Having an ULTIMATE movie experience at home with just your television’s speakers’ audio quality is not enough to cut it!
Sure, the visuals may be on point, but to have a superior listening experience, you must invest in excellent home stereo speakers.
If you already have studio monitors or a sound setup, you have come to the right place!
This tutorial will show you how to conveniently connect your television to your speakers using several connectivity options.
Only then can you enjoy a fantastic film-viewing experience with rich visuals AND sounds!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Connecting a studio monitor to the TV is easy if you have the right inputs and outputs. Double-check these to make sure.
- While a studio monitor is great for listening to and mixing music in a recording studio, it may not be the best choice for watching TV or movies.
How Do You Connect Studio Monitors to the TV: 5 Steps to Follow
Before anything else, it would be great to keep your television and sound system manuals to easily access the ports and connectivity we are looking for.
This could also come in handy when we need to configure some settings like volume control through your TV remote.
Step 1: Check the Outputs On Your TV
On the TV end, check out what outputs and inputs are in place.
Different models will have varying options. HDMI will be a common find, especially when you need to connect to a PC or laptop too
Step 2: Check the Inputs Available on Your Monitor Speakers
The INPUT on your monitor speakers will determine what connectors you will need.
If you need to make a purchase, assure your television and monitors’ inputs and outputs can be linked accordingly to avoid added costs.
Step 3: Connect Studio Monitors to TV
There are several methods for connecting studio monitors to your television. You will need the necessary connectors to do so.
If you are missing some, your nearby electronics shop should have the goods and services to help you.
1/4 to 1/8 inch male-to-male audio Y splitter cable
You can use a 1/8″ male x 1/8″ audio splitter to connect your monitors to the television headphone output.
This is available in two 1/4″ mono slots and one 1/8″ stereo jack. The splitter takes the mono signals from the headphones and divides them into two.
Find your television’s headphone jack and insert a 1/4″ connector. The red jack should enter the right speaker while the white jack to the left.
RCA
An RCA output is the way to go if you do not have a more advanced digital connection like HDMI, optical, or coaxial.
If you like the sound of analog outputs, this is the most basic option available to connect your television with a studio monitor speaker.
- First, connect the RCA connectors to the television’s analog audio output. The RCA output sends a two-channel output from the television to your studio monitors.
- Once plugged, switch on the soundbar, receiver, or audio device. Select the inputs on your sound system where the television is connected to hear the sound.
- When using a soundbar, check for any sound enhancement capabilities available, like surround sound. This can expand your listening experience to be more immersive.
Higher-end monitors may have RCA pre-outs for various channels. Pre-outs act as an audio passthrough that does not send extra power to the outputs.
This protects your studio monitor from getting damaged by extra power being sent into it.
You can use a speaker level to a line level converter if your speaker does not have pre-outs.
This extracts the power from a normal speaker wire and outputs only the audio signal necessary for the RCA.
Digital Optical
A digital optical port is usually covered with a small flap. It is better for sending digital audio from your television to your monitor speakers.
Because it uses a digital format, its output is cleaner and clearer than an RCA stereo that uses analog.
HDMI is still the better connector, but optical cables still make a great choice if this is unavailable.
However, these cables are not as effective when at a distance of ten meters or beyond. They are also very delicate as compared to other ports.
You need to take EXTRA caution not to bend its optic cables at a sharp angle. This could cause permanent damage to the wires!
- Connect the digital optical cable to its corresponding output on your TV. Connect the other end to its inputs on your speakers.
- After connection, follow your television’s sound system setup and select the digital optical inputs to hear the sounds.
If you do not hear any sounds from your devices using this connection, visit your television’s settings and check for the PCM option.
This often occurs among soundbars with the digital optical input option.
HDMI-ARC
HDMI is the modern go-to for most devices, whether it is for sounds or visuals. Most computers also have HDMI capabilities.
Nowadays, you can hook up your PC to your TV and external sound system for a smart digital experience.
If your TV port is labeled HDMI-ARC, which stands for HDMI Audio Return Channel, this means it is capable of both sending and receiving audio data.
This port is great for sound systems because it allows you to hook all your other devices to an audio/visual receiver and, from there, to the TV with just a single HDMI cable.
HDMI cables let you transmit audio signals from your TV back to the HDMI-ARC-activated soundbar or home theater system without making a separate connection from the TV to the sound system.
Your television and external home theater receiver must be ARC-compatible to take advantage of the Audio Return Channel. You also need to activate these devices.
You can easily find these instructions on your television and speaker manuals.
Adapters
When you need to bridge the gap between your speaker monitors and television in your home studio, a 3.5 mm or 1/4″ converter will aid in the easiest conversion.
You will connect your headphones through the TRS cable. You can also connect the studio monitor to your TV through the TRS cable, then connect the adapter to the 3.5 mm socket.
You can use the same adapter if you have XLR inputs on your studio monitors instead.
Bluetooth
Lastly, a Bluetooth connection is another way to send audio from your TV to your studio speakers.
Its advantage? Wireless connectivity!
This means you do not need a cable to get sound from your TC to a compatible sound system.
This feature is only available to a limited number of television models. They are also not interchangeable between manufacturers.
Although the process from model to model may not be the same, the basics for setting up this system are pretty straightforward.
- First, you must switch on your TV’s Bluetooth, compatible Bluetooth-enabled speakers, soundbar, or headphones.
- In any case, if your TV does not have a built-in Bluetooth feature, you can use a Bluetooth adapter.
- Check for your TV’s setup menu and select Bluetooth to pair your devices.
- Confirmation should be seen on your screen to affirm that your TV and sound system have been successfully paired.
