Updated Oct 15, 2026
In this article
This article is for anyone with an audio source that has no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, such as a record player, or who simply prefers a cable. At the end, your source plays through Brane X over a wired connection. No Wi-Fi or app is needed for basic AUX playback.
What you need
- A 3.5mm AUX cable.
- A source with a 3.5mm headphone or line output, or an adapter that gives it one.
Connect
- Plug one end of the cable into the 3.5mm AUX input on the back of the speaker.
- Plug the other end into the audio output of your source.
- Turn on both the source and the speaker.
- Stop any other playback on the speaker (see below).
- Play something on the source.
AUX plays when no wireless source is
Wireless sources take priority over the AUX input. Among wireless sources, the last one to start takes over. AUX is different: it only plays while no wireless source is active on the speaker. If you hear nothing, stop or disconnect Bluetooth, AirPlay, Spotify and Alexa playback, then try again.
Play a wired source across a group
A source plugged into one speaker can play across a wireless speaker group, as long as Soundbar Mode is off on that speaker. See Play across multiple speakers.
Sources without a 3.5mm output
If your source has no 3.5mm output, an adapter can usually convert the output it does have:
- RCA outputs (red and white): an RCA to 3.5mm cable or adapter.
- HDMI ARC: an HDMI ARC audio extractor with a 3.5mm output.
- Optical (TOSLINK): an optical-to-analog converter (DAC) with a 3.5mm output.
HDMI and optical adapters need the source set to PCM audio. See Fix no sound from an HDMI or optical adapter.
When to use Soundbar Mode
For music, the normal AUX input is all you need. For anything with a picture, such as a TV or games console, turn on Soundbar Mode (previously called AUX Passthrough). You find it in the Brane Audio app: open your speaker, then go to Input Options > Soundbar Mode. It removes the small delay on the AUX input so that sound and picture stay in sync. A solid green light on the front of the speaker shows that the mode is on and a wired signal is arriving.
In Soundbar Mode the speaker’s volume buttons no longer change the AUX volume, so you set the volume at the source. Input Options > Max Volume sets how loud the speaker is when the source is at 100%. A wired source cannot play to a wireless group while the mode is on. Wireless sources and wireless groups are not affected. See Use Soundbar Mode.
Connecting a TV
- Connect Brane X to your TV covers one speaker.
- Set up a stereo pair with your TV covers two.
The connecting section of the Brane X guide has an overview of every way to play.
Still stuck? Contact support and tell us what you have tried so far.