Using old Dell surround speakers on a new XPS

Go to Radio Shack and get stock no. 42-2458--a three way splitter cable for earphones ($9). Connect the Gray, Black, and Yellow plugs together using the splitter and plug into the green jack on the back of the XPS 8500. All seven speakers work and sound great.

Ray, your fix is not a fix. I too have dell 5650 speakers from my old Dimension 8400 and I'm trying to use them on my XPS 8500 running Windows * Pro 64 bit.  While with Ray's fix the test that runs in the Dell Audio Waves MaxxAudio all show and sound that all 6 speakers are working in 5.1, when I play music, the rear speakers do not work and the sound is muffled.  So far, I have spent days on this issue, the best fix is I found was to use the 3 into 1 adapter that originally came with the 5650 speakers and plug it into the green input on the XPS 8500.  Then set it up as stereo and now at least all the speakers will work while playing music.  However, there is no way to control all the individual speakers.   I need a fix for this ASAP.  

Ray, your fix is not a fix. I too have dell 5650 speakers from my old Dimension 8400 and I'm trying to use them on my XPS 8500 running Windows * Pro 64 bit.  While with Ray's fix the test that runs in the Dell Audio Waves MaxxAudio all show and sound that all 6 speakers are working in 5.1, when I play music, the rear speakers do not work and the sound is muffled.  So far, I have spent days on this issue, the best fix is I found was to use the 3 into 1 adapter that originally came with the 5650 speakers and plug it into the green input on the XPS 8500.  Then set it up as stereo and now at least all the speakers will work while playing music.  However, there is no way to control all the individual speakers.   I need a fix for this ASAP.  

Ray, your fix is not a fix. I too have dell 5650 speakers from my old Dimension 8400 and I'm trying to use them on my XPS 8500 running Windows * Pro 64 bit.  While with Ray's fix the test that runs in the Dell Audio Waves MaxxAudio all show and sound that all 6 speakers are working in 5.1, when I play music, the rear speakers do not work and the sound is muffled.  So far, I have spent days on this issue, the best fix is I found was to use the 3 into 1 adapter that originally came with the 5650 speakers and plug it into the green input on the XPS 8500.  Then set it up as stereo and now at least all the speakers will work while playing music.  However, there is no way to control all the individual speakers.   I need a fix for this ASAP.  

Try the info provided at http://pinouts.ru/Home/Tele35s_pinout.shtml

Roc1

Hi,

    J Boy Shyner.Sorry to hear that it did not work. Greg confirmed that it worked for him.First it is important that you connect the cables as I  mention in the top paragraph of my explanation dated:(21 Oct 2012).I see in your post that you have done your configuration in Dell Audio Waves MaxxAudio,but no harm done if you verify with  what I wrote and what you did correspond. I think  I may  know where your problem may be (Sound) because there is nothing mention in your post about this section. First you have go to (always use your mouse with the left button for these selections)  CONTROL PANEL click on SOUND it will open another window.In this window you have several choices for you, to have access to the one you want you have to use the vertical bar on your right highlight it  with the  mouse bring  the bar down & you will see  SPEAKERS (Realtek High Definition Audio) if you do not have green circle beside speakers with a check in it then you have to  highlight  speakers and Set Default. Still having your speakers highlighted click  Configure  on it next window select 5.1 surround next  click  test for  all your speakers or you can click one speaker at a time.Next window check off center, subwoofer and rear pair . Next window  full ranger speakers I checked both (front left and right & surround) go to next window click finish.This will take you back to Speakers select Properties this will take you to the next window on the top select Levels,this will open another window  this is where you make your adjustment for your speakers.The first one Realteak Hd  Audio Output side the horizontal bar to 100   Microphone ajust if you want    Line in  is not used     Side  has no speakers       Center I put at 50     Now to see the the rest of the speakers have to highlight the vertical bar on your right bright it down and you will be able to ajust the other speakers     Subwoofer I put at 50  The rear speakers I put at 100     Front speakers I put at 50 . This been done you click OK and close all the windows.

    The reason why I put the rear speakers at 100 and all the others at 50 is because the rear speakers do not have volume that they use to have.Now I have played some music where there was no sound from the rear speakers,it must have the recording because it only happen once.



I hope this resolves your problem,it worked for for me.

Hey Ray, yes, I can use all the speakers and I can control them all by going to control panel-sound-Speakers-Levels.  I should note that it is also necessary to go to control panel--sound--speakers-enhancements and then check'"Speaker Fill"  My main problem with the Dell Audio (Waves MaxxAudio) is that it only "Supports Stereo Output Only,"  Dell advertises that XPS 8500 has "High-Definition 7.1 Performance."  With my old 8400 Dimension, I could simply click on the Creative sound icon and then I could control all speakers and use an eq.  The software and the mixer supplied in the Waves MaxxAudio will not do any of these things.  I am in the process of complaining to Dell on this issue and I will report back if they are able to rectify the situation.  Simply put, we should be able to click on an icon and control all speakers and eq in one step, but Waves MaxxAudio  "Supports Stereo Output Only."   I feel that Dell has engaged in the practice of false advertising by claiming "High-Definition 7.1 Performance," when there is no application to control same.

I called Dell before I bought my new system, and they said I could use the speakers from my old system and it would work the same. It now appears that they lied. It is now my understanding that I must purchase a new sound card to support the surround sound.

No, the soundcard supports surround sound.  It's just that the software to control same (Dell Audio WavesMaxx) does not.

where did you find your cable at?

That answers it partially for me. I'm looking to know also if all of the jacks are 3 band/contact plugs like the headphone jack? What are the ohm ratings that can be attached? How many watts can they put out? I was told by one Dell tech that I could plug in my M-Audio BX5a monitors to it, but XLR to 3 band 3.5mm adapter-Balanced or unbalanced? I just want to keep the smoke in. And why doesn't Dell publish or make that kind of thing available from Realtek?

I used my MMs5650 's on my new dell xps8700-didnt like the onboard Realtek so I bought an Audigy fx by creative --it is a little better at adjusting the volumes-the connects on my 5650 coming out of the subwoofer were 3 pins-tan-lime green and black which at first I plugged into the dell connects and balancing the speakers was a chore -now the pins plug into the  sound card and works better yet not perfect-I realize this is 3 years later but I did not replace my speakers cause I mounted them around me and I like them-!! Any input or clues? I don't type very well! Nick 

I am running into the same issue with an xps8700-bought an Audigy fx card by creative-works a little better-I realize this is some years later but-Any input?