How to Connect a Car Subwoofer to a PC

If you use your PC for music or gaming, adding a subwoofer will improve the low-frequency response of your music, resulting in richer, fuller sound. It's best to hook a home subwoofer to your PC -- they have integrated amplifiers and are built to operate on 120-volt AC current, which is the electricity your home electrical outlets provide. But you can connect a car subwoofer to your PC with the right combination of gear.

Things You'll Need

• 3.5 mm single male stereo mini-jack to dual female stereo mini-jack Y adapter
• 3.5 mm male stereo mini-jack to dual female RCA adapter
• RCA patch cable
• Home mono subwoofer amplifier
• Speaker wire

Instructions

1. Unplug the existing speakers connected to your PC's audio out. Plug the 3.5 mm single male stereo mini-jack to dual female stereo mini-jack Y adapter into the PC's audio out. Plug the existing speakers' cable into one of the female stereo mini-jack plugs on the Y-adapter.

2. Plug the 3.5 mm male stereo mini-jack to dual female RCA adapter into the other female stereo mini-jack plug on the Y-adapter.

3. Plug your RCA patch cable into the RCA plugs on the adapter. Plug the other end of the RCA cable into the audio inputs on your mono subwoofer amplifier.

4. Connect the speaker wires of your car stereo subwoofer to the speaker outputs of your mono subwoofer amplifier. Turn the mono amplifier on when you use the PC.

References

• "Home Theater Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools"; Brett Mclaughlin; 2004
• "PCs For Dummies"; Dan Gookin; 2009