[Jarro]

I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be a
problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug

[Laurence Payne]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:25:02 +0100, Jarro
wrote:

I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be a
problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug

Any you like. But the speakers will sound a *great deal* quieter :-)

[Arny Krueger]

"Jarro" wrote in message
...
I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be a
problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug

Mission impossible.

[Richard Crowley]

"Jarro" wrote ...
I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for
me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be
a
problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug

It cannot be done. the 3.5mm jack is analog, and USB
is digital. How did you manage to find a computer
that doesn't have USB?

[AZ Nomad]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:25:02 +0100, Jarro wrote:


I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be a
problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug

The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.
http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_USB.html#b

[Richard Crowley]

"AZ Nomad" wrote ...
The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.

"USB Speakers" use USB for interfacing digital
audio from the computers to the speakers. I doubt
that there are any "USB Speakers" that use USB
for power as the voltage/current is so limited.

Of course, since "Jarro" didn't tell us what speakers
we are talking about, we are all shooting in the dark.

[John Doe]

"Richard Crowley" wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote ...
The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.

"USB Speakers" use USB for interfacing digital
audio from the computers to the speakers. I doubt
that there are any "USB Speakers" that use USB
for power as the voltage/current is so limited.

Right, AZ Nomad is way off base. All of the other replies are
correct.

Of course, since "Jarro" didn't tell us what speakers
we are talking about, we are all shooting in the dark.

He probably would have to connect the analog speaker out to an audio
amplifier in the USB speaker circuit, assuming it's not all
integrated, and that isn't going to happen.

Have fun.

[AZ Nomad]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 07:02:39 -0700, Richard Crowley wrote:


"AZ Nomad" wrote ...
The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.

"USB Speakers" use USB for interfacing digital
audio from the computers to the speakers. I doubt
that there are any "USB Speakers" that use USB
for power as the voltage/current is so limited.

You have no clue how cheap some computer speakers are.
If they have a line in then they most certainly do not use USB
for audio. That they can only pull 50ma doesn't matter when you're
dealing with a two dollar pair speakers.

[AZ Nomad]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 14:16:29 GMT, John Doe wrote:


"Richard Crowley" wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote ...
The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.

"USB Speakers" use USB for interfacing digital
audio from the computers to the speakers. I doubt
that there are any "USB Speakers" that use USB
for power as the voltage/current is so limited.

Right, AZ Nomad is way off base. All of the other replies are
correct.

I'm correct. Get over yourself.



Of course, since "Jarro" didn't tell us what speakers
we are talking about, we are all shooting in the dark.

He probably would have to connect the analog speaker out to an audio
amplifier in the USB speaker circuit, assuming it's not all
integrated, and that isn't going to happen.

What he has is exactly as I've described. They have a usb cable
only for getting power.

[John Doe]

Ignorant troll


Path: newssvr29.news.prodigy.net!newsdbm05.news.prodigy. com!newsdst01.news.prodigy.net!prodigy.com!newscon 04.news.prodigy.net!prodigy.net!newsfeed.telusplan et.net!newsfeed.telus.net!news-east.rr.com!news.rr.com!peer01.cox.net!cox.net!p01 !fed1read01.POSTED!53ab2750!not-for-mail
Newsgroups: alt.comp.hardware,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,rec.audio.tech
From: AZ Nomad aznomad PmunOgeBOX.com
Subject: Attach USB speakers to 3.5mm "audio out" socket?
References: Xns980A5FCC347B5628D1 127.0.0.1 slrnec9jim.rop.aznomad ip70-176-155-130.ph.ph.cox.net 12c9ko1sbd91f08 corp.supernews.com Xns980A5E5BAD7FC0123456789 207.115.17.102
Message-ID: slrnec9mvn.td7.aznomad ip70-176-155-130.ph.ph.cox.net
User-Agent: slrn/0.9.8.1 (Linux)
Lines: 32
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 14:40:29 GMT
NNTP-Posting-Host: 70.176.70.95
X-Complaints-To: abuse cox.net
X-Trace: fed1read01 1153752029 70.176.70.95 (Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:40:29 EDT)
NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:40:29 EDT
Organization: Cox Communications
Xref: prodigy.net alt.comp.hardwa315094 alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt:471847 rec.audio.tech:234387

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 14:16:29 GMT, John Doe jdoe usenetlove.invalid wrote:


"Richard Crowley" rcrowley xpr7t.net wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote ...
The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.

