PC TO Stereo quality question

**Newguy77** · May 24th, 2011, 07:56 PM

I have a basic question to ask concerning playing music (mp3/flac/wav) from my pc to my home stereo unit.

Reason: My home stereo cd player going bad.

Specs:

Inter core2 duo E6400
2 meg ram
realtek sound card
Link to mobo with onboard realtek sound:
ASRock > Products > 775Dual-VSTA

I have a short stereo to rca jacks, and was able to hook into (input stereo receiver tape or cd/take your pick both sounded the same, from Sony Walkman).

Sound volume was low playing from Walkman to stereo unit. It did not sound as good either. (Yes I did turn up sound on Walkman).

Now to my question:

Before I buy a 50 foot cable (stereo 1/8 to two rca connectors), can any one give me an idea of the sound quality I should expect?

If it is not as good as a set top cd player then I will spring for the cd player.

If you all think I will get just as good a quality playing from PC to my stereo then I will order cable from monoprice.com (unless you guys know of some one cheaper).

Home stereo unit is an older sony pushing Klipsch KG4's. Yea, all my stuff is old.

Thanks for any input

**Whir** · May 24th, 2011, 08:30 PM

As long as you don't run the cable near any source of interference, you shouldn't really notice a difference. Unless you went from something like an optically connected multi-bit DAC CD player through a high-end Sony pre-amp and amplifier to a 50' RCA cable connected to your computer.

The KG4s weren't by any means poor speakers. I'm sure yours are still great.

**Newguy77** · May 24th, 2011, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by Whir

As long as you don't run the cable near any source of interference, you shouldn't really notice a difference. Unless you went from something like an optically connected multi-bit DAC CD player through a high-end Sony pre-amp and amplifier to a 50' RCA cable connected to your computer.

The KG4s weren't by any means poor speakers. I'm sure yours are still great.

The KG4s weren't by any means poor speakers. I'm sure yours are still great.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, you have any idea why the sony walkman to the stereo did not sound so good, nor have as much volume (I would guess volume was 70% of what it sounded like going from the set top cd player), that is on it's last leg, but still sounds good when I get it to see the cd in the tray??

I am a little surprised you have heard of the KG4, I bought them like 30 years ago. You must be of older age?

Thanks..sounds like I need to order that cable.

**bigBonehead** · May 24th, 2011, 11:04 PM

" .... I am a little surprised you have heard of the KG4, I bought them like 30 years ago. You must be of older age.... "

Fear The Goat!

**stroyal** · May 25th, 2011, 08:43 PM

Not as old as my Klipsch Heresys,@33 years old.
I did change the paper woofers.
They still can blast out the sound.

As for the question, I've been connecting computers to stereos for 20 years, and even with a 50' home made cord, I can't notice any difference from that, and the stereo alone.

I use an earphone jack, a pair of RCA plugs, and a simple phone line for the cord.
When we go to the cottage, I use a laptop, and a 1960s HighFi, and it sounds good on that also.

I know people are going to say you need a shielded line, but in 20 years, I have never seen any problem, what so ever.

I've probably made a dozen of these over the years, for friends, that have also had it work perfectly.

Edit
Last summer, someone brought a Wii, and they couldn't get the sound to work, on our old TV.
Got out the cable, connected the Wii to the HighFi, and awii we went.

And, Welcome to TechIMO!

**stroyal** · May 25th, 2011, 08:59 PM

I just measured the one, I am using now.
It is 68' long.
I hate to run short.

**Newguy77** · May 25th, 2011, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by stroyal

Not as old as my Klipsch Heresys,@33 years old.
I did change the paper woofers.
They still can blast out the sound.

As for the question, I've been connecting computers to stereos for 20 years, and even with a 50' home made cord, I can't notice any difference from that, and the stereo alone.

I use an earphone jack, a pair of RCA plugs, and a simple phone line for the cord.
When we go to the cottage, I use a laptop, and a 1960s HighFi, and it sounds good on that also.

I know people are going to say you need a shielded line, but in 20 years, I have never seen any problem, what so ever.

I've probably made a dozen of these over the years, for friends, that have also had it work perfectly.

Edit
Last summer, someone brought a Wii, and they couldn't get the sound to work, on our old TV.
Got out the cable, connected the Wii to the HighFi, and awii we went.

And, Welcome to TechIMO!

Can you fill me in a little more on the home made cable?

