How to Hook Up a PC or a Mac to a Stereo

Connecting your PC or Mac to your stereo is a pretty painless procedure. All you'll need is to find the audio out on your computer and an available input source on your stereo, and to have the right cables to make the connection.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cable

1. 
    
   A typical PC sound card

   Locate the audio output on your PC or Mac. On most desktop computers, you will have the option of either using a small mini-plug output on the front of the computer or a mini-plug and/or RCA output on the sound card in the back. The mini-plug is the same port you use to plug in your headphones. Laptops only have mini-plug audio output connections.

2. 
    
   A mIni-plug connector

   Depending on the type of audio cable you will be using, plug the cable end into the output of your PC or Mac's sound out port. If you are using the headphone port, you will need a cable with a (male) mini-plug on one end and two (male) RCA connectors on the other end. If you're using the sound output ports from your desktop computer’s sound card, you will most likely need to have a cable with 2 (male) RCA connectors on each end, although some sound cards only have mini-plug audio connections. It’s best to take a good look at the inputs and outputs on your PC/Mac and stereo to make sure you’ve got the proper cabling. Know exactly what you’ll need before you go looking for a cable.

3. 
    
   RCA audio connectors

   Find the input ports for the audio on your stereo. The standard input for almost all unbalanced consumer stereo/tuners is the (female) RCA audio port. Your stereo will very likely have more than one input for connecting extra audio sources. Often, a stereo will have an “Aux” or “Auxiliary” input for connecting audio input sources. If that’s being used by another device, you can use any other input that’s free, such as “Turntable” or “Tape In.” Simply plug the (male) RCA output cables into the (female) RCA inputs on your stereo. Double check to make sure they are the input jacks, as the input and output jacks on all stereo/tuners look very similar. It should say “in” or “input” next to the port.

4. 
    
   Stereo controls

   That's it; you're all connected. Now just double-check on your computer that your sound card is properly set up to feed audio from the output jacks on the sound card or headphone port. Simply find the corresponding option on your stereo controls to select the input source and select them. For example: If you used "Aux" as the input source on your stereo, select "Aux" on your stereo controls.