At this point, you should hear sounds from the speakers without the need for wires.
Audio Ports in TV
Many later television models offer various audio outputs, allowing different devices to be connected and played through its system.
These outputs include optical, coaxial digital, HDMI, and RCA, to name a few.
Digital audio is an optical interface that communicates audio data through laser light. The sound quality sent through this channel is quite satisfactory.
This information can be digitally transmitted using a coaxial cable or optical fiber from a television to a studio monitor.
The most popular and better connection would be through an HDMI, “High Definition Multimedia Interface.”
Just one wire can sufficiently carry out information transport to a computer!
However, do take note that most studio monitors use analog inputs.
You will need an audio interface to connect studio monitors to the television through more high-quality audio outputs like the HDMI.
Connecting a studio monitor to your TV for analog audio output can be made through an unbalanced RCA output. These are red and white, which should be easy to identify.
Ports in Studio Monitors
In studio monitors, the input is almost always an analog signal. So if your TV offers RCA inputs, a reliable connection would be RCA to RCA cables.
A TRS and XLR input can also be seen in studio monitors. These are analog and balanced, which can offer CLEANER sounds.
When purchasing a studio monitor, television, and audio interface, check whether their inputs and outputs are compatible for connection to avoid additional costs and other issues.
Are Studio Monitors the Best Option For Connecting to a TV?
Contrary to what you might think, we would NOT advise you to buy studio monitors specifically to connect to a television.
Because of their accurate representation of sound, they do not enhance the listening experience.
Instead, studio monitors are designed for sound engineers to get the most accurate representation of sound in their recording studios.
It is an integral device in the recording process, especially when mixing, mastering, and reproducing music.
It works at reproducing sound exactly as it was recorded, so You can use it to analyze sound for correction.
With that said, they are excellent when listening to music, even better than with headphones, but for watching films on the television, it may not be the most ideal.
Studio Monitor to TV Problems
Every television has its built-in speakers. However, with LCD, Plasma, and OLED TVs, making them sound good is a bit of a problem.
Speakers require some space to push enough air to produce quality sound, and with today’s TV designs, there is not much room to do so, making it sound rather dull.
Some manufacturers offer additional features that enhance audio, such as virtual surround, dialog enhancement, DTS studio sound, and volume leveling.
Although hooking up your television to studio monitors is a good idea, you might encounter a few complications.
Connectivity
It would be ideal if you had a monitor that accepts digital signal inputs like RCA and television that can link through RCA too.
If that is not the case, you will need to invest in other connectivity to link your devices.
Location
Finding the sweet spot to properly position your speakers is optimal for quality sound.
Acoustic treatment, appropriate furniture, and accessories must achieve a proper listening experience.
Since most televisions are in the living room, finding the perfect location for these near-field studio monitors may be difficult.
How Studio Monitors Sound and Why They Are Important
Studio monitors are important to achieving sound quality in their MOST NATURAL form when recording, mixing, and mastering music.
Studio monitors create consistent, flat, and accurate responses, allowing sound engineers to identify distortions and produce clear, precise, and dynamic mixes.
Manufacturers producing these studio monitor speakers dedicate more budget to research and development towards their products’ sound reproduction elements rather than aesthetics.
These studio monitors are “active,” which means they are built with drivers and amps to manage high-volume operations and prevent distortion.
Its flat frequency response and transparency allow it to produce consistent music tracks that will sound good on every kind of speaker.
A dedicated controller or audio interface is often required to arrive at this prestigious result.
On the other hand, passive speakers, the ones usually used for home theater systems, are excellent additions to your home.
They look good and have sound-enhancing features, PERFECT for your movie night!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any more related questions about connections and whatnot, we have got you covered with answers to these commonly asked questions.
How Far Should Studio Monitors Be Away From the Wall?
Placing your monitors at least 6 to 10 inches away from the wall should prevent sound waves from reflecting them to you.
However, if you have enough room space, 2-3 feet away is better and should minimize bass build-up.
As earlier said, the location of your speakers in a room is key to having your studio monitors sound better!
What is Pink Noise?
Pink noise uses a consistent frequency or pitch, creating flat sounds. It filters out sounds that may be distracting to hear.
Some examples of pink noise are steady rain, wind rustling through the trees, or waves on a beach.
Pink noise is often used to calibrate monitors and check whether the volumes are already balanced.
How Long Do Powered Speakers Last?
A good set of monitors should last you 10 to 20 years.
Although, its lifespan will highly depend on the speakers’ specifications, build quality, and maintenance over the years.
How Are Studio Monitors Different From Speakers?
Studio monitors for your home studio are generally favored for music recording, mixing, and mastering.
They offer a better sound that is flat and precise for near-field use, and it will be easier for you to pick out any imperfections.
Meanwhile, regular home stereo speakers are better for home theaters and not necessarily for music production.
Studio monitors are active speakers with built-in amplifiers to power and produce precise sounds. Home speakers are passive speakers requiring another amplifier.
Can I Connect the Audio Interface to the TV?
Most electronic devices, including televisions, have digital optical output ports. This port can send two digital audio channels to the optical input of your audio interface.
In the menu of your device, ensure that the format for the optical output is set to Linear PCM and not DTS or Dolby Digital.
In most cases, when not set in this way, you will not hear the sound from your device due to this constraint.
Conclusion
Every music producer knows that connecting studio monitors to television is not the best option for any recording artist.
Studio monitors deliver a cleaner sound to master tracks, not necessarily for a home listening setup.
Speakers marketed to enhance sound for a home theater system are what you should look for when you need to connect to a TV.
However, if this is the setup you currently have and wish to pursue, we hope this guide has been helpful!
