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When people want to connect external speakers to TV, it can be because of quite different reasons. One of the reasons can be that they probably would like to watch some movies or TV shows with better sound quality. Another reason can be that someone might want to listen to music on TV.
Whatever the reason, connecting speakers to TV can be a quite good solution and can help you to improve the audio quality.
Usually, when connecting external speakers to a TV, you need a receiver.
However, some people don’t have receivers or don’t want to buy them because they can be quite expensive. Also, they may have one, but it can be broken.
Fortunately, there are quite many methods to connect external speakers to a TV without a receiver. They can depend on what types of speakers and surround sound devices you have.
In this article, you will learn how to connect speakers to TV without receiver.
What are receivers?
Let’s talk for the start, that is exactly what the receiver is.
Receivers are quite useful devices. They receive data (audio and video) from one device and then send it to other devices. They can be connected to audio and video sources.
The receiver connects to an audio or video device on one side, then receives audio content from it, and plays it on some other audio device.
The receiver has a very important function, such as amplification. They are amplifying the audio signals and then supply all the connected (passive) speakers with the proper amount of power to make them work.
Also, the receivers have a great advantage. You can connect them to multiple speakers.
But as it was already said, a receiver isn’t the only way you can connect your TV to your speakers. There are other ways to do this.
How to connect speakers to TV without a receiver
For the start, it would be good to know what types of speakers you have.
There are three basic types of speakers: wired, wireless, and Bluetooth.
If you have a wired speaker, then you need an audio cable to connect the speakers to your TV. There are different analog and digital audio outputs that you can use for connecting.
Let’s talk more about these outputs:
1. Analog audio outputs
There are quite many analog outputs that exist, but these are the most common of them:
- RCA stereo jacks: left & right stereo signal outputs. These kinds of outputs can be connected to a home receiver’s AUX input RCA or powered speakers.
- 3.5 mm (1/8″) headphone-sized stereo jack: left, right, and ground signal connections.
2. Digital audio outputs
There are some standard digital outputs:
- Optical digital output: In most cases, it is a TOSLINK type connector. This particular kind of connector uses a plug-in fiber optic cable you can buy. They are usually quite inexpensive.
- HDMI video + audio: This is a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI).
In case you have a wireless speaker and want to connect it to your TV, then a wireless transmitter is exactly what you need.
If you have Bluetooth speakers, you will need to use Bluetooth to connect them to your TV.
After you know what exact types of speakers you have, you can choose from different methods the one that will be suited the best to connect them to your TV.
Seven methods that were selected are listed below. Some of them are more common than others, but we hope that you will find the one that will suit you perfectly:
Using RCA cables
This is quite old, but the common way that can help you to connect speakers to TV. All TVs have RCA connectors. RCA cables have two 3.5 mm plugs on both sides and both of them are either red/white or red/yellow.
However, it is better to remember that this is like a direct connection and so you will need to use power speakers.
So, in case if you already have the RCA cables, then you do not need to worry about the receiver or amplifier. This is because the RCA cable can directly connect speakers to the TV without the receiver.
To complete the RCA connection, all you need to do is just follow precisely these instructions:
- The first step is, RCA cables should be connected to the analog audio output of the TV.
- The next step is, you should connect the other ends of the cables to the corresponding analog audio inputs on your powered speakers.
- Finally, you have to ensure that the TV is set to output analog audio.
Using HDMI cable
HDMI cable is a quite popular type of audio cable. It has a single connector. It is used for connecting digital audio devices.
If you have a speaker or surround sound system with HDMI ports, then this way is very well suited for you.
HDMI ports follow a specific technology that allows users to connect devices through it, which includes TVs, DVD players, and Blu-ray players.
In most cases, HDMI cable does not make the sound quality better, than your TV or another video/audio device or device’s capabilities.
If you want to connect a speaker to your TV with the help of HDMI cables, you will need to follow these steps:
- The first step is that one end of the HDMI cable should be connected to the speaker system and the other end to the TV.
- Then you should turn on both devices.
