A subwoofer is one of the most important components of a multi-channel system. The organization of home theaters rarely does without it. The classical concept of this acoustics element provides for more detailed elaboration in comparison with full-size stereos. In addition, in some complexes, such settings muffle distorting sound factors, making playback clearer. More importantly, homemade has minimal impact on the physical organization of the system.
As a rule, this is a compact setup, the placement of which also does not matter from the point of view of the sound perception of the listener. This is due precisely to the specificity of the propagation of a signal from a low spectrum, which is equally captured regardless of the position of the source. Nevertheless, the connection and setup of the equipment still requires knowledge of some technical and operational nuances of the subwoofer.
What is special about an active subwoofer?
The main difference between active subwoofers and passive equipment is the presence of an integrated one.Thanks to this addition, the equipment effectively removes the low-frequency load from the basic amplifier. In addition, the device has an active crossover, which allows filtering high frequencies and simplifying the coordination of equipment with broadband acoustics. Additional features are provided in some models. So, a home subwoofer, the price of which is more than 30-35 thousand rubles, is usually equipped with functions of adjustment to special operating conditions. These are not premium models, but a pretty solid middle class. Representatives of this segment support adjusting the frequency spectrum, phase rotation, adjusting the positions of the crossover points, etc.
How to connect an active subwoofer through an amplifier?
The amplifier is most often equipped with a special RCA channel, designed to connect active subwoofers. Some models even provide multiple inputs, which expands the acoustic capabilities of the equipment. The user is only required to prepare an RCA cable of optimal length and connect it to the appropriate connector. With regard to the simultaneous use of two inputs, this scheme is helped to realize powerful home subwoofers connected via a splitter cable. With this method of interaction, the subwoofer will double the input sensitivity, but this solution will not have a noticeable effect on the sound volume.
It should also be borne in mind that subwoofers are usually equipped with left and right high-level channels. In the case of such acoustics, it is especially important not to miscalculate in the choice of cable. It is advisable to give preference to solid copper wire, which will retain the maximum signal volume. However, if a home active subwoofer from the budget category is used, then there will not be much sense in increasing the performance of the connected equipment.
Connecting to output terminals
Another connection option is to use the main output terminals. In this case, they are connected to the high-level outputs on the subwoofer. There are also high-pass filters in front of the terminals, providing an average of 6 dB. This configuration provides minimal acoustic pressure in the low frequency range. But, when deciding how to connect an active subwoofer through the input terminals, it is important to take into account the disadvantage of such a circuit. If the described connection model is chosen through direct output terminals and filters of the subwoofer itself, then you can achieve optimal sound quality over the entire range with minimization of errors in the acoustic palette in the low frequency spectrum. But since the connection channels will work in parallel, the total load on the system will be significantly increased.
Home subwoofer frequency setting
The basic setup of the equipment is made taking into account the characteristics of the main acoustics. In any case, it is worth focusing on the main parameters. The setting itself can be adjusted in the parameters of the audio crossover and phase switch, which will be discussed below. But until the moment when you can start directly calibrating the acoustic indicators, you should check the quality of the connection and, if possible, optimize the connection nodes. Moreover, modern subwoofers for home theaters in some lines are equipped with wireless modules. This means that such equipment does not require the use of traditional physical cables at all and is connected via radio communication sensors. That is, you only need to synchronize the equipment via a Bluetooth module or other wireless communication system.
Crossover adjustment
The crossover setting is designed to expose the crossover frequency spectra of the woofer. That is, with the help of this control, home theater subwoofers are point-adjusted over the entire range of signal reproduction. Some models even provide an extreme frequency value at which the equipment is not at all perceived by the human ear. The standard value will be an average position of 80 Hz. You should deviate from this value in cases where a boomy bass sound is noted. In such a situation, it is recommended to move the regulator towards a lower frequency.
Phase switch setting
The phase switch, in turn, is designed to compensate for spacing differences between the main subwoofer installation and its components. Also, this control helps to match signals from different satellites. It is recommended to tune a home active subwoofer according to this parameter against the background of playing music pieces with a male low voice. The user must determine during the listening process in which phase switching mode the vocals sound most natural and spacious.
Elimination of acoustic distortion of the subwoofer
For a number of reasons, even expensive branded subwoofers do not always provide crystal clear sound in the low range. However, such problems can be corrected in some cases. For example, pronounced acoustic hum can be caused by dispersion in the subwoofer wires. This is exactly the case when the quality of the cable plays a significant role in the characteristics of sound transmission. This problem can be corrected either by updating the wire, or by manipulation in order to find the optimal clear sound. In particular, it is recommended to initially connect high-power home subwoofers using a thick, high-quality RCA cable with an effective shielding function. Often, users of subwoofers also note a loud hum, which, by all indications, is provoked by third-party factors. The so-called current filter in the cable will help to eliminate such flaws.