"USB Speakers" use USB for interfacing digital
audio from the computers to the speakers. I doubt
that there are any "USB Speakers" that use USB
for power as the voltage/current is so limited.

Right, AZ Nomad is way off base. All of the other replies are
correct.

I'm correct. Get over yourself.



Of course, since "Jarro" didn't tell us what speakers
we are talking about, we are all shooting in the dark.

He probably would have to connect the analog speaker out to an audio
amplifier in the USB speaker circuit, assuming it's not all
integrated, and that isn't going to happen.

What he has is exactly as I've described. They have a usb cable
only for getting power.

[Jeff Findley]

"Jarro" wrote in message
...
I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be a
problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug


You don't. USB is digital and that jack is analog.

You either plug the speakers into a USB jack, or you have to upgrade to a
modern PC with USB ports, or you have to buy PC speakers with line level
inputs.

Jeff
--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety"
- B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919)

[AZ Nomad]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 15:26:17 GMT, John Doe wrote:


Ignorant troll

Who ****ed in your wheaties?

[Jeff Findley]

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 07:02:39 -0700, Richard Crowley
wrote:


"AZ Nomad" wrote ...
The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.

"USB Speakers" use USB for interfacing digital
audio from the computers to the speakers. I doubt
that there are any "USB Speakers" that use USB
for power as the voltage/current is so limited.

You have no clue how cheap some computer speakers are.
If they have a line in then they most certainly do not use USB
for audio. That they can only pull 50ma doesn't matter when you're
dealing with a two dollar pair speakers.

The original poster never said the speakers had a line level input. The
only connection mentioned on the speakers was USB.

Jeff
--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety"
- B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919)

[AZ Nomad]

http://www.baber.com/baber/speakers/benwin_sp691.htm
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory= 3702
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=172282
http://www.nextag.com/Cyber-Acoustic...13/prices-html
http://reviews.cnet.com/2PC_WHITE_CA...-30913026.html

[AZ Nomad]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 11:35:28 -0400, Jeff Findley wrote:



"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 14:16:29 GMT, John Doe
wrote:


"Richard Crowley" wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote ...
The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.

"USB Speakers" use USB for interfacing digital
audio from the computers to the speakers. I doubt
that there are any "USB Speakers" that use USB
for power as the voltage/current is so limited.

Right, AZ Nomad is way off base. All of the other replies are
correct.

I'm correct. Get over yourself.



Of course, since "Jarro" didn't tell us what speakers
we are talking about, we are all shooting in the dark.

He probably would have to connect the analog speaker out to an audio
amplifier in the USB speaker circuit, assuming it's not all
integrated, and that isn't going to happen.

What he has is exactly as I've described. They have a usb cable
only for getting power.

For all USB speakers I've seen, they *only* have a USB cable. Windows XP
has USB drivers for standard audio output devices like these. If you only
hook up the USB power, the speakers will still be silent since they won't be
receiving the expected (digital) audio via the USB connection.

I've seen both. All the ones with both a usb plug and a miniplug have
been $2 specials where the USB is only used for power.

[Noozer]

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 14:16:29 GMT, John Doe
wrote:


"Richard Crowley" wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote ...
The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.

"USB Speakers" use USB for interfacing digital
audio from the computers to the speakers. I doubt
that there are any "USB Speakers" that use USB
for power as the voltage/current is so limited.

Right, AZ Nomad is way off base. All of the other replies are
correct.

I'm correct. Get over yourself.

Uhm... no.

What do you expect when you connect the audio cable from a speaker to pins 1
and 4? You definately won't hear Windows making any noises.

There is NO way to connect the audio jack of a speaker(s) to a USB port
without having some kind of decoder in the circuit first.

[Laurence Payne]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 13:42:21 GMT, AZ Nomad
wrote:

I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be a
problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug

The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.
http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_USB.html#b

Fine, if they ARE this type of speaker. But how will patching pins 1
and 4 to the audio output jack do anything useful?

