2.0 + 2.1 + Stereo --> 4.1 Surround Sound?

JJquzy

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Jul 29, 2015
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I have an old 2.1 JBL Creature II set and a JBL Pebbles set.
The Creature uses the standard 3.5mm audio jack, but with the Pebbles I have an option to use the usb connection or the audio jack.

I'm trying to connect them to my Windows 8.1 (soon to be Windows 10) Samsung laptop which only has one stereo output port.

Is it at all possible to set up a 4.1 surround sound?
(Probably the Creature satellites as the front speakers and the Pebbles as the rear)
I understand that using a split cable for the two audio jacks will recognize everything as one set of speakers and duplicate the sounds instead of separating front and rear sounds. Since the front/rear sounds aren't separated from the source (laptop) itself, is there a software that can do such thing?, all the while recognizing both sets of speakers simultaneously?

Thanks in advance for trying to picture what might be a confusing setup..
 
Solution
if your laptop only outputs via a single 3.5mm jack then no, it wouldnt work for the first thing you need: surround sound output. a usb 5.1 sound card is what you need... well specifically one that supports 4.0 quadraphonic not just 2.0, 2.1, 5.1 and 7.1. most should, but throwing it in here for you to check on.

even if you had surround sound output, the subwoofer would only trigger from the front channels not the rear which might sound odd.
if your laptop only outputs via a single 3.5mm jack then no, it wouldnt work for the first thing you need: surround sound output. a usb 5.1 sound card is what you need... well specifically one that supports 4.0 quadraphonic not just 2.0, 2.1, 5.1 and 7.1. most should, but throwing it in here for you to check on.

even if you had surround sound output, the subwoofer would only trigger from the front channels not the rear which might sound odd.
 
Solution