How To Connect 5.1 Speakers To Your Computer

By Asad on Sep 08 2008 83 Comments

If you want to enjoy movies and games these days you must have 6 channel sound system because all latest games and DVD movies are optimized and programmed to give a natural surround sound experience. If you have 5.1 speakers and don’t know how to connect it to your computer we’ll show you some easy steps on how to connect your speakers to computer the right way.

 

What Is A 5.1 Sound System ?

The number 5.1 means that you have six speakers arranged in a way that two are on the front, two are on the rear, one on the front center which is known as voice channel and one subwoofer to provide bass. So you have five speakers and one subwoofer, this makes 6 channel sound system 5.1.

 

speaker 

 

Difference Between Digital And Analogue Sound System

There are two kinds of 6-channel surround speakers: analog and digital. Analog speakers are cheaper compared to digital and can be installed on any PC while digital speakers require that you have a SPDIF output on your PC. If your PC has SPDIF output than you might want to use a digital system. The steps described here will be just the same, but instead of connecting your PC to a home theater receiver you will be connecting it to a digital 6-channel speakers system.

 

Know Your Speaker System

Generally in systems all the cables from the speakers are connected to the subwoofer which comes with a set of wires to connect, that includes : a power cord to connect the system to the AC outlet, a power connector to feed the subwoofer and the subwoofer wires. Your system should come with at least three set of cables for connecting your speaker system to your PC. These cables are usually colored to help with the installation.

 

Start Connecting

You should connect the cables matching the colors on the jacks located on the subwoofer. After connecting all these cable, its time to connect the rest of the cables like power, subwoofer and speakers. This is very easy if you pay attention to the subwoofer connection then you’d be able to follow the polarity that is written on the connectors. In the end, all your cables would be connected perfectly.

 ports.jpg 

The above pic shows you all the ports to connect the wires to with all the color coded mannerism.

Knowing Your Computer

All computers have atleast three connectors

  • Line-In.
  • Line-out.
  • Mic.

Computers with six channel audio systems have two more connectors, i.e

  • rear out.
  • center/subwoofer out.

You’ll need to make sure if you  have these extra connecters by checking the back side of your computer.

If your computer doesn’t have these two extra outputs: rear out and center/subwoofer out, it’s a disadvantage, you’d be able to connect your 5.1 anyway but you would require to use the line in and mic-in plugs as an alternative. Of course there is a really big disadvantage in using this configuration: you cannot use your microphone or line in inputs and your 5.1 speaker system at the same time. This is the reason that you should buy a motherboard with 5.1 system built in.

Configuration Of Computers With 5.1 Supporting Motherboards

  • Front cable: To Line out.
  • Rear cable: To the Rear-Out
  • Center/Subwoofer cable : To Center/Subwoofer Out.

Configuration Of Computers Without 5.1 Supporting Motherboards

  • Front cable: To Line-out.
  • Rear cable: To Line in.
  • Center/Subwoofer cable: To Mic-in.

Software Configuration

After every single connection has been made, its time to setup audio configuration in operating system. Since we had Realtec drivers on our PC, Double clicking it opened up Speaker Configuration tab. In various options you should select 6 channel mode for 5.1 speaker output and check Only surround-kit if your PC has the separated rear and center/subwoofer outputs and leave it if you don’t.

realtekscreenshot

Now everything is done, you are completely ready to enjoy surround sound experience and don’t forget to leave comments if you find this post useful.

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  • vidyasagar

    my inspire T6060 model nt working,my MB is gigabyte 41 series

    plzzzzzzzzzzzz help me

  • BASKARAN

    tttttttttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnn u

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  • Dee

    You can’t get the best 5.1 channel sound experiences except your computer have proper sound card on your CPU that support for 5.1 or 7.1 channel output.

    Find out the best surround sound headset on http://www.surroundsoundheadset.net

  • ajay kumar singh

    hi i am having one lenovo laptop.it is having only two out puts. that is one haed phone out. and one microphone out. unfortunately i purchased one creative 5.1 home theatre system.it is having three cables. then how i connected this home theatre system to my laptop,,,,,,,,,,plz help me very soon
    thanks

    • Scott

      Hi to hook your laptop up to your 5.1 system take the three cables from the speakers, place the green one in your headphone socket, the black one in line out and the orange cable into the mic in socket. This should work but i’m not sure if this gives Digital Output, does anybody know if it does?

  • ajay kumar singh

    hi i am having one lenovo laptop.it is having only two out puts. that is one haed phone out. and one microphone out. unfortunately i purchased one creative 5.1 home theatre system.it is having three cables. then how i connected this home theatre system to my laptop

  • Aniruddha

    I read the complete artical , Q n A . I learnt , if I buy creative t6100 which has 3 cables , it will work with my dell N5010. This laptop has only two 3.5 ports . One for mic as i/p and other for headfones as o/p.
    So if I connect two cables on these two ports , will the creative t6100 home theater work? And if I plug in only green cable into headphone out , will all the speakers (six) work?

