Comments | shedpete: Tech question: connecting laptop to hi-fi

shedpete

Tech question: connecting laptop to hi-fi

Sep 29, 2007 20:31

Just looking into connecting the laptop to my hi-fi so as to have some decent sound instead of just the tinny built in speakers. Laptop just has the usual headphone socket for audio out, hi-fi (valve) amp only has analogue line in (phono) inputs. Running XP ( Read more... )

Comments 6

drdoug September 29 2007, 20:57:47 UTC

Er ... can't you just nip down to Maplin and get a cable with a 3.5 mm plug on one end and two RCA jacks at the other? Or have I missed something obvious?

shedpete September 29 2007, 21:09:32 UTC

I'm pretty sure the headphone output has different voltage/impedence/levels/whatever than a line in input requires... will now go off and check!

drdoug September 29 2007, 21:16:23 UTC

Well, it works perfectly well as a solution for connecting an iPod to a modern solid-state amp, so I don't think there's a profound problem. :-)

shedpete September 29 2007, 21:30:23 UTC

Mmm, after a bit of googling that does sound like a possible solution (gives self a dope-slap!). E.g. here suggests that line inputs go up to 2V and headphone out up to 1.5V so unlikely to fry anything. Inputs have high impedence so guess not a lot of current can flow anyway.

A few links suggested that the USB route may be better quality-wise FWIW.

Thread 6