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The right connection depends on the ports on your soundbar, computer or console, and display. For a PC with a monitor, connect the PC directly to a soundbar HDMI input and pass video from the soundbar to the monitor when the equipment supports it. For a PS5 or Xbox connected to a TV, connect the console to a TV HDMI input and the TV’s HDMI ARC/eARC port to the soundbar’s ARC/eARC port. A supported soundbar may also accept direct USB audio, while optical, AUX, and Bluetooth work only when both devices provide compatible ports and profiles.
Before plugging in cables, identify every available input and output, then select the matching audio device in the source settings and the matching input on the soundbar. The exact menu names, microphone behavior, video formats, and console USB support vary by model and software version.
Start with the ports, not the cable
Read the labels on the soundbar and the source device before choosing a route. Look for USB audio, HDMI IN, HDMI OUT (ARC/eARC), optical, AUX, and Bluetooth. Your monitor or TV matters too: it may provide an audio return channel, or it may only display video.
The soundbar’s manual is the authority for supported combinations. A USB port that charges a device or accepts firmware updates is not automatically a USB audio input, and a console’s USB port does not guarantee compatibility with every soundbar.
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| Route | Typical wiring | Use it when | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC direct USB | PC USB to soundbar USB audio input | The soundbar explicitly supports USB audio from a computer | Port function and driver behavior are model-specific |
| PC HDMI passthrough | PC HDMI to soundbar HDMI IN; soundbar HDMI OUT (ARC/eARC) to monitor | The monitor does not return audio and the soundbar supports video passthrough | Confirm supported resolution, refresh rate, HDR, and HDCP for your equipment |
| Console through TV ARC/eARC | Console HDMI to TV HDMI input; TV ARC/eARC to soundbar ARC/eARC | The TV and soundbar have compatible ARC/eARC ports | Both ends must use the correctly labeled ports and audio output settings |
| Direct console USB | Console USB to a soundbar USB audio input | The soundbar documents support for that exact console | Do not assume PS5 and Xbox compatibility are interchangeable |
| Optical, AUX, or Bluetooth | Source output to the matching soundbar input | Your devices expose compatible ports or Bluetooth profiles | Features such as microphones, surround formats, and controls can differ by mode |
If you need an HDMI path and do not already have a suitable cable, an HDMI cable is the relevant accessory. Verify the connector type and the video and audio capabilities required by your setup before buying one.
Connecting a gaming PC
Option 1: USB audio
Use USB when the soundbar identifies its USB connection as an audio input for computers.
- Connect the soundbar’s USB audio port to a USB port on the PC. Use the connector specified by the soundbar, such as USB-C where applicable.
- Turn on the soundbar and select its USB input.
- In the operating system’s sound settings, choose the soundbar or its USB audio device as the output. If you want to use a microphone, choose the soundbar’s microphone input only if the manual lists one for USB mode.
- Play a test sound, then adjust the PC and soundbar volumes. If an application still uses another device, select the soundbar inside that application’s audio settings.
ASUS lists USB-C as one of the ROG Gjallar gaming soundbar’s connection types on its product page: ROG Gjallar Gaming Soundbar. Other soundbars may use a different connector or may not support USB audio at all.
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Option 2: HDMI through the soundbar to a monitor
A common PC mistake is connecting the PC to a monitor and expecting the monitor to send sound back through HDMI. ASUS states that most PC monitors do not support ARC/eARC, so audio cannot be sent back to a soundbar through the monitor in that arrangement. The manufacturer’s FAQ gives the ROG Gjallar route as:
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- Connect the PC’s HDMI output to the soundbar’s HDMI IN.
- Connect the soundbar’s HDMI OUT (eARC) to the monitor’s HDMI input.
- Set the soundbar to its HDMI source.
- In the PC’s sound settings, select the HDMI audio device presented by the soundbar or graphics system.
- Select the monitor’s HDMI input and confirm that the picture appears before testing game audio.
This arrangement lets the soundbar receive audio while passing video to the monitor, but only if the soundbar and display support the required video signal. Check the exact specifications for resolution, refresh rate, HDR, variable-refresh features, and copy protection before relying on passthrough for a high-end gaming PC. ASUS’s explanation and the Gjallar-specific wiring are documented in its ROG Gjallar FAQ.
