Subwoofer not working from computer sound card

tgkaye

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Mar 14, 2013
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I tried running my stand-alone subwoofer from my motherboard sound connectors without any luck. I then purchased a sound blaster Z PCI card and still am unable to get my subwoofer to respond. It is connected through the Center/subwoofer connection on the soundcard. The computer wants to treat it as a center channel speaker. When I turn off the center channel option in the sound blaster software it turns the speaker off. The subwoofer software option will not work. My subwoofer is a powered stand-alone unit that is not connected to my front and left speakers in any way. I want to run 2.1. Thanks.
 
Solution
You would need to have a subwoofer with a built in crossover to extract low frequencies for the subwoofer and push out the mids and highs to speakers such as your bose. Replacing your sub with another like the one you have would solve nothing.

You could also try to find a sound card that has an actual subwoofer output via 3.5mm

tgkaye

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Subwoofer model: JBL IS-1 subwoofer
Model of speakers: BOSE Companion 2 Series II Multimedia Speaker System

 

christiangordon

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The setup you have will require a receiver to distribute the sound accordingly.

The speakers are decent but the sub woofer will not perform well. Look at buying a new 2.1 computer speaker setup or a new sub woofer/ receiver setup.
 

tgkaye

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Is it because of the configuration of the subwoofer? In other words if I bought another stand alone subwoofer would it work? I don't want to purchase a receiver if possible. The Bose speakers are great...can I purchase a subwoofer to supplement them that will work with my soundcard?

 

christiangordon

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You would need to have a subwoofer with a built in crossover to extract low frequencies for the subwoofer and push out the mids and highs to speakers such as your bose. Replacing your sub with another like the one you have would solve nothing.

You could also try to find a sound card that has an actual subwoofer output via 3.5mm
 
Solution

tgkaye

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Mar 14, 2013
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My Soundcard has an output for center/subwoofer. I'm assuming you meant an exclusive output for just subwoofer?

Either way it appears you answered my question. I appreciate it thank you.

 

Jim_L9

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If you look at the documentation for your soundcard it show you use the center/subwoofer in 5.1 for the subwoofer, but in 2.1 it assumes the subwoofer has a crossover.