Can you use regular stereo speakers for computer speakers?

Answer 1

Yes, you can, if you have an amplifier. Connect the speakers to the amplifier and the amp to the line-out of your PC's sound card.

You can use standalone amplifiers or even built-in amplifiers from different sound systems. Just make sure you have an input and an output you can use.

Answer 2

Yes, if you keep a couple of things in mind.

The first is generally the ohms rating of the speakers. Most home speakers are rated at 8 ohms impedence, while car stereo speakers are rated all over the place, generally 4 to 10 ohms. A 4 ohm speaker will require twice as much power to operate as an 8 ohm speaker and a 10 ohm speaker will require less power to operate as an 8 ohm speaker would. Ok, having said all that, home stereos `like' an eight ohm speaker load.

With home stereos and their preference for 8 ohm speakers, it's generally OK to use 4 ohm speakers, but don't expect a full volume to come from them as you would from your car. The stereo has to work about twice as hard to deliver the same volume as they would from the 8 ohm speakers. What this translates into, is heat. So if you use them for normal listening levels and don't crank on 'em, you should be OK.

As for the 10 ohm speakers, stereo receivers like to have some type of load placed on them at all times. Preferably, 8 ohms. Not having enough load on an audio amp also equates to the same thing: Heat. This time, the excess power is passed off in the form of heat and once again, it can destroy the output transistors or IC's in your amp.

Answer 3

Yes you can, computer speakers are no different than stereo speakers in construction, the only difference is that computer speakers are usually a lot less powerful as they wont perform as well with a stereo system usually.

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Performance and power are not synonyms. For a loudspeaker to work properly with any given amplifier, it has to be matched for both power and impedance - though if you connect a 5W rms speaker to a 50W rms amp and turn the volume up high you will wreck the poor speaker!