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(Newbie) Do I need a AMP/DAC to run bookshelf speakers from my PC?

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Go to solution Solved by creatip123,

First of all, make sure which speakers you're buying. Is it active (powered) or passive (un-powered) one. If buying from brick and mortar, like walmart, it's easily identifiable. Just see if they got an on-off switch and/or a power cable. If it got them, it's active, otherwise, it's passive.

 

Active speakers work the exact same as those tiny multimedia speakers. They don't need an additional amp. Plug to power line, switch on, plug the audio jack, and good to go. 

 

Passives need an additional amp. There are cheap options, like the Lepai 2020A (review in my sig) that's good for just about anything short of tower speakers. 

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Hi, I'm new to decent audio stuff sorry so bare with me.

 

I read that FAQ about sound cards and AMPs/DACs etc. I was just wondering if I can run bookshelf speakers from my PC without having a soundcard/AMP/DAC?

 

I'm running speakers from a 3.5mm audio jack at the moment and nothing is fuzzy or anything so according to the FAQ I don't need a soundcard to improve my experience.

 

I'm looking into buying some bookshelf speakers and I was wondering if I can save money by not having to buy an AMP/DAC. Can I run bookshelf speakers from a 3.5mm audio jack with some sort of splitter cable into banana plugs and some sort of power to them? Even if I can, am I better off getting a little AMP thing to improve the audio quality?

 

I'm sorry if this all sounds stupid as I don't really know what I'm talking about. Please just explain to me like you would a child haha.

 

Thanks!

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Speakers usually have their own amps in them and a DAC won't make a huge difference.

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Hi, I'm new to decent audio stuff sorry so bare with me.

 

I read that FAQ about sound cards and AMPs/DACs etc. I was just wondering if I can run bookshelf speakers from my PC without having a soundcard/AMP/DAC?

 

I'm running speakers from a 3.5mm audio jack at the moment and nothing is fuzzy or anything so according to the FAQ I don't need a soundcard to improve my experience. I was wondering if I can save money by not having to buy an AMP/DAC. Can I run bookshelf speakers from a 3.5mm audio jack with some sort of splitter cable into banana plugs and some sort of power to them? Even if I can, am I better off getting a little AMP thing to improve the audio quality?

 

I'm sorry if this all sounds stupid as I don't really know what I'm talking about. Please just explain to me like you would a child haha.

 

Thanks!

Depends on what speakers you get, you have speakers with a 3,5mm jack which have a built in amp or you can get speakers that will require a amp.





 
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AMP+DACs are meant for headphones because they are passive and require power

if your bookshelf speakers are plugged in directly from your 3.5mm jack and take power from the wall a AMP is completely unnecessary

a DAC is only necessary if you have bad onboard audio and you hear static or distortions like EMI

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AMP+DACs are meant for headphones because they are passive and require power

if your bookshelf speakers are plugged in directly from your 3.5mm jack and take power from the wall a AMP is completely unnecessary

a DAC is only necessary if you have bad onboard audio and you hear static or distortions like EMI

 

Ok so what is the device called that you run a 3.5mm jack into and then audio cable from that into your speakers? Like with banana plugs and stuff.

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Ok so what is the device called that you run a 3.5mm jack into and then audio cable from that into your speakers? Like with banana plugs and stuff.

a receiver

its basically a powerful amp meant for passive speakers (unlike a headphone amp meant for headphones)

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It depends on the speakers.. MOST are powered in the low to mid-range and less so as you move up to expensive.

 

Check out massdrop for some good deals on some decent - great bookshelf speakers.

I don'T PreSS caPs.. I juST Hit THe keYboARd so HarD iT CriTs :P

 

Quote or @dzzope to get my attention..

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First of all, make sure which speakers you're buying. Is it active (powered) or passive (un-powered) one. If buying from brick and mortar, like walmart, it's easily identifiable. Just see if they got an on-off switch and/or a power cable. If it got them, it's active, otherwise, it's passive.

 

Active speakers work the exact same as those tiny multimedia speakers. They don't need an additional amp. Plug to power line, switch on, plug the audio jack, and good to go. 

 

Passives need an additional amp. There are cheap options, like the Lepai 2020A (review in my sig) that's good for just about anything short of tower speakers. 

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Thanks for the help everyone :)

So just to clarify then: if they're passive then I'll need a receiver, but if they're active then I might be able to just use the audio jack anyway?

Also, does a reciever plug into the 3.5mm audio on your PC and then split that down the audio cables for the bookshelf speakers?

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Passives need an additional amp. There are cheap options, like the Lepai 2020A (review in my sig) that's good for just about anything short of tower speakers.

Really nice review! I'd done a little bit of reading on this receiver today actually so it's nice to hear someone else back it up :) rather than having to attach the audio wire to the receive, does this also take banana plugs?

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Really nice review! I'd done a little bit of reading on this receiver today actually so it's nice to hear someone else back it up :) rather than having to attach the audio wire to the receive, does this also take banana plugs?

 

That's not a receiver, just a plain speaker amp. It takes bare wire. It's all the same, connector is just a the media. Inside the banana plug is a bare wire. 

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That's not a receiver, just a plain speaker amp. It takes bare wire. It's all the same, connector is just a the media. Inside the banana plug is a bare wire.

Yeah I get that, but don't some things have a little "screw" for the bare wore and others have sockets for the banana plug? I know this one has those little clip hole/hatch things for bare wires but can it also have banana plugs into it?

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Yeah I get that, but don't some things have a little "screw" for the bare wore and others have sockets for the banana plug? I know this one has those little clip hole/hatch things for bare wires but can it also have banana plugs into it?

 

Dunno about that, and doesn't really matter. Connectors are just medium. I would connect my headphone to my headphone amp with bare wire, if the amp allows/demands it. Doesn't really matter and doesn't make a difference. 

HE-400 personal review , ATH-AD700 personal review, Aune T1 MK2 personal review, Lepai A2020+ personal review, Field report of Jakarta USF

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Dunno about that, and doesn't really matter. Connectors are just medium. I would connect my headphone to my headphone amp with bare wire, if the amp allows/demands it. Doesn't really matter and doesn't make a difference.

OK :) thanks! I'll probably grab the A2020+ and some bookshelf speakers then. Thanks for the help :D

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