[vox-tech] audio - soundcard to stereo

[Jeff Newmiller]

Peter Jay Salzman wrote:
> On Thu 07 Sep 06,  8:59 PM, Mark K. Kim <lugod2 at cbreak.org> said:
> 
>>On Thu, Sep 07, 2006 at 11:39:30PM -0400, Peter Jay Salzman wrote:
>>
>>
>>>i recently hooked up the speaker output on my soundcard to my livingroom
>>>stereo amplifier.  the result, as they say in french, sucks big time.
>>
>>[snip details]
>>
>>Can you draw an ASCII diagram of how they are connected, the cable
>>type(s) used to connect them, and how long each cable is approximately?
>>
>>Also, where does the computer's sound output go into the stereo?  And
>>the stereo has a separate volume control, correct?
>>
>>-Mark
> 
>  
> Yeah.  It's pretty simple---looks something like this:
> 
> 
>   3.5 mm plug          RCA stereo plug
> 
> ***                    ----***
> ***--------------------|   ***
> ***                    ----***
> 
> computer                   stereo
> 
> 
> The cable itself is approximately 5 feet long.  One side is a 3.5mm plug
> (which goes to the soundcard output - the same output I use for the computer
> speakers).  The other side is split into two phone RCA plugs (one red, one
> white for left and right stereo output).
> 
> The stereo has a separate volume control.  To get rid of the distortion, I
> have to turn the computer mixer down all almost the way and use the stereo
> volume control to play with the volume.
> 
> I suppose it could be a crappy soundcard.  I'm actually using an onboard
> chipset of a cheap motherboard.  If what I'm doing is supposed to work, I
> don't mind throwing a nice soundcard in.  But before I disconnect all these
> wires, I wanna make sure it's supposed to work first.  It's a mess of wires
> back there.  :)
> 
> Thanks!
> Pete
> 

It could be a crappy soundcard... but then again RCA jacks are typically for
low impedance inputs that suck the oomph out of the high impedance soundcard
outputs.[1]  Try the stereo's mic input, or get a DI box [2][3] or buy a
low impedance computer sound interface [4].

[1] http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Products/us_pro_ea_connectingmics
[2] http://www.whirlwindusa.com/tech02.html
[3] http://www.zzounds.com/cat--General-Direct-Boxes--2753
[4] http://www.wlug.org.nz/TascamAudioInterface

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