[inireland]

Hi

I have a set of USB speakers that I really would like to use with things like an iPhone or iPad, or perhaps an Android phone.

However, the speakers only have a USB cable as input, which only seems to work with a computer.

I even tried it with an iPad and the converter that turns the camera socket on the iPad into a USB socket but it didn't work.

If I could take the 3.5 mm audio jack output from the iPhone or iPad and convert that into the right kind of signal for the USB speakers, that would be great. But does such a converter even exist? I haven't been able to find it so far.

Many thanks!!

Edited by inireland, 14 February 2012 - 07:42 PM.

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However, the speakers only have a USB cable as input, which only seems to work with a computer.

It works with a computer because the USB standard for computers requires +5V be supplied through the USB port to power the USB devices. Speakers bigger than earbuds take lots of power to produce sound loud enough to be usable. Phone and iPad batteries don't have enough power to do that and still provide acceptable run-times. The batteries would run down in minutes, not hours or days.

So bottom line, you are out of luck and need to get some earbuds, or some self-powered speakers.

[Digerati]

However, the speakers only have a USB cable as input, which only seems to work with a computer.

It works with a computer because the USB standard for computers requires +5V be supplied through the USB port to power the USB devices. Speakers bigger than earbuds take lots of power to produce sound loud enough to be usable. Phone and iPad batteries don't have enough power to do that and still provide acceptable run-times. The batteries would run down in minutes, not hours or days.

So bottom line, you are out of luck and need to get some earbuds, or some self-powered speakers.

[inireland]

Thank you for your help! I appreciate it

[Digerati]

Thanks and you are welcome. Sorry we did not solve your problem.

[inireland]

Actually, I perhaps should have pointed out that these speakers are powered from the mains electricity, not from the USB cable. It's simply that they use USB as an input for the audio signal.

That's why I was hoping there may be some converter between the audio signal of a 3.5 mm jack, and the USB. Do you feel it's just never going to be possible?

And I'm also puzzled why the iPad didn't work, because I got the special 'camera adapter' for the IPad which turns its camera socket into a USB socket. Perhaps the iPad's OS simply cannot speak to a USB loudspeaker?

[Digerati]

Actually, I perhaps should have pointed out that these speakers are powered from the mains electricity, not from the USB cable. It's simply that they use USB as an input for the audio signal.

Well, yeah, that changes everything.

See here.

[inireland]

Thanks for your patience with this thread!

I looked at the link you sent me but I'm not sure if I found the right product that would do this task.. could you direct me to an example of a particular product that could do this?

The products I found said they are for a computer: to enable one to plug in a 3.5 mm jack into the computer's USB port.. eg, to provide a conversion from an analog line output to a PC. Will that work for what I need which is to operate a USB speaker system from a music player? I guess so.. but i wanted to check.. eg this product http://www.bhphotovi..._Converter.html

I guess I'll also need some kind of male-to-female (or is it the other way round?) adapter to allow me to use that with the USB speakers, since they are ALSO designed to plug into a laptop. What adapter should I look for?

Thanks again!

Edited by inireland, 18 February 2012 - 07:25 PM.

[Digerati]

After thinking about this further (which I should have done days ago - sorry!) I have to back up. This cannot be done - at least not cheaply without getting complex. Since your speakers require a USB connection, they require a "digital" input - because that is what USB provides. The 3.5mm audio output jack on your iPad or iPhone provides an "analog" output - because that is what headphones use. You cannot connect analog to digital without going through an analog-to-digital converter first. And I cannot find a 3.5mm-to-USB adapter (or adapter cable) with a built-in analog-to-digital converter - unless you want to spend $50 or more.

[claudz19]

Hi! I've been trying to solve the same problem for weeks... I've got harman kardon soundsticks (1st generation) which I absolutely love and don't want to give up.

 

I'd be happy to pay more than 50 to get such a converter? Could you recommend one?

 

help would be very much appreciated!!! :-) thank you!!