How to Increase Speaker Volume Without an Amplifier

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It is the headline that got you here, didn’t it? The sole idea of being able to have more powerful passive speakers without investing in an expensive amplifier is enchanting and believe it or not, it is doable.

As you might know, there are certain speakers that don’t need amplifiers, given the fact that they have the same built in. Yes, we are talking about powered speakers, present in most desktops, cellphones, tablets, etc.

On the other hand, a convenient way of increasing the power of passive speakers is through buying an adequate amplifier. And while that is a safe way to go, it might be more expensive, or you simply aren’t able to find the one that is right for your sound system.

Is a Passive System Without an Amp Really Possible?

While the idea of having powerful passive speakers without an amp or subwoofer is realistic, there are still a few things that you need to consider in order to achieve it.

As you might know, the three most important points when choosing an adequate speaker are impedance, power, and sensitivity. These three along with a few other factors will be the core of your powerful passive speaker system.

Let’s go ahead and take a look at how to make this dream come true.

What Are the Things to Consider

Before moving on to how to create a powerful passive sound system, there are a few things you should consider. The power indicator is the number of watts your speaker can put out, while the sensitivity is the number of decibels it produces at 1 watt of power and 1 meter of distance. The larger the room, the greater the sensitivity should be.

The third important point is the impedance – and it is crucial whether you are investing in an amplifier or not. As the whole idea of creating a powerful passive system without an amp or subwoofer is by connecting your speaker to a PC, you need the impedance to be at 8 or 16 ohms.

Anything below that will be too weak, and anything above, like a speaker of 30 ohms, may put your PC and speaker at a damage risk.

Apart from that, you will want to get a speaker that is larger than what you would usually go for. This is for one reason – as there is no amp or subwoofer to increase the power and richness, you are going to depend on the size to cover it up.

Is a Passive System Without an Amp Really Possible?

Yes, absolutely! And in fact it is pretty simple – all you need to have is an adequate speaker (such as Turbosound speakers) and a PC.

As we have mentioned above, you should aim for a speaker that is at an 8- or 16-ohm impedance rate and is large enough to provide powerful sound in your room setting.

All you have to do is to connect your speaker to the 3.5mm RCA headphone jack (with an adequate cable) and you are good to go! Once that is done you will be free to enjoy a powerful sound without an expensive investment.

Still, you should be aware that such a system is effective only in a room setting; if you are planning a backyard party you will still need to go for an amplifier or a subwoofer to power your sound system.

Can You Enhance The Experience With a Powered Speaker?

Now, an obvious question would be – if you can connect a passive speaker to a PC, why wouldn’t you be able to enhance the experience by connecting it to a powered speaker? And again, the short answer is yes you can, but it is nowhere as simple as the previous method.

First and foremost, you will have to do more research on the adequate impedance and safety of the process. Along with that, we wouldn’t recommend that you do it on your own; inviting a sound system expert to come and check if it can be done would be your best bet.

While connecting a passive speaker to a powered one will provide better sound than when connecting it to a PC (due to a built-in amplifier), you still have to know that not all speakers are adequate for such an option.

What you are looking for is a powered speaker that can send out external amplifier signals. Still, know that this kind of method is risky and can potentially damage your sound system.

​Conclusion

As you can see, a powerful speaker system without an amplifier or a subwoofer is achievable. Creating a louder sound from your speakers does not always have to mean that you add more power.

Buying an amplifier is expensive and unnecessary if you are just looking to increase the volume a bit. Still, connecting your audio device to an amplifier is always a better option, especially if you want much louder sound.

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