled "USB." It will have a different shape than the one on your computer: standard USB has a square shape and a mini-USB is rectangular but much smaller than the socket for the computer. Plug the USB connector into the socket on your amplifier.

Step 4

Turn the amplifier and computer on.

Step 5

Right-click the speaker icon in your computer's system tray, located at the bottom right side of the screen. Windows displays a menu of items from which to choose. Click "Playback devices." This brings up a tabbed window containing a list of playback devices; your amplifier should be one of them. Click the amplifier in the list to select it.

Step 6

Click the speaker icon. Click the slider controls for "Applications" and "Device" and set each to about midway.

Step 7

Play a music selection through your favorite media program. You should hear the sound coming from your amplifier's speakers. Adjust the volume control on the stereo if the sound is too loud or soft.

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