[John Doe]

AZ Nomad wrote:


http://www.baber.com/baber/speakers/benwin_sp691.htm

Right, that's where you got the idea. Still, the USB non-power
signal wires should not be connected to the computer speaker output
jack.

Good luck.

[Jarro]

I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size
for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not
be a problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack
plug


On 24 Jul 2006, AZ wrote:

The speakers only use USB for power. It'll be pins 1 and 4.
http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_USB.html#b



The problems I have with USB speakers a
(a) using an extra USB socket - even on an USB extender hub
(b) not being able to use apps which want to break into the "sound path"

My speakers are a pair of ultra-crap cheapo speakers (each is about 3
inches high and 2 inches wide) although they are just fine for me as all
I want to hear are PC warning sounds.

The speakers look crummy with drivers which look like 20mm piezo units
that I would be surprised if they have an amp inside although there may
well be a very small amp in there.

If they do need power from the USB socket then I reckon it's far too
messy to have one pair of wires attached to a USB socket for power and a
second pair to the audio-out jack socket.

[Jarro]

On 24 Jul 2006, Jeff wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
[...]

For all USB speakers I've seen, they *only* have a USB cable.
Windows XP has USB drivers for standard audio output devices like
these. If you only hook up the USB power, the speakers will still
be silent since they won't be receiving the expected (digital)
audio via the USB connection.

Yes, my speakers have only a USB plug.

[MCheu]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:25:02 +0100, Jarro
wrote:

I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be a
problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug

I'm not sure if that's really an option. Speakers with a USB
connector are typically "digital" speakers. Digital speakers were
computer speakers that incorporated a sound card into the speaker set
that was accessible by USB connection. The idea was to improve sound
quality by having the audio generated at the speaker end, rather than
having an analog signal have to go through wires to the speaker set. I
haven't seen such speakers in about 2 years, so I guess they never
caught on.

Some of these had an analog connection, but since you're asking this
question, I guess yours doesn't. There is a way to connect such
speakers to a 3.5mm stereo miniplug, but you'd have to wire up your
own connection to the speakers themselves (or the amp if it's separate
unit rather than integrated into the sound "card"). You can't use the
USB connection, because it's a digital connection intended to receive
commands from a computer. The 3.5" miniplug signal is typically
analog audio.

---------------------------------------------
Thanks.


MCheu

[mick]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:25:02 +0100, Jarro wrote:

I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output" socket.
(The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be a problem
for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug

Confused now?

I have found 2 sorts of "speakers" that plug into the usb port.

Type A
These contain an ordinary amplifier and also have a lead to connect to the
output from the sound card. The amplifier uses the usb just as a power
supply. Some of these contain the correct usb circuit to "talk" to the
port and switch it into high current mode to allow more output power. Some
contain class D amplification for greater efficiency, but basically they
are all just amplified speakers.

Type B
These use a single lead to the usb port and require driver software on the
host machine. Internally they include the circuitry of a sound card with a
serial interface to the usb signal pins. They do not have any analogue
input capability (or at least not on the ones that I found). Once again,
they may use class D amplifiers and/or logic to select high current mode.

Now, to get to your question, If your speakers have a flying lead
with a 3.5mm jack plug as well as a usb lead then they will be type
A and cannot get a signal from the usb port at all. If they only have a
usb lead, with no other connection, then they will be type B and cannot
get a signal from a 3.5mm jack socket at all. If they have a *socket*
marked "line in" or "aux in" as well as a usb lead then they are probably
type B - you may have to select Aux in from software (which may be the
only way to adjust volume too).

Have you got any manufacturer's details on your speakers that you could
google for? If they are type B you will need the correct drivers anyway.

hth
crossposts trimmed to rec.audio.tech only.

--
Mick (Working in a M$-free zone!)
Remove blockage to use my email address
Web: http://www.nascom.info & http://mixpix.batcave.net

[kony]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 19:19:12 +0100, Jarro
wrote:



The problems I have with USB speakers a
(a) using an extra USB socket - even on an USB extender hub

How is that a problem?
A powered USB hub is about $15.


