Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
Tue, Dec 14 2010, 9:13AM
Can anyone help?
I have plugged my laptop into my (Harmon Kardon) amp through the headphone socket to the phono input.
When listening to any music whether radio streaming, iTunes or Spotify I have to turn volume sliders up to maximum and have the amp volume wound up high to get any decent level of sound.
Am I doing something wrong? My Sky box is connected to the Tape input - it being an old amp there aren't many options.
Richy.
Tue, Dec 14 2010, 7:54PM
#2
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
Thanks TedR
On double checking I have connected to tape input not phono.
It's the same when using my other amp an old Technics.
Thu, Dec 16 2010, 8:41PM
#3
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
It would seem you have only two options, either the output from the computer is too low or the amps are too insensitive. I would be surprised if the output from the computer was less than a tape deck. What happens if you plug a Cd player into the amps? What sort of volume level do you get then? The computer output will be less than a CD player but if the CD player works without having to crank up the volume control to max you should only have to wind it up a bit more for the computer. What other inputs do the amps have besides tape & phono? Have you tried them?
Thu, Dec 16 2010, 11:00PM
#4
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
Headphone socket on the laptop probably doesn't put out that much power -- therefore hard to amplify. However, in the past I've plugged things into old amps via headphone sockets.
Mon, Jan 3 2011, 12:34PM
#5
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
Hi,
You might consider using a USB sound card with your laptop -- a cheap option is the iKey iConnex (~£28), which gives line-level output to RCA, to connect to your amp.
Theoretically you might get a slightly better quality sound output as the sound card is designed for musical uses, rather than your laptop's general-purpose gaming-speech-soundtrack-DSP-music etc card, but that's a moot point & hard to measure.
Of course there are more expensive "audiophile" USB sound cards from companies such a M-Audio, but at this throwaway price the iConnex is worth trying as a simple option.
Mon, Jan 3 2011, 8:10PM
#6
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
Thanks Guitar I'll look it up.
I have bought a decent cable and that has made a slight difference so I'll give the USB soundcard a try.
Thu, Feb 24 2011, 5:32PM
#7
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
You need to turn your PC/laptop volume up to maximum, then use the volume control on the amp. to determine loudness.
No doubt you have used a jack from the PC with two RCA inputs to amp.?
Alternative is to use a USB output on PC, link this via a so-called Digital Analogue Converter, i.e. DAC, and link DAC with two RCA cables to your tape or aux. input on your amp. A suitable DAC is quite cheap, look on Amazon or Ebay.
Sat, Mar 5 2011, 6:55PM
#8
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
Further to the above, the Maplin Wireless DAC I mentioned on other forums works well. Good value at £40 and no software, plug in and play.
Fri, Mar 11 2011, 8:46AM
#9
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
Thanks 33lp I'll go get one.
Tue, Mar 15 2011, 2:01PM
#10
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
Hope it works richypike. It was my first attempt at computer audio. I simply plugged the gadget's USB stick into the PC, connected the little box's phono sockets to an input on the passive preamp for the World Audio Design valve amplifier I built 11 years ago, connected the power supply, switched everything back on and it worked straight off. With lossless downloads from the Chandos Classical Shop I reckon the sound is of CD quality.
Sun, Mar 27 2011, 4:35PM
#11
RE: Plugging in my Laptop to an old (ish) amplifier.
If any of this is over the head of someone who wishes to listen to the incredible variety of music available on youtube or on other sites on a proper audio system as all right thinking people (!?) should, try this
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2009/03/25/how-to-connect-your-pc-to-your-hi-fi/
Good luck. You'll be able to listen to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSGm2x7DEB8
which seems to be "on the spot". One of the "Mad Men" closing-credit music-over pieces was new to me, here it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZfgg2oqsGE
Enjoy.
Phono inputs are not suitable - they are designed for v.small signals from cartridges and also apply reequalisation to the signal. I suppose it's possible you have caused internal damage. What happens if you turn everything off and on and start with the laptop signal very small?