Indeed it’s possible to connect your PC with your soundbar; however, you are maybe wondering why you should do it in the first place? Well, if you are heavily into music and want to enjoy a virtual 3D surround sound, experts recommend using a soundbar. Pairing a soundbar with your PC will improve the previous muffled sound quality produced by your PC. With a soundbar, your gaming movie and music experience will also increase greatly. This is primarily due to the subwoofer, which gives more power to the bass output.
There are 4 easy ways to connect a soundbar to a computer:
- Connecting soundbar using AUX Out
- Connecting using Bluetooth
- Connecting using HDMI
- Connecting soundbar using Digital Optical Audio
Even though you can use computer speakers, the cables lay around everywhere. However, you can use a soundbar with your computer, and thankfully there are multiple ways of connecting it.
In This Post
How to Connect a Soundbar to a Computer
Connecting soundbar using AUX Out
This is the simplest method of the lot. Most new-age laptops have a 3.5 mm AUX out Jack, while a few others have USB-C connectors. On the other hand, custom-built computers have a 3.5 mm port right on the case; however, they may not have a sound card installed.
If you can use a 3.5 mm jack, connecting your soundbar to your computer becomes a cakewalk. You should be able to hear the sound as soon as you connect; however, if you don’t, make sure your system’s volume is up. Mostly your default playback option is set with your soundbar using the AUX input.
Connecting using Bluetooth
Most computers these days feature a Bluetooth-out option, especially the ones hand-assembled.
If your computer/laptop does feature a Bluetooth option, navigate to the settings where you will find a list of devices visible to your system. Now, set your soundbar in the pairing mode and select it from the list.
Soon your soundbar will chime out audio to show that it’s connected. However, if the computer does not route the audio automatically, click on the speaker symbol placed in the right corner and select the audio out option.
Connecting using HDMI
Though this is one of the popular options for connecting your PC with a soundbar, it is not as reliable as the other options on the list. This is because of two reasons:
- Most computers require a monitor to be connected to the HDMI port
- Two computers can’t share HDMI ARC service
Simply put, if you try to connect your soundbar using HDMI, the computer might think of it as a secondary monitor and not an audio device. This situation might worsen if you plug it directly into the graphics card.
Some soundbars have an HDMI port and are designed for HDMI ARC, which is only available on TVs. Computers, on the other hand, don’t use the HDMI ARC feature.
But you still might be able to use the soundbar as an audio source when it’s connected through HDMI. You can make some quick tweaks in the Windows setting and get it working; however, it’s not a fool-proof plan.
Connecting soundbar using Digital Optical Audio:
Though this is a rare option, you may have a SPDIF cable or an optical out port on your computer. This option is primarily available in high-end PCs or on custom units. But thankfully, using this to connect your soundbar with a computer will follow the same method as the Aux setting.
You simply need to get an optical cable that can reach your soundbar and computer and plug them both. Following this, double-check the computer’s audio out setting if you don’t get any sound.
However, if problems persist, be sure to check if the sound card drivers are properly installed.
FAQs:
Where to place the soundbar for your computer?
Placing the soundbar connected to your PC should follow the same method as placing the same with your TV unit, i.e., at the base of your computer screen and close to an outlet where the power cable and source are easy to reach. This way, the sound is projected directly with minimum disturbance irrespective of whether it’s connected through Bluetooth, USB, 3.5 AUX, or digital optics cable.
Is a soundbar too big for a PC?
While you can use a TV soundbar to connect with the computer, they are often too big. Ideally, you will not need that big soundbar which you use for your TV. Most of us have working space more petite than our living room, thus having a small unit is desired. In addition, many soundbars are powered with a wireless subwoofer that requires some space when connected to the main soundbar.
Thankfully, soundbars are available in multiple sizes, and you can use any of those to pair with your computer.
Can you connect your computer soundbar to the TV?
It is possible to connect your PC soundbar to the TV using a USB port. You can also try connecting them using a 3.5mm jack input support.
How to control the volume of my soundbar once it’s connected to the TV?
You can do that by adjusting the volume of your PC. This will directly increase or decrease the sound output of the soundbar. However, most soundbar speakers have a dedicated volume control key, and some even have a remote control. You can use either to increase or decrease the volume.
Do soundbars deliver room-fitted sounds?
Soundbars do provide room-fitted sounds, but they must be of top quality. The quality of sound produced depends on the type of speaker.
You can take your PC experience to the next level with the right sound. And for that, you need to find the perfect soundbar! We hope this article helps you find the ideal one for PC.
