View Full Version : Dell Speaker System; External soundcard for laptop?
I have acquired a Dell speaker system, and I need help!
It used to be at the folks house, they were going to bin it along with the old dell desktop and tower.
So basically, I need to make it work with my laptop.
System consists of 4 speakers, a central speaker and a sub, which all the speakers tie back to.
3 cables leave the sub, which would have went to the old tower I think.
2.5mm jacks I think, one yellow, one green, one blue. (Will confirm this later)
I can get the central speaker and the sub to work by connecting only the yellow cable into my laptops headphone output, but I have 4 speakers which don't work.
Had a look myself, seems I may need a external usb soundcard? But I really don't know what I am looking for? Or if this is right? :confused:
Are you able to help me people of the org? :confused:
SoulKiss
28-05-12, 02:13 PM
Yep, external sound card is going to be the only option, you have a front, rear ans sub setup on those speakers - so need 3 connectors.
TBH you would be better off getting shot of those and buying a decent 2:1 system than faffing about.
Or as its a Laptop, get these
http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/shop/images/products/XtremeMac/XMINI_MAX_II_mainlarge.jpg
http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/shop/Speakers.16/XM-i.319/XMINIMAXII/X-Mini_MAX_II_Capsule_Speakers.3986.html
They are tiny, run off of USB power (or off their own internal rechargeable batteries) and sound way better than they should for the size of them.
I have a pair of the previous gen ones and used them on my desktop for a while when I moved and couldnt be bothered digging out my proper speakers.
Oh and
Yellow = Centre/Sub
Green = Front L&R
Blue = Rear L&R
So just plug in the Green ones if you want stereo sound.
A USB Soundcard will cost about £40 the Little Speakers above will cost you £30, and I have dealt with the company before and in my experience they are great I bricked my Media Player that I had gotten from them 2 days before that weekend I came up and we went for that ride and they were happy for me to pop in on my way past, they are near Edinburgh, so their guy could reflash it for me, which they did for free on a "turn up when you turn up" basis.
I have found the model I have!
http://www.techfuels.com/applications/7507-dell-5650-computer-speaker.html
Official link - http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&sku=313-2247
It seems pretty good noise wise, even without the 4 other speakers! 100W I think?
Thoughts?
SoulKiss
28-05-12, 02:22 PM
I have found the model I have!
http://www.techfuels.com/applications/7507-dell-5650-computer-speaker.html
Official link - http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&sku=313-2247
It seems pretty good noise wise, even without the 4 other speakers! 100W I think?
Thoughts?
Not too bad - just not ideal for a Laptop (or at least one without enough jack sockets.
My Thoughts - I'll buy those little speakers and swap you for the Dell ones - you paying the postage :p as my Desktop could do with an upgrade to 5.1 :p
I think I am getting shafted here... Haha
So say I wanted to try and get these to work with my laptop... Where do I start?
Is there any limitations/shortfalls just because I have a laptop?
SoulKiss
28-05-12, 02:36 PM
I think I am getting shafted here... Haha
So say I wanted to try and get these to work with my laptop... Where do I start?
Is there any limitations/shortfalls just because I have a laptop?
You spend £45 on a Creative External USB soundcard (http://uk.store.creative.com/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-x-fi-surround-5-1-pro/1-20055.aspx). Its £60 from Creative, but google cam up with £46 - that may not include shipping
The best I can see pricewise is £39 for those speakers you have on Amazon, so I don't think my offer would be fair - I'll chick in a fiver for postage if it sweetens the deal :p
Those are Desktop speakers, I'm offering you a Laptop/Portable solution that wont cost you anything but a couple of quids postage :p
Dave20046
28-05-12, 03:23 PM
Those are Desktop speakers, I'm offering you a Laptop/Portable solution that wont cost you anything but a couple of quids postage :p
If he's going to be ungrateful - I'll have them :chef:
Naa I can cope with only one speaker and sub right now! I ain't up for swapping them! The other speakers look pretty small :P
Think al go for that soundcard! That the best option SK? :)
You should be able to get 2 speakers and the sub working. I do a similar thing with my laptop.
Just connect the one cable to the front left and front right input on the sub and you have a 2.1 system.
Rear and centre speakers wont work unless you splice the wires together.
To get surround sound you'd need an external soundcard.
I want 5.1 though :)
Al have a play about with it tonight anyway, cheers lad!
What are you going to use it for?
If it's for watching videos and dvds and stuff just turn the old tower into a media centre and plug it into your TV.
Nothing serious, just use it for music, films etc
As my tv speakers/laptop speakers are terrible!
I might see if they still have the tower!
Dont get it. Your willing to spend more money on a sound card than you can buy a decent 2.1 system for?
I have an Altec Lansing system that i payed £35 for and for the fussy git i am with sound, its eblies the price point beyond belief.
Look at this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ALTEC-LANSING-4621-2-1-Speakers/dp/B007FAQXXQ/ref=sr_1_42?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1338283679&sr=1-42
Or this if you want to try the exernal soundcard ting
http://www.amazon.co.uk/External-Sound-Card-Channel-Audio/dp/B003TO3KHY/ref=sr_1_28?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1338283745&sr=1-28
It's because I am pretty green with PC's, speakers and the like!
Why is that so cheap compared to the one Dave posted?
I am still confused, why would I go for a 2.1 if I already have a decent? (possibly) 5.1 system?
So all I need to do is spend the £9 on that 5.1 usb soundcard and that would be me sorted?
Any way I could use it for my tv too?
Thanks for this everyone, for putting up how awful I am with technology!
SoulKiss
29-05-12, 09:46 AM
It's because I am pretty green with PC's, speakers and the like!
Why is that so cheap compared to the one Dave posted?
I am still confused, why would I go for a 2.1 if I already have a decent? (possibly) 5.1 system?
So all I need to do is spend the £9 on that 5.1 usb soundcard and that would be me sorted?
Any way I could use it for my tv too?
Thanks for this everyone, for putting up how awful I am with technology!
The expensive one has bells and whistles, it is very good. It does more, would make the output sound better due to better processing of the signal.
The other one will get a noise out of the laptop on all speakers.
Its like if you lunched your SV engine - you COULD put in a replacement from a Hyosung - but would you not rather have a Suzuki?
The 5.1 system you have will not work with a TV - again, TV's dont have the ouputs you need to connect those speakers to - the PC does all the 5.1 processing, forTV/DVD you generally need a separate Decoder box as part of the Surround Sound system - this is why they cost £100+ rather than about £50 for PC based systems.
6 times better though?
I plumped and went for the cheap one, only costing £13 delivered!
If I decide I need a better one, al stump up at a later date! Am just being a stereotypical tight Scotsman really :P
Thanks for everyone's help!! :)
Stuck again.
Got the soundcard, can only get sub + central OR Front L + R OR Rear L + R working, I can't get all 5 to work?
Do I need a driver for this to work? Came with a CD, but it doesn't seem to do anything?
I officially SUCK at computer stuff!!
Thanks
Yep you'll need a driver. Will also need to set it up properly in control panel
Driver installed from CD.
Set up as 5.1 in the control panel.
When testing the speakers, sound only comes through the rear, even when testing the central, front L and front R?
Only getting 2.1??
I can get central, front L+R and rear L+R work independently when I use the front out socket on the USB? So speakers aren't faulty? Can get them to work as central OR front L+R OR rear L+R, just not together??
Hmmm not sure. Have you disabled the on board sound?
Set the external soundcard as default!
Think it could be an issue with the software that came with the card, its completely gash haha
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