Probably a stupid question........I have a pentium 4 style computer running Windows XP. I would like to play songs off the hard drive as well as use the cd drive to play cd's. How will it sound?? Thanks for your help.
Tom

Just hook up from your AUX Out of the sound card to AUX on the Receiver you will need a Mini to RCA cable for the connection

Hi Tom;

Well results could vary from great to poor depending on several things. First the connection would be from your sound card line output jack to the AUX input of your receiver. You will probably need to buy some kind of stereo male miniplug to RCA jacks cable adapter. Radio shack should be able to take care of that.

You will have to set the windows master volume control such that the sound level is somewhat equal to say your FM or other inputs to your receiver. You don't want to have to keep remembering that the computer is much louder or softer then your other normal receiver inputs.

The main problem you might come across is large amount of AC hum from the computer. Older vintage hi-fi gear is genally run ungrounded and most computers are grounded (somewhat) throught the AC power plug. You can only try and see if you pick up hum or not. If you do then trying to eleminate the 'ground loop" will be your next thrilling step. Line level transformer coupling would be the easiest but can be somewhat hard to find and expensive.

Nothing much lost in trying. I had no problems with hooking up my last computer (a laptop) to my vintage system, but still haven't gotten around to hooking it up to my replacement computer I got last Feb.

Good luck and let us know how it works out for ya.

Lefty

Does your Receiver have optical inputs? I bought this for my PC so i could pipe internet radio into my receiver.
http://accessories.gateway.com/AccessoryStore/PC+Accessories_316441/Speakers_F1_Sound+cards_316881/Sound+Cards_316885/1990544_ProdDetail

it comes with a 30ft optical cable

:jawdrop: AAA.....A....Awsome!!
I myself I went with the Rat Shack way

Miniplug to RCA Inputs and bought a long 25' Cable to run to the Reciever.

Do get some humm, but not that noticable!!

Will update soon as Im in the process of changing machines!!

Going from Pentium 1 to Pentium 4
From Megaherts to a whopping 2.5GHz
From Win 98 to Win XP Pro
From 45MB of RAM to 1GB RAM

I do have a Laptop, PIII XP Pro which is very UP to DATE since I use it at the university but the desktop has been lagging alot and its entering its 8th year of service, its time for a change!! ;)

There are a few different ways to do it, they even have ways to send songs to your stereo wireless. Best and easiest especially if your PC is close to your stereo is if your sound card/PC has either digital out thru coax or toslink and your reciver/amp has digital in in either form, by going digital you avoid the hum lefty was saying can occur.

I use an RCA Lyra Wireless but it is connected to my system in my game room. I think I paid $85 for it shipped. It has been worth it. It works great for parties etc. especially when coupled with MusicMatch Jukebox. For a review of this product go here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0%2C4149%2C1131642%2C00.asp

I am using the M-Audio Audiophile USB-based outboard DAC to pipe both internet-based audio streams, most notably KPLU in Seattle (jazz). This also allows me to use the CD player in the PC as my transport, which pipes its signal entirely in the digital domain out to the M-Audio.

Originally purchased to transfer old LPs into MP3 files but I haven't bother with this part mainly because I'm quite happy with the stuff I'm getting off the internet these days.

This is *excellent* sounding and I highly recommend it. You'll find the M-Audio Audiophile devices for less than $200 on eBay and at your local musical instrument store. There are lots of providers of this sort of outboard USB DACs, BTW.

Cheers,

David

I have two Wal Mart RCA to 1/8" cords (Line in & Line out at the PC) and the PC goes to a tape monitor circuit. No hum at all (same circuit in the wall?). I not only use the receiver as an input to record LPs, I use the receiver as my PC sound system. It's a Pioneer SX-6 with some Pioneer CS-99As, and DLK 1/2 speakers.

tell me again how to eliminate the AC hum?

tell me again how to eliminate the AC hum?

It's a matter of experimentation. You could start by connecting the chassis of the computer to the chassis ground of the receiver. If that doesn't work, it become much more of a crap shoot.

I just picked up an RCA Lyra Wireless RD900W today on clearance at Target for $24.98. That was 1/2 the original Target price...there was only two left...and the going rate on the net.. sans the shipping charges. Even though I had heard of this item before... I was a little leery and was thinking along the lines of the that if I felt it was junk it was going to be returned for a refund. But it will not be going back. I will have to admit that the audio quality is just fine :thmbsp: ... well for 160 br streaming which is what I plan to use it for the most, that is.

