Play subwoofer audio through left AND right channels?

[mattenthehat]

Hey guys, so I have an old Bose passive subwoofer hooked up to my computer through the "center speaker/subwoofer" audio connector. My subwoofer has a left and a right channel with separate drivers, but my audio software is only sending the subwoofer signal over the left channel (the right channel is for the center speaker, which I am not using). Due to this, my subwoofer is getting only half the signal and power it should, and is not very loud. So my question is whether there is a way to either force my computer to play the subwoofer signal over both channels OR is there some kind of cable or adapter I can get that will take the left channel and send it to both channels (I am using a 3.5mm audio cable). I believe the second solution would give only half the signal power to each channel though, so I don't really think that would help much. I understand that may have been a bit confusing, so feel free to ask me to clarify anything, and thanks in advance for any help!

 

[mauller07]

use a 3.5mm splitter cable from the front channels and split it to your subwoofer and speakers then use configure to set the output in playback devices to full range spreakers.

 

[mattenthehat]

use a 3.5mm splitter cable from the front channels and split it to your subwoofer and speakers then use configure to set the output in playback devices to full range spreakers.

Wouldn't that make my front speakers play in mono? Not much point in that with a 5.1 setup..

 

[mauller07]

no your speakers wont play in mono,you use a 3.5mm stereo splitter, or what you could do is use a mono splitter cable from the sub/centre channel and send that to your subwoofer then it should mix it to both halves of your sub.

 

[mattenthehat]

no your speakers wont play in mono,you use a 3.5mm stereo splitter, or what you could do is use a mono splitter cable from the sub/centre channel and send that to your subwoofer then it should mix it to both halves of your sub.

The stereo splitter should work, not sure why I didn't think of that haha. Looking back it seems pretty obvious. Thanks for the help.

 

[americanaudiophile]

Since this is a passive subwoofer it will need an amplifier no matter how you connect it. Try Parts Express for a bass amp or get a powered sub.