I think I have phone line (should be several wires,,just pick two right). I have all kinds of rca connectors and patch cords), I may even have the stereo jack, if not Radio Shack should have one. Never had rca cables apart. I take it there is hot and ground? I have soldering gun and some good solder.

Please give me details, it does not sound hard. I was going to go to bed, but now I may hunt thought my big box of cables and connectors.

Would be nice to try. If I get interference, I can order from monoprice.com. I am for saving money, as things are tight in my house.

Thanks for the idea, and hope you can give me more detailed instructions.

**stroyal** · May 26th, 2011, 12:15 AM

Sure.
The RCA cables are not the hard part, as the wires are big, and insulated with plastic, of rubber.
The hard part, is most earphone jacks have wires the size of hair, and are insulated with shellack. If you can find a thick heavy duty one it is easier, but I have done it with tiny ones.

You need 3 wires, left, right, and a common ground, for the runner.

Cut a regular RCA stereo patch cord in half, and use 1 end.(save the other end for a second one), or buy just the plugs,at Home Depot.
Connect the left and the right ground together.(if using a patch cord)
Now you have 3 wires to connect to your runner.
I use 2 of the phone wires for the ground, as you have 4 in all.
The other 2 are left and right, of course.

With just the plugs, you can use 2 separate grounds, but they still will have to be connected on the other end, as the earphone jack, will only have 3 wires.

You can re-insulate with a hot glue gun, tape, shrink tubing, goop, or even shellack.

Now the hard part.
The jack is only going to have 3 wires as I said.
The ground, is pretty straight forward, as it is the largest, and has no shellack insulation.

The other 2 are usually painted with green, and red shellack, that will interfere with your soldering job. (there is usually nylon thread mixed in also, that will mess up the soldering, get rid of it)

You can gently sand it off, as I did at first, but I found that a lighter, or a match, will burn it off instantly, leaving a little soot to clean off.

Give yourself a couple of inches to work with, as it is hard to re-insulate, if you don't.

Only burn the shellack of the tips of the wires, you must keep the shellack on the wires where its ground touches them.

If you bend the ground back as i comes out of the rubber coating, and leave your runner ground longer than the left, and the right, you can keep the ground well away from the bare left and right.

Re-insulate, and you are good to go.

I use an old Weller, (huge) with pistol grip, and I'm no circuit board solderer, but I have soldered big stuff for over 40 years.

Just saying it is a little delicate, but if I can do it, anybody that knows how to solder, can.
Of course, if you have a nice little soldering iron, it will be easier.

You can use just 3 wires, I have no real reason for using 2 for the ground, just because they are there

Feel free to ask, if you need more advice.

**Newguy77** · May 27th, 2011, 06:10 AM

Thanks Stroyal, I am going to try and make the cable today/tomorrow. I have all the parts I needed in my spare cable box. So, free vs approx. $18 for store made cable.

Glad you included the part about using hot glue gun. I would have not thought of that.

**stroyal** · May 27th, 2011, 09:45 AM

You are welcome.
Let me know how you make out.

**Newguy77** · May 27th, 2011, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by stroyal

You are welcome.
Let me know how you make out.

Well, the phone cord only had 2 wires? Found out when I cut it. I should have checked, but I looked with those head magnifiers as eyesight bad), and just could not tell. So I could not use that.

I had a few stereo to stereo (male to male) about 10 feet long each. I soldered three together and then the rca's to one end. I could have used a couple female/female stereo plugs, but it would have cost a couple bucks ea. for connectors and 20 miles each way to radio shack ($7.50 in gas). I wanted free so I did the extra soldering. That, and I would probably never have a use for the 10 ft stereo cords (I still have a couple left any way).

Works perfect.

Did you come up with the idea of putting the heat glue stuff on to insulate? Either way, nice trick (I think I would call it genius) . I will have that in mind when doing any thing again like that.

I did not have to use the lighter trick, as my stuff was bare wires.

I did use a DVM just to make sure things went where they were supposed to go, and there were no shorts.

Thanks...

**bigBonehead** · May 28th, 2011, 10:48 AM

Yee freakin Ha! Another happy TIMO customer

**stroyal** · May 29th, 2011, 07:09 PM

Your are welcome, I stumbled upon the hot glue, but I 'm sure I not the first.
I started by using Goop, but it took too long to harden, so hot glue solved that problem.