How to choose the best subwoofer?
A high-quality system may well have average performance and, subject to proper connection, produce a decent acoustic palette. So, a home subwoofer with a strong power, the price of which is about 50-60 thousand rubles, is more likely to cope with its tasks of processing the low frequency range within the limits allowed by the main acoustics. However, the same effect will be provided by the model from the economy class, which in terms of its maximum operational parameters corresponds to the capabilities of the head unit. That is, the overpayment for equipment does not always justify itself, as is the case with satellites.
In addition to the main characteristics of impedance, power and frequency range, you should also pay attention to the material of manufacture. Despite the popularity of plastic, the demand for a wooden active subwoofer does not fade away. Reviews note that the case made of natural material is most advantageously involved in suppressing vibrations and uniform dispersion of the working signal. True, wood loses to plastic in practicality from the point of view of installation.
Conclusion
The subwoofer as such is included in the speaker system due to the desire for high-quality sound. Active installations with amplifiers are more likely to achieve this result. And provided the correct connection is made, a home active subwoofer will fully justify the investment in it. According to music lovers using similar configurations with active subwoofers, in the same home theaters it is possible to achieve powerful reproduction energy with deep well-developed bass. The potential for system deployment in these characteristics is primarily determined by the quality of the connection. In second place are the frequency range settings of the subwoofer.
How do I connect a subwoofer to my computer?
A distinction is made between active and passive subwoofers. The first one has a built-in amplifier and does not imply any special difficulties in connection. The second type requires the purchase of a separate amplifier to connect the subwoofer to a computer. Today we will look at how to properly connect the device.
Look for the types of subwoofers and advice on choosing a device in our article.
How to connect an active subwoofer to a computer
First you need to make sure that your sound card is compatible with your device. To do this, study the instructions of the technique or search for information on the Internet, driving in the necessary characteristics. Also, check if the number of inputs on the card matches the number of speaker inputs. The connector for the subwoofer is separate. If there is no dedicated connector, you can experiment and connect the device through the speaker input.
- Turn off your computer (subwoofer and speakers must also be turned off).
- Fasten the terminals to the speaker wires on both sides.
- Connect one end to the speaker and the other to the subwoofer (inputs are located on the back of the units). Connect all available speakers in the same way.
- Connect the speakers and sound card with a 3.5mm jack cable.
- Connect the subwoofer to your sound card through the dedicated input. If there is no input, connect a subwoofer instead of side speakers.
- Plug the subwoofer into a power outlet and press the power button on the device and speakers.
- Adjust the volume and click the "OK" button.
Connecting the subwoofer to a laptop or TV is carried out in a similar way. Sometimes the kit comes with a special wire for connecting devices.
Before connecting the subwoofer to your computer or laptop, make sure all the necessary drivers are installed.
How to connect a passive subwoofer to a computer
When connecting a passive subwoofer to a computer or laptop, you need to purchase an amplifier.
- Turn off your computer (subwoofer and amplifier should also be turned off).
- Connect the subwoofer to the amplifier with a connecting cable through the corresponding inputs located on the rear panels of the equipment.
- Connect the subwoofer to your computer using a 3.5mm Jack cable.
- Connect the other end to the amplifier.
- Turn on your computer and wait until the operating system is fully loaded.
- Plug the subwoofer into a power outlet and press the power button on the device and amplifier.
- If a dialog box with a text message appears, you must click on the "Ok" button.
- Next, you need to right-click on the speaker icon, which is located on the computer's taskbar.
- Select "Volume Options" and select the required checkboxes.
- Adjust the volume of the amplifier and press the "OK" button.
Make sure the wires are connected correctly before turning on the subwoofer and amplifier.
Check out our other article on the selected topic.
To connect two subwoofers to a computer or laptop, you need to purchase a special adapter or make a connection instead of the side speakers.
Before starting work, carefully read the instructions. If you have any difficulties, then consult with a specialist or entrust the connection to a specially trained person.
A subwoofer is a speaker capable of reproducing sound in a low frequency range. In some cases, for example, in sound settings programs, including system ones, you can find the name "woofer". Speakers equipped with a subwoofer help extract more fat from the soundtrack and add color to the music. Listening to some genres of music - hard rock or rap - without a woofer will not be as enjoyable as using one. In this article, we will talk about the types of subwoofers and how to connect them to your computer.