  • Aniruddha

    <>
    By making this connection , does all speakers work of creative Home Theater.

  • Asad Tariq

    Hey, the idea that u gave helped me very much & with the idea i connected my 5.1 with the computer.

    Thank’s a lot

  • Douglas Martin

    Solved! As always the instructions on the speaker pamphlet were next to useless – your explanation and photos sorted it out quickly. Thanks.

  • munisvaran

    hi i have lcd tv with optical pin but i have normal 5.1 home theater so how can i connect optical to home theater is there any option for optical to 5.1 channel output

  • Shamsher

    I purchased intex 4650 elegant 5.1 but my laptop is 2.1 which has one output and one mice slot. Kindly tell me how to make subwoofer + speakers work together.

    • prakash

      dear u need to put a 5.1 sound card to ur pc for better sound quality

  • karthik

    Let Me check this configuration wheather this will work out … I ll check and live a good comment!!! ONthis

  • kostha

    WHat is that aux means?

    • Express man

      that z ……………………………

  • surya karteek

    It was very useful. Thanks for your post

  • Zorkz

    I do not have a 5.1 supporting motherboard, I do however have a 5.1 system, I did not know you could plug the different cables into ports such as Line-in and Mic-in, surely that wouldn’t work? Hmm, I will try this tomoro and let you guys know.

  • nagen chettri

    Even i am having a same problem that in window 7, 5.1 speaker is not working, only two speaker is working that also in rear right and rear left, but not in other hole. And also Speaker Configuration tab i am not getting in window 7 like in xp Speaker Configuration tab is automatically install when i install audio driver so please kindly help me with the images or diagram

    Thank you

    • ajay

      but how can you tell me pls

  • Serfuddin

    Excellent and very simple way

  • subhakar

    thank u BOSS

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  • logen

    i just bought myself a sound card for my pc and it make the quality of you system so much better that without the card, i never thought it would make such a big difference.

  • shankar

    Can you anyone help me on this?

    I have a problem with my creative speakers; that power controler is not working; so the speakers not getting power supply. Can i work the speakers with out power controler? is there any option to connect the speakers directly?

    Thanks in advance

    Shankar

  • pritesh

    i don’t know motherboard suported 5.1 sound card ya not.
    how can i check?????

  • Anurag

    i m nt hvng 5.1 sound card on my pc……if i would buy it how much it will cost and what i will do with that old 2.1 sound card……it will remain there or it will be removed….?????? Is there any 5.1 external sound card like ext hard drives…….PLZ reply///i really need help///

  • Dhananjay Kadam

    I purchesed new PC but problem with home theatre there is a only one pin for home theatre as green my Laptop plays a home theatre but PC with win7 wont work there are three port for CPU at back and two at front I connected to all but it not working but PC shows as working a DIGITAL AUDIO DEVICE please help me ////I really in problem………..

  • Mani

    Hi sir
    how to assemble the 5.1subwoofer?
    Using component list &board name

  • aretoussa

    Thanks for your help!! :)

  • Ali

    I purchased SBS A520 5.1 but my computer is 2.1 which has one output and one mice slot. Kindly tell me how to make subwoofer + speakers work together.

  • Rambabu

    I have Philips dvd player(dvp3588) with dts option & Philips Multimedia speakers(dsp6500) with 6500 PMPO watt. When I am trying to change the audio option from DOLBY to DTS, the speakers are not showing any difference in the audio even the disc has DTS option. Inorder to show difference in the audio, what i have to do? Kindly suggest. Do I need to change my system to HTS model in Philips itself.

  • Suyash Nachankar

    I have Creative SBS 500 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speakers System.It has 3 inputs for Front + Sub-woofer, Center + Sub-woofer & Rear + Sub-woofer(as normal).Whenever I connect all these three cables at appropriate jacks to my PC, I could get sound output only from the 2 Front Speakers & Sub-woofer.This means that the other two inputs do not work.I also had changed the settings to 5.1 channels output option in the Audio Configuration Manager but still it doesn’t work.Please help me to find the solution for my this problem.
    Thanking You in Anticipation !!!

  • rodrigo

    eu tenho um nootebok como eu faço pra
    conectar um sub wooferr nele vc pode
    me ajuda?

  • swagatam kundu

    is it supporttable to laptops.pls rpl.my id is skundu012@gmail.com.

  • swagatam kundu

    is sound card is needed for laptop support for creative inspire t6160 5.1 sound system

  • swagatam kundu

    can the external sound card can be got pls rpl i really need ur help

  • Ben

    i have 5 spekers & subwoofers of sony with me…..can i connect this to my pc in 5.1 configuration??????……the home theater system doeasnt have any 5.1 input to it…..so i want to connnect the speakers independently…..how can i do this….

  • Unnamed

    Now everything is clear! Thanks

  • Ajit

    how to connect (Creative SBS A520 Multimedia 5.1 Speakers System Sub Woofer)to LCD with single pin. pls. give me name of the pin so i can Purchase in market.

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