Can anyone please recommend suitable (amplified) speakers for RPi.

[Ibz]

Hi,

My first post on this forum. I know this subject has been discussed before, but as I am new, most of the time I did not understand the terminology, especially when the speaker require soldering, etc.

I am looking for a basic speakers that I connect to my Pi as I just want it to work for now. Based on the few topics I read on this forum, I got confused with few things.

1- Can I connect a speaker to the 3.5 audio port and power the speaker from one of the Pi USB ports?
2- If not, can I use a USB splitter to share the power that is powering the Pi? Basically, one power input, two power output (Pi and Speaker).
3- Any other suggestions please.


thanks in advance

[W. H. Heydt]

Welcome to the Forums.

Basically, what you want is a set of computer speakers. That is, speakers that are self-powered rather than requiring an external amplifier (though that would work, too). If you can find USB powered speakers, check to see that the required current is within your power "budget" when considering any other USB devices you're using. Since not all speakers are designed to run on 5v, even if the current demand is low enough, you still may not be able to use a USB source.

Check around your local thrift shops, rummage around old computer bits you may have, ask friends and relatives. You should be able to find speakers that will work for little or no money.

[Ibz]

Welcome to the Forums.

Basically, what you want is a set of computer speakers. That is, speakers that are self-powered rather than requiring an external amplifier (though that would work, too). If you can find USB powered speakers, check to see that the required current is within your power "budget" when considering any other USB devices you're using. Since not all speakers are designed to run on 5v, even if the current demand is low enough, you still may not be able to use a USB source.

Check around your local thrift shops, rummage around old computer bits you may have, ask friends and relatives. You should be able to find speakers that will work for little or no money.

Thanks for your reply.

Just to make sure I got your point. You are saying that I can get any USB powered speaker (that runs on 5v) and plug it into one of the RPi USB ports (to supply power), and it would work.

A speaker like this one for example:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/8vv/Demiawak ... b+speakers

[W. H. Heydt]

Welcome to the Forums.

Basically, what you want is a set of computer speakers. That is, speakers that are self-powered rather than requiring an external amplifier (though that would work, too). If you can find USB powered speakers, check to see that the required current is within your power "budget" when considering any other USB devices you're using. Since not all speakers are designed to run on 5v, even if the current demand is low enough, you still may not be able to use a USB source.

Check around your local thrift shops, rummage around old computer bits you may have, ask friends and relatives. You should be able to find speakers that will work for little or no money.

Thanks for your reply.

Just to make sure I got your point. You are saying that I can get any USB powered speaker (that runs on 5v) and plug it into one of the RPi USB ports (to supply power), and it would work.

That's not quite what I said. It depends on how much current the speakers require. A Pi2B or Pi3B can provide 1.2A at 5v to the USB ports. *If* the speakers don't drive the total current above that, *and* your PSU for the Pi is properly rated (2 A for a Pi2B or 2.4A for a Pi3B), then, and only then, will you be able to power the speakers from the Pi. You have to know what the *total* 5v current requirements are for *all* devices being connected to the USB ports.

A speaker like this one for example:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/8vv/Demiawak ... b+speakers

That page doesn't specify the power requirements for the speakers anywhere that I can see. Now...it does say that they can be connected to a USB port, so one might *presume* that they don't need more than 500mA (the specified limit for USB 2), but it's not actually stated.

[CarlRJ]

FWIW, I'm running these speakers on my main Pi 3B. I'd initially planned to power them off one of the Pi's USB ports, but found that that caused occasional small amounts of noise, sort of like listening to IO or CPU traffic. Wasn't earth shattering, but was annoying, as I wanted them dead silent when not, say, streaming radio stations from the net. Ended up plugging them into a separate 5V supply I already had nearby (an Anker 10-port USB AC charger), and now they're fine. So, just because you can power them from the Pi via USB doesn't mean they'll work great that way.

[soydepr]

i got the sony srs-x11 working fine wth analog cable now trying to set it up as bluetooth

[davidcoton]

A speaker like this one for example:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/8vv/Demiawak ... b+speakers

That page doesn't specify the power requirements for the speakers anywhere that I can see. Now...it does say that they can be connected to a USB port, so one might *presume* that they don't need more than 500mA (the specified limit for USB 2), but it's not actually stated.

"That page" gives the output power as 2x3W. If that were true RMS power, the supply at 5V would be over 1.2A at peak volume. So, in worst case conditions, there will be a problem. But normally, the output power spec is a fiddled marketing number ("music power") which bears no resemblance to the actual RMS power to the speakers. And you won't be running the speakers at full throttle, unless you want to hear a distorted messed up version of the sound you should be hearing. So the DC power requirement will be much lower, though still considerable. As stated, you then need to consider the total load of USB devices on the Pi.

Try it. If you see the low voltage warning or the power LED goes out, then your power supply is inadequate. In that case, or if it sounds awful, try a separate supply.

[peterlite]

Do you want music or just sound?

Base sounds require a huge amount of power compared to other sounds. When you go up to high quality sound, you also need huge power to cover a wide range of sound (dynamic range). You need a mains powered amp. The smaller mains powered amps have their own power brick pumping out 12 volts or similar. You can then use a two way or three way speaker. They are my choice for quality. When you want to use less power, you get far more efficiency and value with headphones.