Most often we have to deal with subwoofers that are part of speaker systems of different configurations - 2.1, 5.1 or 7.1. Connecting such devices, since they are designed to be paired with a computer or DVD player, is usually straightforward. It is enough to determine to which connector this or that type of speakers is connected.
Difficulties begin when we try to turn on the subwoofer, which is a stand-alone speaker purchased from a store or previously included with another speaker system. Some users are also interested in the question of how powerful car subwoofers can be used at home. Below we will discuss all the nuances of connection for different types of devices.
Woofers are of two types - active and passive.
Option 1: Active woofer
Active subwoofers are a symbiosis of a speaker and auxiliary electronics - an amplifier or a receiver, which, as you might guess, is necessary to amplify the signal. Such speakers have two types of connectors - input for receiving a signal from a sound source, in our case, a computer, and output - for connecting other speakers. We are interested in the first ones.
As you can see in the picture, these are RCA or Tulip sockets. In order to connect them to a computer, a male-male adapter from RCA to miniJack 3.5 mm (AUX) is required.
One end of the adapter plugs into the "tulips" on the subwoofer, and the other into the socket for the woofer on the PC sound card.
Everything goes smoothly if the card has the required port, but what if its configuration does not allow using any “extra” speakers, except for stereo?
In this case, exits on the "subwoofer" come to the rescue.
Here we also need an RCA adapter - miniJack 3.5 mm, but of a slightly different type. In the first case it was "male-male", and in the second it was "male-female".
There is no need to worry that the output on the computer is not specially designed for low frequencies - the electronic filling of the active subwoofer will itself "dilute" the sound and the sound will be correct.
The advantages of such systems are compactness and the absence of unnecessary wiring, since all components are placed in one case. The disadvantages stem from the advantages: this arrangement does not allow for a rather powerful device. If the manufacturer wants to have higher rates, then the cost rises along with them.
Option 2: Passive woofer
Passive subwoofers are not equipped with any additional units and for normal operation they require an intermediate device - an amplifier or a receiver.
The assembly of such a system is carried out using the appropriate cables and, if required, adapters, according to the "computer - amplifier - subwoofer" scheme. If the accessory has enough output jacks, you can also connect a speaker system to it.
The advantage of passive woofers is that they can be made quite powerful. Disadvantages - the need to purchase an amplifier and the presence of additional wire connections.
Option 3: Car subwoofer
Car subwoofers, for the most part, are characterized by high power, which requires an additional 12 volt power supply. A regular power supply from a computer is perfect for this. Make sure that its output power matches the power of the amplifier, external or built-in. If the power supply unit turns out to be "weaker", then the equipment will not use all its capabilities.
Due to the fact that such systems are not intended for home use, there are some features in their design that require a non-standard approach. Below is a variant of connecting a passive "subwoofer" with an amplifier. For the active device, the manipulations will be the same.
- In order for the computer power supply to turn on and start supplying electricity, it must be started by closing certain contacts on the 24 (20 + 4) pin cable.
- Next, we need two wires - black (minus 12 V) and yellow (plus 12 V). You can take them from any connector, for example, "molex".
- We connect the wires in accordance with the polarity, which is usually indicated on the amplifier case. For a successful start, you must also connect the middle contact. This is a plus. This can be done with a jumper.
- Now we connect the subwoofer to the amplifier. If the latter has two channels, then we take "plus" from one, and "minus" from the second.
On the column, we connect the wires to the RCA connectors. If you have the appropriate skills and tools, you can solder tulips to the cable ends.
- We connect the computer with the amplifier using an RCA-miniJack 3.5 male-male adapter (see above).
- Further, in rare cases, you may need to adjust the sound. How to do this, read the article at the link below.
Done, you can use the car woofer.
Conclusion
The subwoofer will make you more enjoyable from listening to your favorite music. Connecting it to a computer, as you can see, is not difficult at all, you just need to arm yourself with the necessary adapters, and, of course, the knowledge that you received in this article.
Today we want to present to your attention a small instructional article. If you want to set up a subwoofer on your computer and do not know how to do it, then you are reading exactly what you need. The article contains information about the computer. Here you will read about in what order and what needs to be done, how and where to connect, the approximate cost of a subwoofer with a capacity of up to 400 watts. We wish you a successful reading and subsequent connection of your brand new subwoofer to your computer.