I don't use Musicmatch so I did not install that software. I get 'free' (included with my Comcast bill, that is) the $7 (I think) level of Rhapsody. Which I get 25 free plays.. which I don't even use all of them many months.. but I do use the customizable radio stations. Which is how I plan to use the Lyra for starters.

I give the unit an 9 out of 10 (a mid-fi rating)... at $25. Heck there is even a universal remote that comes with it. Here is a link to C/Net for more info...
http://reviews.cnet.com/RCA_RD900W/4505-6739_7-20904842.html

Andy.

I have been on the lookout for one of these RCA Lyra's for a while now. I spotted a good deal here (http://www.ubid.com/RCA_LYRA_RD900W_WIRELESS_TRANSMITTER/a800877068-rsearchone.html) .

I recieved it today and everything works as advertised. This deal not only includes the transmitter and receiver but it also has an extra receiver. For just a little over $20 delivered, I think this is a good deal. The universal remote that works with my TV is an added bonus.

Just stay away from the Musicmatch software and you will be OK. :no:

Jim

Actually my system sounds freaking great hooked up like that, I ran 1/8 inch mini stereo plug(from the line out of my SB Live Card to two rca cable jacks into my marantz 2226B AUX in which powers two KLH 8'" three ways , I run pre out of the Marantz to an older Yammy and power my JBL subs with that (keeping the bass control up and the treble control down)
I can barely stay in the room with this setup on eight oclock position.. I use The graphic eq on media player to "fine tune the system" Just my 2 cents..
Best of luck to you...... Audio Addict

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned this, (sorry if I missed it), that a normal sound card has line-in/line-out. Just connect it to your reciever/amp "monitor" jacks as if it was a tape recorder. Since a computer will do both playing and recording, it just seems like a natural to me. Now I just use the "Tape Monitor" switch on my amp in conjunction with the computer as if it was a hard drive recorder. Works great. Controls are intuitive.

i currently have music match software connected to my copmpurter and I use it with the lyra rd900w it works well ,but is their a why to use it with other sources withouy uninstalling musici match so I can use it with other internet radio stations and possible with cable station from my tv it also has a usb port on it. Any help or directions to a froum where I might find some answers about this would be apperciated.

Has anyone dabbled with the new winamp remote feature in the latest version of winamp. It's still in beta, but allows you to access your music and stream it from any browser and stream to say a friends pc from their house etc. Seems like it has alot of potential, just not sure how comfortable I am using it and alowing access to my files.

John

To Bill,

I have a Lyra unit and use it for more than MusicMatch. Just turn it on, select USB device in your audio properties box, then any audio coming out of the computer goes to the Lyra. Try a Shoutcast radio channel in the 196-320 kbs range piped to your main system. It can sound quite good.

Bob

I have a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS and I have it hooked up to my Yamaha RX-V450. I have a small "headphone" jack going from my digital out on the back of my computer....... then it goes into the digital input on the back of my yamaha reciever... My beef is why doesnt the controls on my computer work the speakers. example: the subwoofer volume or surround speaker volumes. I cant figure this one out... I dont need a "special" coax wire to run from the audigy to my reciever do I????? Please help!

THANKS

If you have a Line Out, use it instead and go to an analog input and you should be able to control the volume with the PC. Digital outputs may not be controlled by the volume setting of the PC.

yeah but wont that be only stereo sound? would I have to run 3sets of rcas into my multichannel to get surround sound? another thing.. when i hit the button to get a speaker test like a fuzz sound over each ch. it doesnt make any sound over them... its almost like its not comprehending that i have them it only picks up the 2front channels.

yeah but wont that be only stereo sound? would I have to run 3sets of rcas into my multichannel to get surround sound? another thing.. when i hit the button to get a speaker test like a fuzz sound over each ch. it doesnt make any sound over them... its almost like its not comprehending that i have them it only picks up the 2front channels.

