Connecting speakers to a headphone jack isn’t a huge deal. You can do it easily if you know the proper process. But there are a few things that you should know before trying the method. In general, using a headphone jack to connect speakers isn’t recommended.
The primary reason is a headphone jack is suitable for low-impedance gadgets and delivers a lower amount of power, whereas the speakers are capable of handling different levels of impedance and power.
But if you still wanna do it then this article is dedicated to you. Here, we’ll share the simplest way to connect a speaker to a regular 3.5mm headphone jack. All you need to do is follow the instructions accordingly.
How to Connect Speakers to a Headphone Jack?
To connect a speaker to a headphone jack, you’ll need some equipment first. Here’s the list of the equipment. Make sure that you have them all before starting the method.
- Equipment
- An Amplifier board with a Volume Controller
- A 3.5mm jack
- A type-B / type-C cable (here, we’ll count the type-B)
- Two regular wires
- A regular speaker
- A soldering gun
- A plier
Procedure to Connect
Now that you know about the equipment, it’s time to apply the connecting procedure. To make things convenient, we’re going to provide the procedure with a step-by-step direction. So, without wasting time, let’s get into them –
Step 1: You can start by soldering the 3 wires of the 3.5mm jack on the board. Those are yellow, green, and white. Solder the yellow wire onto the G(round), green wire onto the L(eft), and white wire onto the R(ight).
Step 2: Then solder the 2 wires of the type-B cable. Those are black and white/orange. Now, solder the black wire onto the G(round) and the white/orange wire onto the V(olt)+.
Step 3: Now, use 2 regular wires to connect the speaker. Therefore, solder and connect both the speaker and amplifier board with the wires with R(ight)+, R(ight)-, L(eft)+, and L(eft)- respectively.
NOTE: Use the plier to remove the outer protection whenever you need it so that you can expose and use the wires conveniently.
That’s it. Now plug the 3.5mm jack and the type-B cable into your smartphone. The type-B cable will power up the speaker and the 3.5mm jack will let you play the audio of your smartphone on the speaker. You can control the volume with the amplifier board’s volume controller. As simple as that!
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (FAQs)
Is a headphone jack the same as a speaker jack?
Not exactly the same but kind of. Basically, a headphone jack comes with 3 (G, L, R) or 4 (G, L, R, M) wires, while a speaker jack may have more wires based on the sound card in the system.
Is it okay to use a headphone jack for a speaker?
Actually no. A headphone jack is made in a way that it’s basically suitable for connecting headphones and can only provide less power and low impedance. Speakers usually require high power and impedance for better and louder sound. However, you can do so but it won’t be worth it.
Can speakers sound better than headphones?
It mostly depends on your preference. But comparatively, speakers are capable of producing a broad range of frequencies than headphones. And when it comes to bass, headphones may provide you sufficient bass but that’s still not enough compared to speakers. Speakers simply can deliver a deep bass which headphones can’t.
Conclusion
That’s all about connecting a speaker to a headphone jack. Just keep in mind that doing this may not offer the optimal sound quality because of the impedance and power. That’s why the volume can be lower than your expectation. Also, if you use a speaker of higher power or impedance beyond the headphone jack’s capability, it may cause damage to the device. So, use a speaker that’s compatible with the headphone jack.
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