Option 3: Optical, AUX, or Bluetooth
Optical and AUX are direct source-to-soundbar routes when the PC has the corresponding output and the soundbar has the corresponding input. Select the output in the operating system, then select Optical or AUX on the soundbar. Bluetooth can be convenient for a laptop or a PC with a compatible adapter, but pairing capability, codec support, delay, and microphone behavior depend on the two devices. The Gjallar product page lists optical, AUX, and Bluetooth in addition to USB-C and HDMI; that list does not establish that every PC, console, or display supports all of those paths.
Connecting a PS5
PS5 through a TV’s ARC/eARC connection
Use this arrangement when the TV and soundbar both provide compatible ARC or eARC ports.
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- Connect the TV’s HDMI port labeled ARC or eARC to the soundbar port labeled ARC or eARC. Do not use an unrelated HDMI input on the soundbar for this return connection.
- Turn on the TV and soundbar, choose the soundbar’s TV/ARC source, and set the TV’s audio output to its ARC/eARC or external audio system option.
- On the PS5, open Settings > Sound > Audio Output and choose the TV-connected output options appropriate to your equipment. Menu labels can change with PS5 system software and TV firmware.
- Start a game or use the PS5 sound test. If there is no audio, verify the TV’s HDMI control and audio-output settings as well as the physical ARC connection.
Creative documents this TV arrangement for the Sound Blaster Katana SE with both PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in its Game Console Setup guide. It is a model-specific example, not a guarantee that every soundbar or TV exposes the same options.
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Direct PS5 USB audio (documented for one model)
Creative’s Katana SE instructions also document a direct PS5 USB connection. If your soundbar’s manual provides the same support, connect the PS5 USB port to the soundbar’s USB audio input and then set both output and microphone devices:
- Connect the PS5 to the soundbar using the USB connection specified by the soundbar.
- On the PS5, open Settings > Sound > Audio Output > Output Device.
- Select USB Headset (SB Katana SE) for the Katana SE setup documented by Creative.
- Open Settings > Sound > Microphone > Input Device.
- Select USB Headset (SB Katana SE) there as well when using the soundbar’s supported microphone arrangement.
The displayed device name is specific to that product. Do not select it, or assume an equivalent USB route, unless your own soundbar’s documentation lists PS5 support.
Connecting an Xbox
Xbox Series X or Series S through a TV
For the Xbox route documented by Creative, connect the Xbox to the TV and let the TV return audio to the soundbar:
- Connect the Xbox HDMI output to an HDMI input on the TV.
- Connect the TV’s HDMI ARC port to the soundbar’s ARC port (or eARC to eARC when both devices support it).
- Select the soundbar’s ARC/TV source.
- Set the TV to output sound through its ARC/eARC or external audio system.
- In Xbox audio settings, choose the output format supported by the TV and soundbar, then test game audio.
Creative’s Katana SE guide specifically covers Xbox Series X/S in this TV-and-ARC arrangement. The guide does not document the same direct USB setup for Xbox that it documents for PS5, so check your soundbar’s Xbox instructions rather than treating USB support as universal.
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Xbox direct connections
If the soundbar has an HDMI input and the Xbox setup is designed to pass video onward, the wiring may resemble the PC passthrough route: Xbox HDMI to soundbar HDMI IN, then soundbar HDMI OUT to the display. Use this only when the soundbar manual confirms Xbox compatibility and the passthrough supports your display’s signal. Otherwise, the TV ARC arrangement is the documented starting point when compatible ports are available.
Choosing between direct audio and ARC/eARC
| Decision point | Direct source-to-soundbar | Source-to-TV, TV ARC/eARC-to-soundbar |
|---|---|---|
| Port requirement | The source and soundbar need matching USB, HDMI, optical, AUX, or Bluetooth capability | The TV and soundbar need compatible ARC/eARC ports, plus a normal TV HDMI input for the source |
| Monitor or TV audio return | Not required | Required; an ordinary monitor HDMI port may not return audio |
| Video path | May bypass the soundbar, or may require HDMI passthrough | Video travels directly to the TV from the console |
| Microphone behavior | Depends on the selected mode; USB or Bluetooth may support it on some models | HDMI/ARC mode may not support the soundbar microphone or connected headset |
| Documentation confidence | Must be confirmed for the exact source and soundbar | Creative documents PS5 and Xbox Series X/S through TV ARC for Katana SE |
Choose the route that satisfies all five checks: matching ports, the required video path, acceptable audio features, microphone support if needed, and explicit documentation for your exact models.
