Center/Subwoofer connection question

[bigk9359]

Hi,

I'm wanting to create a 5.1 surround sound setup for my PC. The three connections are Front Stereo, Rear Stereo, and Center/Subwoofer.

My Center speaker has 1 male 3.5mm cord

My Subwoofer has 2 RCA line in ports: Left (White) and Right (Red)

What do I need to do to connect both the center speaker and subwoofer to my pc's center/subwoofer port?

Thanks!

 

[americanaudiophile]

You need a cable with a stereo mini plug at the PC end. At the subwoofer you need a single RCA plug (one input may be marked as LFE or mono but if not use either L or R). For the center speaker you need a female mono mini plug which is not common. The most common cable will have 1 stereo mini plug to 2 RCA plugs so you need to change the connector on the center speaker to a female RCA or make an adapter cable with female RCA - mono mini plug jack or cut off both connectors and splice the wires.

 

[ssddx]

just thought i'd make mention in case you're trying to use a stereo speaker..

i'd check if its a 3.5mm mono or stereo connector.. TS mono or TRS stereo on the center speaker and please note if the speaker you're trying to use is actually stereo or not (2 speakers). for instance if you're using some portable speaker unit which will output both left and right channels.
http/www.cablechick.com.au/resources/image/trrs-diagram1.jpg

if its stereo... a mono connector wouldnt work out well and you'd need a mono to stereo adapter (basically Y splitter to push the mono signal to both channels).

if its a mono speaker with mono cable.. what aa stated is true

 

[bigk9359]

Here is what I'm attempting to do. Please tell me if it will work or not

https/i.imgur.com/CWv5pYL.jpg

 

[bigk9359]

just thought i'd make mention in case you're trying to use a stereo speaker..

i'd check if its a 3.5mm mono or stereo connector.. TS mono or TRS stereo on the center speaker and please note if the speaker you're trying to use is actually stereo or not (2 speakers). for instance if you're using some portable speaker unit which will output both left and right channels.
http/www.cablechick.com.au/resources/image/trrs-diagram1.jpg

if its stereo... a mono connector wouldnt work out well and you'd need a mono to stereo adapter (basically Y splitter to push the mono signal to both channels).

if its a mono speaker with mono cable.. what aa stated is true

Here is what I'm attempting to do. Please tell me if it will work or not

https/i.imgur.com/CWv5pYL.jpg

I'm sorry I didn't mention this, but I am indeed using stereo speakers for the center speaker. I also forgot to mention I don't have the subwoofer yet. Since the stereo speakers are wired together, the center channel comes through the left speaker, and the bass/subwoofer channel comes through the right speaker.

 

[ssddx]

you did not answer the question about the 'center; speaker - is it mono or stereo? if its mono, you could likely get it working like you have it, but it may be the white rca on that adapter given mono only has tip and sleeve. if its a stereo connector, you might need a splitter on the rca plug first so you can play on both left and right channels of a stereo speaker so it sounds like one speaker. ultimately though it depends on how the speaker you are using accepts input... if its just a mono speaker with stereo input, downmixing both l/r channels into one then it doesnt much matter and exactly how you have it set up will work. cant say without knowing how its set up. at least if if doesnt work there are a few options you can try.

also, i'm thinking that red might be for subwoofer while white is for center when using cen/sub so you might need to test that when hooking up. that subwoofer connection should work fine.

 

[bigk9359]

you did not answer the question about the 'center; speaker - is it mono or stereo? if its mono, you could likely get it working like you have it, but it may be the white rca on that adapter given mono only has tip and sleeve. if its a stereo connector, you might need a splitter on the rca plug first so you can play on both left and right channels of a stereo speaker so it sounds like one speaker. ultimately though it depends on how the speaker you are using accepts input... if its just a mono speaker with stereo input, downmixing both l/r channels into one then it doesnt much matter and exactly how you have it set up will work. cant say without knowing how its set up. at least if if doesnt work there are a few options you can try.

also, i'm thinking that red might be for subwoofer while white is for center when using cen/sub so you might need to test that when hooking up. that subwoofer connection should work fine.

These are the speakers I'm using. I'm just wanting the center channel for one of them.

http/www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EZ9XLEY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

 

[ssddx]

ah, stereo speakers like i suspected!

if you want just one to be the center, how you have your diagram is fine. if you want both to act as one center channel speaker and have them side by side, a splitter like i said on the rca coming in (to duplicate it to both inputs) is what you would want.

your choice which way you want to go.

 

[bigk9359]

ah, stereo speakers like i suspected!

if you want just one to be the center, how you have your diagram is fine. if you want both to act as one center channel speaker and have them side by side, a splitter like i said on the rca coming in (to duplicate it to both inputs) is what you would want.

your choice which way you want to go.

Can you link me to what I would need to make both stereo speakers work for the center channel? I'm extremely new to this, as you can tell!

 

[ssddx]

on your diagram where you show the big red rca plug connecting to the little one.. i'd put a splitter there so it connects up to both the red and white. that should work.

keep in mind what i said about the red/white coming right out of the soundcard. you might need to check which is subwoofer and which is center as i think your diagram is reversed.

other than that, should work.

 

[bigk9359]

on your diagram where you show the big red rca plug connecting to the little one.. i'd put a splitter there so it connects up to both the red and white. that should work.

keep in mind what i said about the red/white coming right out of the soundcard. you might need to check which is subwoofer and which is center as i think your diagram is reversed.

other than that, should work.

Thank you so much! I can't appreciate your help enough!! I've been looking around forever to find some kind of solution. I'll post back when I get all the equipment and hook everything up.

Thanks again!!!

 

[bigk9359]

on your diagram where you show the big red rca plug connecting to the little one.. i'd put a splitter there so it connects up to both the red and white. that should work.

keep in mind what i said about the red/white coming right out of the soundcard. you might need to check which is subwoofer and which is center as i think your diagram is reversed.

other than that, should work.

Just to clarify, this is what you said to hook up between the all-female extension and the red rca, correct?

http/www.amazon.com/C2G-Cables-Stereo-Female-Y-Cable-6/dp/B0002J1LF2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452048466&sr=8-1&keywords=female+rca+to+2+male+rca

 

[bigk9359]

on your diagram where you show the big red rca plug connecting to the little one.. i'd put a splitter there so it connects up to both the red and white. that should work.

keep in mind what i said about the red/white coming right out of the soundcard. you might need to check which is subwoofer and which is center as i think your diagram is reversed.

other than that, should work.

So it will look like this? https/imgur.com/HlqPMSG

Note: I rearranged the red and white RCA cables like you said

 

[bigk9359]

on your diagram where you show the big red rca plug connecting to the little one.. i'd put a splitter there so it connects up to both the red and white. that should work.

keep in mind what i said about the red/white coming right out of the soundcard. you might need to check which is subwoofer and which is center as i think your diagram is reversed.

other than that, should work.

I'm sorry for asking so many questions, but with both center speakers playing the center channel, wouldn't that lower impedance? Would it harm an amp? Even harm my computer?