BecomeSingers is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More
If you want to further enhance the functionalities and flexibility of your karaoke machine, you can try to connect it with your laptop. Connecting your karaoke machine to your laptop, of course, can expand your song choices and even the quality of the sounds of your karaoke machine. Moreover, it would provide you with better control of the functions of your karaoke machine. Plus, this setup looks very professional.
Two Types of Karaoke System Setups
When it comes to karaoke systems, there is a standalone karaoke machine and there is an improvised karaoke system that you can set up using some of the available equipment and tools. These tools and equipment may include available best wireless Karaoke microphones, mixer or amplifier, speakers or audio output, and TV monitor or home theater.
However, if you have a standalone karaoke machine, you can either connect your machine to your laptop wirelessly or wire it to your laptop. Of course, a wired connection provides you with a more stable connection between the karaoke machine and the laptop. You can use a 3.5-mm AUX cable to connect the two equipment. With this AUX cable, you simplify the connection process between these two pieces of equipment.
On the other hand, if you do not own a standalone karaoke machine, you can be more creative by building your karaoke system and connecting it to your laptop. Setting up your karaoke system is easy. All you need are a pair of workable speakers, a preamp or mixer, a monitor where you can project the songs that you would like to sing.
Tools and Equipment You Will Be Needing
As mentioned above, if you want to connect your karaoke system to your laptop, you can do it whether you have a standalone karaoke machine or an improvised setup using the available equipment at hand. Of course, there are tools and equipment that you will be needing.
Standalone Karaoke Machine Vs Improvised Karaoke System
You will need a standalone karaoke machine that comes with a line-in socket that can accommodate a 3.5mm AUX cable. Moreover, some modern karaoke machine features Bluetooth connectivity. If you have a karaoke machine that comes with Bluetooth connectivity, you would no longer need an AUX cable. Moreover, if your karaoke machine comes with loud-sounding speakers, most often, it is also equipped with a built-in equalizer. Plus, it will also come with two workable mics that you can use for singing solo or duet.
However, if you do not want to buy a standalone karaoke system, you can always improvise your karaoke system. You will only need a smart TV, a couple of mics, an amplifier or mixer, and cables for connecting your amp or mixer to a set of speakers.
If you have a smart TV, you can use any of your smaller devices like those of the smartphones to project or mirror songs onto your smart TV screen. In the past, Google has rolled out the device called “Chromecast” that could be inserted like a USB to the USB port of most smart TVs. However, with the improvement in smart TVs, the Chromecast has already been on its way out. This is because you can now directly project the screen from your smartphone, for example, onto the smart TV screen and start singing along with the lyrics of the karaoke song. This is because the smart TV and the smartphones belong now to the Internet of Things (IoT), and they are designed to communicate with each other.
Another thing that is crucial to an improvised karaoke system is the set of speakers. The standalone karaoke systems that you should buy should have powerful speakers that project great sound. This makes the singing experience doubly enjoyable for those who are singing and listening. Yet, with an improvised karaoke system, you do not have the benefit of these powerful speakers. You can compensate for this lack by buying or using a pair of powerful speakers.
You should choose a speaker that can project sound across the room where you are going to set up your karaoke system. A great set of speakers, as mentioned above, can add that extra oomph to your karaoke experience. For this reason, your choice of speakers and the type of mics that you will use would spell out the difference in your karaoke experience.
Laptop
In case you have a standalone karaoke machine, all you need to do is to have a laptop. And a 3.5mm AUX cable. Your laptop does not necessarily need Alienware specs for you can use even a simple netbook for this purpose. Of course, the first reason in connecting your laptop to your standalone karaoke machine is to expand the song list that you can sing. The second reason is to further enhance the sound quality of your karaoke machine.
Tips on Expanding Your Song List
Once you have connected your standalone karaoke machine to your laptop, you can readily access an unlimited number of songs online during your karaoke singing spree. You can project these additional songs onto the standalone karaoke machine allowing you a wide array of songs that are not included in the program of the standalone karaoke machine.
