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Yes, but only when the monitor, or the device feeding it, can send audio out through a port or wireless method that the soundbar can receive. Plugging a soundbar into a monitor’s ordinary HDMI input usually does nothing useful, because a standard HDMI input is built to take video and audio in, not to send audio back out. The routes that work are a 3.5 mm analog cable, an HDMI ARC or eARC link (only on monitors that explicitly support it), optical audio, Bluetooth, or sending audio from the computer or console straight to the soundbar.
What decides whether the connection works
Three conditions have to be true at the same time:
- The monitor (or the source feeding it) has an audio output. Many monitors have a headphone jack, but a headphone jack is not always an output, and some monitors only offer audio inputs.
- The soundbar has a matching input for that connection type: an analog AUX or 3.5 mm input, an optical input, an HDMI ARC/eARC port, or Bluetooth reception.
- Both ends support the same method. A physical port on each device is not enough if the monitor cannot transmit that signal type.
Port availability varies by model, so the monitor and soundbar manuals are the authority, not the appearance of a connector. BenQ’s troubleshooting guidance for monitors with no audio tells owners to check the exact model’s specifications and the port being used before assuming a fault (BenQ Europe, no-audio troubleshooting page, dated March 18, 2026).
Connection options compared
| Connection | Works when | Practical trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5 mm analog cable | The monitor has an audio output and the soundbar has a matching analog input | Simple and inexpensive. Depends on both ports, and you may need to select the soundbar’s AUX input. ASUS lists an earphone jack on its BE27ACGN business monitor (ASUS product page), and LG’s SJ9 soundbar specification sheet lists a portable 3.5 mm input (LG Australia, dated 2017). These are examples only, not a guarantee that other monitors or soundbars match. |
| HDMI ARC or eARC | The monitor explicitly supports ARC or eARC and the soundbar has a compatible ARC/eARC port | Digital return path with the best fit for a single-cable setup. Do not infer support from a normal HDMI input. Most setup guides describe ARC with televisions, so the monitor’s own documentation is the deciding factor. |
| Optical (TOSLINK) | The monitor or source has an optical audio output and the soundbar has an optical input | Digital cable option. Verify both the output and the input physically exist before buying a cable. |
| Bluetooth | The monitor or source can transmit Bluetooth audio and the soundbar can receive it | No cable needed. Device support and pairing behavior vary, and the transmitting device must offer Bluetooth audio output. |
| Direct from computer or console | The computer, console, or media device has a compatible audio connection to the soundbar | Useful when the monitor has no audio output. Check whether the soundbar passes video through and which video formats it supports before committing to this chain. |
Route-by-route setup
3.5 mm analog cable
Use this route when the monitor’s audio jack is an output and the soundbar’s input is analog. The most common mistake is plugging into a jack that is actually an input, so confirm the direction in the manual rather than relying on the jack’s shape.
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- Confirm the monitor’s 3.5 mm jack is labelled or documented as an audio output.
- Connect a 3.5 mm stereo cable from the monitor output to the soundbar’s AUX or analog input.
- On the soundbar, select the AUX input with its source button or remote.
- On the computer, set the operating system’s output device to the monitor or soundbar, depending on where the audio is needed.
HDMI ARC and eARC
ARC (Audio Return Channel) lets a display send audio back to a soundbar over the same HDMI cable that carries video, and eARC is the enhanced version. In LG’s setup guide, dated November 4, 2023, the steps require an HDMI port marked ARC on the display side and the soundbar’s ARC/eARC port (LG USA Support, “LG Sound Bar – How to Connect via ARC”). Before buying the cable, confirm the monitor’s manual names ARC or eARC explicitly. If it does not, this route does not apply, regardless of how many HDMI ports the monitor has.
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- Connect the cable between the HDMI port marked ARC/eARC on the monitor and the ARC/eARC port on the soundbar.
- On the monitor, open its audio output settings and select the HDMI ARC option. Menu names vary by brand, so use the manual’s wording.
- On the soundbar, select its ARC function from the source selector.
- Play a test sound and adjust volume from one remote where the system supports it.
Optical
Samsung’s UK setup page, updated August 11, 2026, describes optical as one of the soundbar’s connection methods and gives the basic sequence for compatible TVs and soundbars (Samsung UK, “How to set up your Samsung Soundbar”). The general pattern is:
- Connect the optical cable from the monitor or source’s optical out to the soundbar’s optical in.
- On the soundbar, select the optical or D.IN input source.
- In the monitor or source’s sound settings, choose optical output if that option is offered.
Bluetooth
- Put the soundbar into pairing mode using its Bluetooth button or menu.
- On the transmitting device, open Bluetooth settings and select the soundbar from the list of audio devices.
- Confirm the monitor or source actually transmits audio over Bluetooth. Many monitors only receive Bluetooth or have no Bluetooth at all, so this step can fail at the first check.
Direct from the computer or console
When the monitor has no usable audio output, send audio from the source to the soundbar and send video separately to the monitor. A computer is the simplest case: the operating system’s sound output can be set to the soundbar when it is connected by a supported route. BenQ’s guidance for monitor audio describes selecting the monitor as the output device when audio travels over HDMI, DisplayPort, or USB-C, and the same principle applies in reverse when the soundbar is the target (BenQ US, “How can I play sound from my monitor speakers?”, dated February 1, 2026).
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Consoles and set-top boxes are less predictable. Test the route before buying an extractor or adapter, and confirm three things: which output the source offers, whether the soundbar accepts that signal, and whether video passes through to the monitor at the resolution and refresh rate you need.
Troubleshooting when there is no sound
- Check that the soundbar is powered on, unmuted, and set to the input that receives the cable or wireless connection.
- Re-seat both ends of the cable and check the port labels at each side.
- Confirm the monitor’s audio jack is an output, not an input, using the manual.
- Check the source’s sound settings to confirm audio is going to the expected device.
- For ARC or eARC, confirm both devices support it and that the cable is in the labelled ARC/eARC ports. The ARC setting on the display and the source selection on the soundbar both need to be set.
- If the monitor has no audio output, switch to a direct source-to-soundbar connection and check video pass-through limits.
Practical limits to plan around
A soundbar connected through a monitor depends on the monitor’s audio chain, not just its ports. Some monitors cannot pass multichannel or compressed surround formats, and some soundbars need their own input selected before they will play anything. The most reliable setups are the ones where the audio source connects directly to the soundbar, with the monitor used only for video.
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Specifications for the examples above are manufacturer statements at the dates shown. Check current product pages before buying, because port layouts change between revisions.
Quick Recap
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