[SOLVED] USB/Bluetooth PC Speaker Recommendations?

[leecarver]

Working from home, I've had to make my setup a bit more functional given that I have to switch between three different laptops for work. I'm using a KVM switch to quickly move between the different systems. One of the things I don't like is that I can't use my desktop speakers (right now hooked up to my tower). The speakers I have are fairly old - Philips 2.0 speakers from the early 2000s that I've had for years. I was curious if anyone has had success with USB speakers (that I could plug into my KVM switch and avoid a 3.5mm jack) or Bluetooth? I'm not an audiophile or anything - it'd mostly be used for listening to conference calls and the odd video game or two when I have time. I've been looking at a variety of options, but haven't seen anything really stand out.

I've been looking at these three sound bars as potential options:

SAKOBS: https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Spe...speaker+microphone&qid=1623419155&s=pc&sr=1-5

LENRUE: https://www.amazon.com/LENRUE-Compu...er+microphone&qid=1623419240&s=pc&sr=1-9&th=1

TaoTronics: https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-C...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I'm leaning towards the SAKOBS and LENRUE given the built-in microphone.

Would appreciate any thoughts or recommendations.

 

[hang-the-9]

Why exactly do you need three laptops for work? Is your IT department just lazy to get it all setup on one or something or do you need different operating systems? Or do you have 3 jobs LOL?

USB devices past a keyboard and mouse do not work well with a KVM or a USB splitter.

What you can do is get a 3.5mm audio splitter or selector and use that to click between the systems, however that won't give you a microphone.

If this is something that is fairly important to get good mic quality and no feedback from, I suggest using a headset instead of speakers and a mic since that would get you better audio quality and keep the external noise from causing feedback into the mic.

Bluetooth is not too bad also, you can use a bluetooth headset but you will still need to select the active computer options to link them. I have not tried any of the cheaper soundbars for multiple PC connections so no idea which of those would be better if you try those.

 

[leecarver]

No - I'm a consultant and two laptops are for specific clients while the third is for my primary employer. It's less headache for the clients to send me a laptop with its own security than to provide me a VPN tunnel through my work laptop.

I'm using a USB headset through the KVM right now and the audio is just fine, but people complain that there is a lot of static on the microphone, so I end up plugging it directly into the laptop. Not a huge headache, but kind of annoying. Not sure if it's just this headset or what - going to try a different headset today or Monday to see if the static is any better. My video camera seems to work just fine through the USB though.

One of the other issues with the speakers it they are hidden behind my monitors, which is why I'm considering a sound bar - something that will sit low and centered on the desk in front of my keyboard.