[demonbrat711]

OK so, I was using headphones as speakers for my PC. I got new desktop speakers tonight, and hooked them up and everything. The only problem I'm having is that the speakers are VERY low! I've checked everything I could volume wise, and I even tried changing my default device for sound. I even updated the drivers for my audio devices. I have no idea what's going on here. There are multiple outlets in back for the plug of my speakers, and the one I have it plugged into is the only on I can get sound out of, although there is another one I can plug it into where the speakers make like a scratching noise when I plug it in, but I can't get no other sound out of it... can someone help me figure this stuff out, I'm all out of ways to do this that I know of:(

Thanks!!

[Scleros]

Things to confirm:
1. Speakers generally connect to a green sound card port.
2. Sound card is amplified if speakers are unamplified.
3. Speakers have power, batteries, are on, volume control is turned up, wire connecting speakers is correct one, etc.
4. Speakers are compatible with sound card - Dolby 5.1, USB, digital, etc. Some sound cards have a jumper that needs to be changed to change the function of blue or pink ports.

What brand and model speakers do you have?

[demonbrat711]

I have polk audio speakers.. everything is pluged in correctly.. yes I have it plugged into the green outlet and that's where I get slight sound at best the orange/yellow outlet is where I get loud very loud static from my speakers like the sound is turned up all the way. That's why I'm not understanding why the volume on this is so low if its in the correct port.:confused:

[tf7426]

a: if there's a control applet to control the card, make sure you select 2 speaker mode instead of headphone mode (or any other mode for that matter lol).. the applet is usually calld "CMI Audio config" for c-media chips, or "Sound Effect Manager" for realtek chips, they are the most common.

b:if that doesn't work, could you please post soundcard and speaker models

Thanks

Ps: have you tried plugging the speakers into something else (liek a radio or mp3 player)

[biggsie]

Most computer speakers require an adapter -- like 9 vdc. That needs to be plugged in

Some also have like a 110 volt plug and the adapter is inside one of the speakers

As tf7426 suggested plugging speakers into a MP3 or radio should produce good sound

Most computers have driver or settings errors if the sound isn't working

Troubleshooting Sound Problems

sound problems - Google Search

[Scleros]

I looked at the speakers at polkaudio.com. Their smallest speakers like the R15 require 20W minimum to drive the speakers. All of their speakers are unamplified unlike typical speakers designed for computers (like Logitech, etc). To use home theatre type speakers, you'll need to run your sound card's line out to an amplifier like a home theatre receiver and connect the speakers to the receiver. A sound card simply does not have the amount of power available from the computer bus to power speakers like this.

Again if you would post the speaker and sound card models, a more definitive answer may be received.

Update: I dug a little and found some AMR series powered computer computers on Polk's site. These should plug directly into sound card with no issues. If you have these, perhaps you got a lemon. Test with another audio source as suggested above.

If you can plug headphones directly into the sound card with no problems, all of the software and drivers on the computer is working properly.

Gold/orange/yellow is usually subwoofer or game port. See PC System Design Guide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for standard colors.

[tf7426]

Nah they make some 2.1 speakers but they're not on the site I looked as well, but type polk audio computer speakers in Google and you'll get some models