~I have it hooked up in multi ch input now it sounds good thats all that matters! :banana:

I have it hooked up through multi ch. but my sub isnt working... everything else sounds GREAT! but the sub isnt getting a signal.....:scratch2:

I have it hooked up through multi ch. but my sub isnt working... everything else sounds GREAT! but the sub isnt getting a signal.....:scratch2:


try reversing the sub,and center channel cable.i had the same problem the first time i hooked a 5.1 pioneer to my pc.personally ive gone back to 2 channel.i got a marantz receiver hooked to my pc with good results.

I am going to experiment by using my soundcard as a preamp and using three vintage amps as L C R RL SB RF. it shoul dprove interesting. lol!

a normal sound card has line-in/line-out. Just connect it to your reciever/amp "monitor" jacks as if it was a tape recorder

thats exactly what i did. sounds good in the 1060 computer system, but the 70ft coax run to the living room is a little dull.

I have a couple of Linksys media adaptors and 2 Netgear MP101's set up and running depending which room I'm in, or my (75' feet away) detached garage.

With over 20,000 mp3 files on tap, I can play any of them anywhere I have one of these media adaptors.

basic setup I have is a couple of Linksys NSLU2's that each holds a hard drive and backup loaded with mp3's

connected to my wireless/wired router,

any of the media adaptors can access the mp3's on the NSLU2's either through ethernet cabled throught the house or wirelessly (to the garage) based on what I have selected for either product.

The Linksys Media Adaptors require a monitor or tv screen, the Netgears do not.

you could "share" a pc as a media server in lieu of the NSLU2 but I dont recommend it as an efficient use of hardware given the size difference.

I am a big fan of the NSLU2 as well!

Mine has been loaded with a linux-based software called mt-daapd (a.k.a Firefly), which allows it to function as a streaming music server rather than just a file sharing device.

Hi all,

Here is another way to use your PC as a source. I read a review on the Audioengine W1 wireless adapter on Enjoy the Music and decided to try it out. Here is my set up:

http://home.att.net/~agopalak/wsb/media/70320/site1084.JPG

In the third floor study, I have an NSLU2, a network storage link device. I had hacked it previously to load uNSLUng (a linux variant) on it. It also has the SlimServer (hoping to run a Squeezebox), and the Firefly server (to run a Roku). The Slimserver was very slow to run on the NSLU2. Firefly ran very well indeed, but I did not care much for the Roku experience. So these past many months, the NSLU2 and the USB drive have been sitting idle.

Enter the W1 wireless adapter. (http://audioengineusa.com/store/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=82&osCsid=4b4467eb4f19cfa7fb944beea957a615)

As they say in the late-night infomercials, it just works. Plug the sender into your laptop's USB port. The receiver plugs into an AC power pack. The audio output from the receiver then plugs into your preamp or other suitable line-level input. And that is that.

The sound quality is quite good. The spec sheet says that it is "CD quality". I have not done a comparison with my CDP's 2-ch output yet.

You can see from my setup diagram that there are two wireless hops - one from the NSLU2 to my laptop, and the other from the AW1 sender to the receiver. So far, I have not had any drop-outs or other signal problems.

The player I am using is the foobar2000, v0.9.5.4. Here is a screenshot of foobar playing A. C. Jobim's Stone Flower album.

http://home.att.net/~agopalak/wsb/media/70320/site1085.jpg

I love my iTunes into my monster cable/Marantz 2226B/Sherwood S-8600/ARxp62's!

I have over 5600 tunes from 30 seconds to 30 minutes.

Hi, being new here I posted the question below in the Sansui forum, but perhaps this is a more relevant thread:
This is probably a naive question, but maybe it can be solved by you who know. I have a Sansui HTS-08 2.1 wooden multi-media speaker set which was connected to my old PC. Now I have a laptop (Acer Extensa 5630) and the audio jack connection is in the front so that while it's fine for headphones it is most inconvenient for the speakers as I keep knocking it out as I type. What I'd like to do is get a connection that has a USB connection to go into the back of my laptop. Is this possible? The cable that plugs into the subwoofer has a double headed connection (I suppose for stereo) and it appears to have its own amplifier. I don't want to blow anything up by changing the jack into a USB! Does it need some sort of adapter?

Yes you need a USB audio adapter. There are many, but here is a link to one example:
http://www.turtlebeach.com/products/micro/home.aspx
You can find it discounted, or other cheaper brands if you shop around.

Thank Rob - I have bought one and my speakers sound better than ever before:banana: It appears it has a sound card in it. Quite amazing!