(b) not being able to use apps which want to break into the "sound path"

?? Something very wrong there, whether they're USB or not
should not effect this, unless you're not running Windows.



My speakers are a pair of ultra-crap cheapo speakers (each is about 3
inches high and 2 inches wide) although they are just fine for me as all
I want to hear are PC warning sounds.

I suggest buying a $5 set of analog replacement speakers,
since you can't just wire the USB to the analog port on
yours, since as you mentioned they are only USB.



The speakers look crummy with drivers which look like 20mm piezo units
that I would be surprised if they have an amp inside although there may
well be a very small amp in there.


There is definitely an amp inside, it is mandiatory for them
to work. It may not be a powerful amp- certainly not for
them to run from =500mA @ 5V, but it's there.



If they do need power from the USB socket then I reckon it's far too
messy to have one pair of wires attached to a USB socket for power and a
second pair to the audio-out jack socket.

Not only too messy, completely impossible. You could hack
apart the amp circuit, maybe- if there' a separate DAC and
amp chip and put the analog system feed into the analog
input on the amp chip but I think this is beyond most
people's skill level. It'd also be a misguided effort on a
cheap set of USB speakers.

[Jeff Findley]

"Jarro" wrote in message
...
On 24 Jul 2006, Jeff wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
[...]

For all USB speakers I've seen, they *only* have a USB cable.
Windows XP has USB drivers for standard audio output devices like
these. If you only hook up the USB power, the speakers will still
be silent since they won't be receiving the expected (digital)
audio via the USB connection.

Yes, my speakers have only a USB plug.

If your computer has no USB sockets, then I'd return the USB speakers and
buy normal speakers.

Jeff
--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety"
- B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919)

[Laurence Payne]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 19:19:12 +0100, Jarro
wrote:

My speakers are a pair of ultra-crap cheapo speakers (each is about 3
inches high and 2 inches wide) although they are just fine for me as all
I want to hear are PC warning sounds.

Does the computer have a rudimentary speaker for going "Beep" at
bootup? I seem to remember once installing a dodge that made that
the default audio device. Terrible quality, but OK for system
sounds. And with music you could at least tell what the tune was :-)

Anyone know about this, before I start digging?

[Laurence Payne]

Thinking further, my computers are primarily running audio
applications. I always disable system sounds, and don't miss them in
the slightest, even when running non-audio applications.

If these speakers are just for system sounds, why bother?

[Sjouke Burry]

Laurence Payne wrote:
On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 19:19:12 +0100, Jarro
wrote:


My speakers are a pair of ultra-crap cheapo speakers (each is about 3
inches high and 2 inches wide) although they are just fine for me as all
I want to hear are PC warning sounds.


Does the computer have a rudimentary speaker for going "Beep" at
bootup? I seem to remember once installing a dodge that made that
the default audio device. Terrible quality, but OK for system
sounds. And with music you could at least tell what the tune was :-)

Anyone know about this, before I start digging?
Have tested it on WFW 3.11 , worked nicely,
but: WIN was locked during play.
Google for speaker.drv, the first hit I found,
was it.
Whether one exists for XP????????

[Clint]

USB speakers are not necessarily the same as USB powered speakers.

http://focus.ti.com/vf/docs/blockdia...DiagramId=2011
http://www.jlabaudio.com/product_inf...products_id=29

And as some other people have mentioned in the thread already, since the OP
hasn't posted anything like a model or make, it's hard to tell what he's
referring to.

Clint

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...

http://www.baber.com/baber/speakers/benwin_sp691.htm
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory= 3702
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=172282
http://www.nextag.com/Cyber-Acoustic...13/prices-html
http://reviews.cnet.com/2PC_WHITE_CA...-30913026.html

[DaveW]

Wrong. You cannot do that successfully. You have to hook the USB speakers
up to a USB port; NOT to the soundcard.

--
DaveW

----------------
"Jarro" wrote in message
...
I use a small pair of USB speakers which are just the right size for me.

I would like to plug these speakers into the 3.5mm "audio output"
socket. (The speakers will probably sound quieter but that may not be a
problem for me.)

Which pins on the USB plug do I connect to the 3.5mm stereo jack plug