Hooking up old receiver to powered computer speakers

[usedmedia]

Hello,

I'm somewhat of an audio noob and looking for any advice. Some background...I've been using a set of Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 computer speakers for over 10 years, mostly for gaming and music. They still sound pretty good, the only problem being the scratching sound when changing the volume on the control pod, which I gather is a common problem with this unit. When I first bought them they were always connected to sounds cards that I bought for my various PC builds. On my most recent build I decided to skip the sound card and just hooked them to my motherboard's onboard audio (Realtek Azalia I believe).

Anyway, I recently upgraded my home theater receiver so now I have a fairly nice Denon receiver (non-HDMI unfortunately) just collecting dust. I was thinking about connecting it to my PC using the motherboard's optical out port and then hooking up my Klipsch computer speakers to the Denon.

My question: Is this practical or even wise? My thinking was that this should give me a better or "cleaner" sound since I'm bypassing the crappy onboard audio.

The Klipsch satellites are connected on the speaker end with a standard 3.5mm jack and the other end is standard speaker wire so they should be no problem connecting to the receiver. The sub's wire on the other hand goes to the control pod then comes out as a 3.5mm jack. My receiver's sub out jack is RCA so I would need a converter. Would that be ok?

 

[timta2]

You can buy contact cleaner for electronics. That might be all the dial needs, as it might be dirty and could possibly be worn.

You will still be using the motherboard audio if you go ahead and do that. With that system you probably won't notice much of a difference between analog audio and digital audio.

I wouldn't hook up a powered system to the receiver's speaker outputs, unless I was sure they were 8 ohm speakers (which they probably aren't). That could damage the amplifier in the receiver. That sub isn't meant to be hooked to a receiver and a "converter" isn't going to work. The low quality (in the grand scheme of things) satellite speakers aren't going to produce better sound by hooking them up to the receiver.

You should invest in better speakers meant to be used with a receiver or replace the powered system with a new one.

 

[GotNoRice]

Yeah the only thing you really gain in that situation is using the DAC in your denon.

You should get an RCA to headphone adapter, and hook the powered speakers into one of the Tape Outputs on the denon. In this situation the volume control on the receiver won't do anything, but you will still be using the DAC in your denon and you can then use the powered computer speakers like normal.

 

[atarione]

heck you might be able to clear it up (temporarily) by turning the klipsch off...(turn them OFF first) then sweep the volume knob from min to max and back say 20 times or so.. then turn them down and try them again.

i haven't looked that closely at the klipsch my logitech (now replaced) z560s had this problem but the control pod was glued shut and the volume knob was glued on making it impossible to get at it with contact cleaner (or more aggravation than was entirely worth it anyways.) I limped by sweeping the volume pot for years.. would go away for a month or so then come back.


If you have the receiver gathering dust... I say grab a couple of cheap bookshelf speakers (polk, pioneer, bic, dayton.. micca motion MB42 .... ??? )

if i wasn't knee deep in speakers here i'd buy these... might buy them anyways...

http://www.accessories4less.com/index.php?page=item&id=MORDCARN1CAL&gclid=CKPP4erpr7YCFcJ7QgodTGIAeA

hook that denon up with optical ... and sell the klipsch then use the monies towards the bookshelf speakers ..and or a subwoofer .. you'll not regret it.. or at least i never have regretted ditching my decade old logitech z560s for bookshelf speakers plus stereo amp/ receiver...


if you want a potentially even more awesome / cheaper way to use the denon shop about for used speakers... I have some JBL L1s that cost me $40 that simply freaking pwn (people can tell i like them cause I'm always on about them... oh well.)

depending on how much room you have keep an eye out for Realistic Minimus 7 /77s (or the similar Optimus speakers.... these make excellent pc speakers.

I have 4 different sets of Minimus / optimus speakers that i have paid a total of $50 for all four sets.

 

[matteos]

Hello,

I'm somewhat of an audio noob and looking for any advice. Some background...I've been using a set of Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 computer speakers for over 10 years, mostly for gaming and music. They still sound pretty good, the only problem being the scratching sound when changing the volume on the control pod, which I gather is a common problem with this unit. When I first bought them they were always connected to sounds cards that I bought for my various PC builds. On my most recent build I decided to skip the sound card and just hooked them to my motherboard's onboard audio (Realtek Azalia I believe).

Anyway, I recently upgraded my home theater receiver so now I have a fairly nice Denon receiver (non-HDMI unfortunately) just collecting dust. I was thinking about connecting it to my PC using the motherboard's optical out port and then hooking up my Klipsch computer speakers to the Denon.

My question: Is this practical or even wise? My thinking was that this should give me a better or "cleaner" sound since I'm bypassing the crappy onboard audio.

The Klipsch satellites are connected on the speaker end with a standard 3.5mm jack and the other end is standard speaker wire so they should be no problem connecting to the receiver. The sub's wire on the other hand goes to the control pod then comes out as a 3.5mm jack. My receiver's sub out jack is RCA so I would need a converter. Would that be ok?

If you're getting a scratching sound from the volume pot, go get yourself a can of red deoxit and clean the pot, should clear the problem right up. Then go ahead and sell them and get some better speakers and use your Denon.