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Hearing game audio does not prove that a soundbar’s microphone or a connected headset will work. Input mode can disable those functions.
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- Creative says the connected headset or microphone array on the Katana SE is unsupported over HDMI.
- A PS5 USB setup that works for one soundbar may expose a named USB headset device; another model may provide no console microphone support.
These limitations are described in the ROG Gjallar FAQ and the Katana SE console guide. If voice chat matters, select a documented USB or Bluetooth mode first, then confirm the console’s input device, output device, mute state, and party-chat settings.
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Troubleshooting no audio
Nothing plays
- Confirm the soundbar is powered on and set to the input used by the cable: USB, HDMI, ARC/eARC, optical, AUX, or Bluetooth.
- Check that the PC, PS5, or Xbox is outputting to the connected audio device rather than its internal speakers, controller, monitor, or another previously paired device.
- Reseat both ends of the cable and verify that you used an HDMI ARC/eARC port for the TV return path, not an ordinary TV HDMI port.
- Test a system sound or another game to separate a source-application setting from a wiring problem.
- Restart the source, display, and soundbar after changing HDMI or ARC settings; HDMI handshakes can require a fresh connection.
The PC monitor shows video but the soundbar is silent
Check whether the monitor supports ARC/eARC. ASUS says most PC monitors do not, so a PC-to-monitor-to-soundbar chain will not return audio in many setups. If the soundbar has HDMI IN and HDMI OUT, use the documented PC-to-soundbar-to-monitor passthrough arrangement where the soundbar and display support the required video signal.
A console connected to a TV has no sound
- Verify that the console is connected to a TV HDMI input and that the TV’s ARC/eARC port is connected to the soundbar’s ARC/eARC port.
- Select the soundbar’s ARC/TV source and the TV’s external-audio or ARC/eARC output option.
- Check the console’s audio output format against the TV and soundbar capabilities.
- Try the TV’s built-in speakers temporarily. If they also fail, troubleshoot the console-to-TV connection before the soundbar.
Audio works but the microphone does not
Check the selected mode before replacing cables. On the Gjallar, built-in microphones are limited to USB or Bluetooth, while HDMI, optical, and AUX do not support them. On the Katana SE, Creative states that the connected headset or mic array is not supported through HDMI. Switch to a documented microphone-capable mode and select the correct input device in the console or PC settings.
Bluetooth pairs but is unsuitable for play
Pairing only confirms that the devices can communicate. Delay, microphone support, codec selection, and automatic source switching vary by model. If timing or voice chat is unacceptable, use a documented USB or wired HDMI/optical route instead of assuming a different Bluetooth setting will fix it.
Quick Recap
What not to assume
- An HDMI connection from a monitor always returns audio. Most PC monitors do not support ARC/eARC, according to ASUS’s Gjallar guidance.
- Every PS5 or Xbox accepts USB audio from every soundbar. Creative documents PS5 USB support for the Katana SE, but its cited guide does not document the same Xbox USB setup.
- ARC, eARC, HDMI passthrough, optical, and Bluetooth provide identical surround formats, latency, microphone access, or controls.
- A soundbar’s HDMI passthrough automatically supports every gaming resolution or refresh rate. Confirm the exact source, display, soundbar, cable, and firmware specifications.
- A cable labeled HDMI is sufficient for every setup. Connector type, ARC/eARC labeling, bandwidth, and the equipment’s supported signal all matter.
Quick setup checklist
- Write down the exact soundbar, display, PC or console models and their labeled ports.
- Choose direct USB, HDMI passthrough, TV ARC/eARC, optical, AUX, or Bluetooth based on matching ports and the soundbar manual.
- Connect the cables with the source and soundbar powered off when practical.
- Turn everything on, select the soundbar input, and select the corresponding source output device.
- Test game audio before changing advanced surround or format settings.
- If voice chat is required, verify that the chosen input mode supports the microphone or headset and select the correct input device.
- If the setup fails, isolate one link at a time: source-to-display, display-to-soundbar, then source audio settings.
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