- After that, change the input source on your TV to match the input source of the speaker.
- The last step is, you need to adjust the volume on both devices as needed.
With help of these simple instructions, you can quite easily connect your external speaker or speakers to your TV.
Using Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless communication device.It can be found on various devices around such as mobile phones, cars, television, etc.
So, if you want to connect your Bluetooth speaker to the TV, you can do this with help of a Bluetooth connection.
A Bluetooth connection is one of the easiest ways in this list. It will help you to get set up with your TV.
If you wish to use this method, just follow these easy steps:
- For the start, you need to open Bluetooth at both sender’s and receiver’s end.
- After Bluetooth is open, you have to find the speaker device’s Bluetooth in the TV Bluetooth menu.
- The next step is you need to click on it, and it will show a pop-up to pair, click on Pair.
- Now both devices will be connected.
So, a Bluetooth connection will help you connect your speakers to the TV.
Using wireless transmitter
In case you have a wireless speaker, and you want to connect it to your TV, you can do this by using a wireless transmitter.
A wireless transmitter will help you to send audio signals wirelessly from your speakers to your TV and make a wireless connection.
There are different types of wireless transmitters, so before you buy, it is better to make sure that you get the right one for your speaker.
Using a wireless transmitter will allow you to listen to your speakers with your TV.
Using two-channel amplifiers
This is one of the most common methods in this list. A two-channel amplifier works similarly to a receiver. It links your TV to the speakers.
If your speaker doesn’t support Bluetooth connectivity, you needn’t worry because you can connect these devices with the help of a two-channel amplifier. This is a fairly easy method, and it does not include many steps, as some other ways.
If you want to establish the connection, you need to follow the steps:
- The first step is, you need to take an amplifier and connect speakers to one end of the cable. After that, you should connect the television to the other end.
- Once the input and output cables are in place, power on the amplifier.
- Well done. Now your speaker and television are connected thanks to a third device.
Using a direct connection
This particular method is suited only for active speakers.
It can be a little bit risky for speakers with low-power ratings because, in such cases, the speakers are connected directly to television via cable.
It is better not to take any risks and to use this way only in case you have active speakers with high-power ratings.
But, in case you have that kind of speaker, you can give this method a try.
It does not take much time. All you have to do is to put in both the speaker cables on the television, and it will work perfectly without a mediator.
But, it has a downside. Using the direct connection, you won’t get great sound quality.
Using an optical cable
This particular method is not so common.It is used quite rarely, despite the fact that these cables offer the same performance as HDMI.
These cables are thinner and more discreet than thicker HDMI or quite complicated RCA cable setups.
Also, using an optical cable has a big advantage. It can give you great sound quality.
If your TV has an optical output, then you need to connect it from the TV to the receiver. It will allow you to transmitsurround sound.
If you need to connect your speakers to your TV with an optical cable, you have to follow these steps:
- For the start, you have to connect one end of the optical audio cable to the TV and the other end to the speaker.
- The second step is, you must turn on both devices.
- The next step is, you should change the input source on your TV to match the input source of the speaker.
- The final step is, you have to adjust the volume on both devices as needed.
This method has one downside. It can be a bit pricier than other types of audio cables.
There are other ways to connect the external speakers to the TV, such as using the speaker wire, but they are not so common.
Troubleshooting
When you use external audio sources, like speakers, you may come across some issues.
One of them is then you hear audio from the TV’s internal speakers even if your external sound system is properly connected. To fix this problem, you need to check the TV audio settings to change the audio output from TV speakers to externally connected speakers.
Also, sometimes it happens that the controls fail to work and the TV’s remote controller only works for TV audio.This situation can be frustrating. But you can quite easily fix this issue. You just need to alter the volume using the sound control on your speakers.
Frequently asked questions:
Conclusion
If you want to connect speakers to TV without a receiver, there are quite many methods you can select from. Many of them were included in this article, and some particular ways can give you great audio quality.
We hope that our article will help you find the way that will be perfect for you.
Read also: how do i connect my Yamaha soundbar to my tv 2023