Moreover, with your laptop at hand, you can access and subscribe to sites like The Karaoke Channel and Red Karaoke. Furthermore, you will gain unlimited access to karaoke songs on YouTube. You only need to type in on the search tab of YouTube the keywords karaoke songs, and you will immediately gain access to a wide variety of karaoke songs online.
Tips on Enhancing the Quality of Sound
Another great advantage you will have if you connect your laptop to your standalone karaoke system is to enhance the standalone karaoke’s sound quality. Of course, the karaoke machine already has its mixing console for mixing well its audio output. Yet, if it is connected to your laptop, you can download or install an equalizer software on your laptop. This will allow you to further enhance the sound quality of the audio output of your standalone karaoke system.
Karaoke Software
There are myriads of karaoke software in the market today. One of these software is the KaraFun Player. The KaraFun Player is one of the best karaoke software available at present. It is easy to use, and the graphics are easy to read. Moreover, it comes with around 33 thousand or more tracks. With its dual-screen feature, you can get perfect control of your monitor or TV screen. You’ll love how this software makes singing easy for you.
Another great software is Kanto Karaoke. This one is designed for professional use. So, if you intend to establish a karaoke business, you should choose this software. Moreover, this software can support almost every format at hand. Its features are meant for the tinkering of DJs.
You can also go for the Walaoke software. It comes with all the needed features that you can see in premium software. Yet, it doesn’t come with a wide array of karaoke songs.
Artist’s introduction also plays a main role in the performance. So in case you don’t know how to introduce a performance on stage, then you can read these useful instructions.
Procedure on Setting Up the Karaoke System with Your Laptop
If you intend to connect your laptop to your karaoke system, here are the simple steps on how to do it:
- First, you need to hook up your laptop to the karaoke machine using the abovementioned cable 3.5mm AUX cable. Just connect one end of the cable to your laptop and then, connect the other end to your Karaoke system. If your karaoke system comes with Bluetooth connectivity, then, you can simply enable Bluetooth connectivity by going to the settings of your laptop and karaoke and enabling Bluetooth connectivity.
- Once both are connected, you can now connect the mics to the karaoke machine or the amplifier or mixer if you are working on an improvised karaoke system. Then, turn on your turn on your standalone system. If you have an improvised karaoke system, you can turn on the TV or monitor and the mixer or amp.
- Then, start working on the menu. You can use your laptop if your laptop and the karaoke machine are already in sync. Test if your laptop and the karaoke machine are in sync. Test likewise for sound output. Adjust the volume of the mic and the different metrics to get the sweet spot of mixing. You can use the equalizer you have downloaded to achieve the best mix for your karaoke system.
- Once you have gotten the perfect mix, you can then try singing a song to figure out how well your mixing goes. Check if the mic and the music outputs blend well with each other likewise.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have collated here the different FAQs of those who are interested in building or setting up their karaoke system. Here are some of these FAQs:
Which is a Better Setup, the Standalone Setup with a Laptop, or the Improvised Karaoke System with a laptop?
The standalone karaoke machine connected to a laptop, of course, is the easier option. This is because you will no longer undergo the hassles of setting up your karaoke system. Moreover, the standalone karaoke machine comes with mics and built-in powerful speakers. In such a setup, all you need to prepare is a 3.5mm AUX cable and a laptop.
In an improvised karaoke setup, you need to source out mics, monitor, speakers, cables, mixer or amp, and a laptop. Yet, if you have all these tools and equipment, you can easily connect all these equipment and tools.
When it comes to what is better relative to sound quality, it all depends on the quality of the tools and equipment you have. If you have good speakers and great mics and monitor, you can always create a better karaoke system and set it up immediately with your laptop.
Can I Create This Setup Easily with My Smart TV without a Standalone Karaoke Machine?
Of course, you can easily set up a karaoke system and hook it up with your laptop if all your tool and equipment are smart. What I mean by smart is that they can communicate with each other. Most gadgets and equipment nowadays are smart and can be included in the Internet of Things (IoT). So, with smart equipment, the setting up process becomes doubly easy.
