Question Motherboard and Onboard Audio

MacLaddy

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Jan 26, 2016
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4,510
Hi Folks. Have you ever woken up and realized you're 40 and have no idea about technology anymore? Yeah, that just happened to me.

Here's the problem. I built (assembled) my own computer a few years back using parts recommended to me by someone much more experienced. It has an ASRock H97 Pro4 motherboard in it.
Here is where I become an old feebly person that doesn't know anything.
This motherboard says it has a Realtek ALC892 audio chipset with 7.1 Channel surround sound. It also has all the fun colorful 3.5mm plugs that indicate front, side, rear, and central ports for the speakers... Now I just so happen to have five surround sound speakers: Two for the front, two for the rear, and one for the center (a subwoofer is coming later).

Now how in the Sam-He!! do I make these two go together? My computer doesn't have a program for any of this. I think I'm supposed to have Realtek something or another, but I've got nadda. So I need to figure out where to get that. It doesn't make sense that I can plug my speakers into my computer without an Amp, but that's what it seems like. If I plug these in directly, am I going to nuke my system?

Please help this feebly old man figure out just what in the h-e-double toothpicks is going on with my audio, and how I can make it work for surround sound.

Thank you,
Mac
 

MacLaddy

Reputable
Jan 26, 2016
3
0
4,510
Hi,
Yes, you can't connect directly passive speakers to a pc. You'd need a receiver, or amp.
Only active speakers can be directly connected to pc. Ex: Logitech Z906.
Thank you. That seems like too simple of an answer for my convoluted question, but it does sum it up. This seems to have swayed from being a motherboard question, but can you recommend an amp, device, magic wand, or other implement that can act as a go-between from my existing 5 speakers and computer?

Thanks for the input,
Mac