Follow the instructions and after completing all the suggested steps, you will be able to connect the subwoofer to your computer and enjoy the long-awaited sounds of divine music.
Step one
You need to inspect the back panel of your EV machine. In order to connect a subwoofer, you need to find the connectors related to the sound card. Typically, they are located almost at the very bottom of the rear panel of the main unit. Note that each slot is marked with a different color. This is done to make it easier to find certain nests. Agree, this greatly facilitates the task. It is important to know that subwoofer plugs are often also colored in a specific color, and usually match the colors of the jacks.
Step two (preparatory)
The next thing we do is put it all together. This is the most important step in explaining the question: "How to connect a subwoofer to a computer?" To do this, you need to connect the speakers and the subwoofer using special fiber optic cables and / or plugs. Next, you need to check if everything is connected correctly, i.e. plug the system into a power outlet and listen for static. Then we connect the subwoofer to the socket with the corresponding color label. It may be that you will not see the coincidence of color labels. For such situations, there is a small illustration under each nest that explains the purpose of the nest. Under the slot intended for there will be an inscription: "Line out". The rest of the connection process will not take you much time and effort. It is worth noting that if the connection of the speakers to the subwoofer was made incorrectly, then only those speakers that were connected to the necessary, "own" mountings will work.
Step three (setup)
At this stage, we need to configure the system. In most cases, it is carried out in automatic mode through More precisely, from the moment the device is connected, a window for sound settings is displayed on the main monitor. The system itself will offer you options on how to connect the subwoofer to your computer. As a rule, to complete the setting, you need to put a tick in front of the column "Exit to the central channel". From this point on, we can assume that everything is ready. It is also worth noting that in the same window you can configure your own microphone.
At the end of the article, I would like to note that buyers are very often mistaken, believing that by buying an expensive, branded audio system, they also acquire the best sound. As a rule, the computer is responsible for the sound quality, and if you have low-power equipment, you should not be upset if, despite everything, you do not have high-quality sound. By the way, on average, the cost of a subwoofer with a capacity of up to 400 watts ranges from five to fifty thousand rubles. Naturally, this does not apply to custom-made branded subwoofers. This price range is entirely dependent on the power and availability of the amplifier. As a rule, having it makes the purchase more expensive. But on the other hand, you will have a better and more powerful sound. Hope this article in accessible words helped to understand how to connect a subwoofer to a computer.
First of all, before connecting the car subwoofer to your computer, you need to inspect the subwoofer itself. As a rule, car audio systems are powered from 12 V. However, they are also found with a power supply of 24 or 16 V. If the power is still 12 V, then there are two ways to connect the subwoofer itself. The first is to power it from the computer's power supply. The second is to use an external power supply. Don't skimp on the power supply. A lot of problems with sound are connected precisely with low-quality power supplies. This is the case when it is better to overpay a little, but get a good sound.
When the subwoofer is powered, all that remains is to figure out how to connect the subwoofer to the computer. You will need an adapter from the computer audio jack to the subwoofer jack. In most cases, the subwoofer itself has a cinch input. This adapter cable can be found at most audio or radio stores. Or, if you have audio wires and connectors, you can solder it yourself. All this will take no more than 15 minutes.
Less common is the option when the subwoofer has no connectors. But there are contact pads or just sticking out audio wires. The actions in this case are similar to the previous option, with the only difference that you need an audio cable with only an audio jack or the connector itself, which will have to be soldered to the wires of the subwoofer.
Before connecting the subwoofer to the computer yourself, it is better to test it without connecting it directly to the computer. No one is immune from mistakes, and no one wants to lose the sound card, or even the entire computer due to inaccurate soldering or incorrect connection. You can use an mp3 player or something similar. The sound may be slightly distorted - this is normal. After all, a subwoofer is not just a speaker. If there is sound, you can connect to your computer and enjoy the powerful and high-quality sound of your favorite tracks.
And a couple more tips to help you simplify your work and improve your sound. Before soldering, it is better to sketch what will be soldered. Even if you have a good memory, while working, you can be distracted by, for example, a telephone conversation. A schematically sketched wiring diagram will allow you to assemble everything without errors.
In addition, all wires and connectors must be well insulated. This is not only a safety requirement, but also to avoid the hissing and wheezing of the speakers. Do not twist the audio cables together or with other wires. This can give rise to interference and alter the transmitted signal. Which can result in long hours of looking for the cause of the bad sound.
Having a car subwoofer can improve the sound of your home audio system by an order of magnitude. A few wires, a little time, and straight arms for truly great sound.
