How to set up 5.1 speakers on a TV correctly.

Drake5 · 3 Nov 2013 at 10:58

Recently had a new TV and I'm trying to connect my 5.1 Logitech surround speakers to the TV.

I have an RCA to 3.5MM adapter which I use and then I plug directly into the headphone socket of the TV, but the sound control seems poor. For example if I turn the actual speakers to about half way up and alter the sound to 0 on the TV, the speakers are still rather loud.

Would I get better control if I connected them by SPDIF? Can someone explain the best way please?

Cheers

TheVoice · 3 Nov 2013 at 11:04

What speaker system is it?

Drake5 · 3 Nov 2013 at 11:11

Logitech X-530 are the speakers.

TheVoice · 3 Nov 2013 at 11:56

Do you have RCA audio outs on the back of the TV? If so that might be a better option than using the headphone socket.

No other real options aside from those though, you won't have optical or digital or anything on your speakers, and you won't get full surround sound from them either unfortunately.

Marsman · 3 Nov 2013 at 12:03

That depends if the TV has them. If it's a budget TV, then it likely won't. Using RCA or SPDIF output will offer no volume control with the remote, only the internal speakers and headphone out volume are controlled by the remote.

Drake5 · 3 Nov 2013 at 12:06

TheVoice said:
Do you have RCA audio outs on the back of the TV? If so that might be a better option than using the headphone socket.

No other real options aside from those though, you won't have optical or digital or anything on your speakers, and you won't get full surround sound from them either unfortunately.

Could you recommend a cheaper alternative then? The speakers built into the Panasonic 42" SMART are quite tinny.

Cheers

Also this is what the connector looks like on the Logitechs. As said I use an RCA to 3.5MM adapter. Would there be any other cable/method to try?

lucid · 3 Nov 2013 at 13:17

There's a lot of TVs now that have separated the volume controls for the speakers and for the headphone. The speaker control is active from the remote. But you have to go in to the TV menus to find the control for the headphone socket. Read your TV manual and find out if this is the case with your TV.

Drake5 · 3 Nov 2013 at 13:22

lucid said:
There's a lot of TVs now that have separated the volume controls for the speakers and for the headphone. The speaker control is active from the remote. But you have to go in to the TV menus to find the control for the headphone socket. Read your TV manual and find out if this is the case with your TV.

Yeah I noticed in the TV menu there is a separate setting for the headphone jack. So I should be controlling the sound of the headphone jack rather than the one on the TV remote?

lucid · 3 Nov 2013 at 18:41

Yep.

For certain set-ups it's a PITA. Other times it's handy to have individual control. Sod's Law says that whichever way you wants it, it works the opposite way

TheVoice · 4 Nov 2013 at 08:45

Tom_D said:
Could you recommend a cheaper alternative then? The speakers built into the Panasonic 42" SMART are quite tinny.

Cheers

Also this is what the connector looks like on the Logitechs. As said I use an RCA to 3.5MM adapter. Would there be any other cable/method to try?

Ahh I see, in that case you'll get sound from all speakers but it just won't be true 5.1, it'll just be stereo fed to all speakers.

ci_newman · 4 Nov 2013 at 15:42

Do you watch TV channels from a built-in freeview / freesat receiver or do you use a Sky or VM box? You will get better results connecting directly to these or a Blu-ray player or something.

As mentioned, you won't be getting true 5.1 sound - it will just be the stereo sound going to all speakers. With that gizmo above, I'm not even sure you'll get a decent L/R audio channel either.