amp

[Psymon]

I've got a hifi that plays DVDs and has 5.1 output so all the speakers came with it. However it's got an overheating problem (even after spending all night on standby is burning hot) and as a result the fan is very noisy. Which I don't like now I have a water cooled system .
So I'm looking to throw out the hifi and just swap it with an amp so I can keep the speakers, which arent all that bad.
I've had a look but there arent any amps which take the typical jacks that come out of a motherboard or soundcard. .
But having talked to some shops I heard that some amps take a digital input. I've just found my mobo has a S/PDIF out which I can set to digital.
I was just wondering if anyone could offer some advice, like if audio amps accept the S/PDIF output or do I have to get a sound card with a digital output. Maybe even suggest an amp you have that works well.
Thanks

Psy

[th3_d0n]

Buy not buy yourself a couple of these. They are only about £1.50 - £2 each:

[Psymon]

nice face....

but what does that solve?

[th3_d0n]

Big Jack to Small Jack. They come in the other way round too. Small Jack to Big Jack.

So if your mother board takes the jack you showed, but your amp takes the big jack lead, you but a big to small jack to put on the big jack so you can plug it into the small jack in your PC. Or is that not what you needed?

[Psymon]

hehe, phil is confusing a with a .
Most (or all) home entertainment amps have of input. This looks like the kind of cable that would fit into my S/PDIF output so I guess its what the digital input of an amp would be. Asking this kind of stuff at an audio shop is pointless because they don't usually get customers who want to rig up a PC to one.

[venney]

Hello Simon, I think I can help you.

With my amp in my car, I have these 2 jacks.
It goes like this.
Cd player - aux output.
Aux output – amp aux input.
amp - speakers.

Are you wanting your aux wires to go to the soundcard on your pc? If so i guess i need more info!!

Those 2 wires (red n white) are called aux wires. So either you can look on the net for aux to .... whatever your sound card has, see if that works.

But I am assuming that the home entertainment amp works in the same was as my amp in the car, the aux input goes to amp, it amps it up and send it down the speaker wires 2 speakers.

[Psymon]

the method is the same yes, just change names a bit.
mobo sound card - output (I think its called stereo cable) x3
output stereo x3 - aux x6 input
amp - speakers.
The jacks coming out of the PC use a cable that can handle 2 speakers worth at once, so front left and right for 1 jack, rear both for 2nd, then centre and sub for the 3rd. Amps like to take each speaker on its own so it's got a seperate input for each speaker. Hence the x3 and x6 in the connection part. Now thats a lot of cable. If I can find an amp with a digital input instead that uses aux and my S/PDIF output is aux and compatible with the amp, then thats the thing to do.

[venney]

I am justa bit confused. Whats your actual probme si?

I have some spare splitters at home, like 1 to 2. Like so you can turn 1 set of aux into 2, so 2 into 4. If that makes sense? Do you need them?

[Psymon]

i dont knoooooow. I've got a splitter atm anyway, thats how I get stereo using my hifi atm.
I just want a new amp that can do 5.1 and I was wondering if anyone knew about the digital input or any other way of doing it without resorting to a 5.1 system specifically made for computers. I don't really want a 5.1 system built for a computer because the speakers are weak.
Starting to look like its my only option though.

[venney]

Ive seen pictures of people using like normal subwoofers with pcs before, like the one in my car. I was planning on using that in my home when im older to be honest.

Ive done some searching on the net and i found this.
'i have my current pc hooked up to my amplifier using the soundcard connection and then from my amplifier i have 2 sets of 100 watt speakers hooked up to it and yes it is IMENCE'

I am asumeing thats exactly what you are wanting.

'You'd have to have the amplifier to power the speakers, an RCA to 8mm plug connector should then be plugged into the back of the sound card, RCA end from amplifier to 8mm plug on sound card. Little tired so my typing probably isn't making sense. But the speakers need power, an amplifier can provide power, then connect. HTH'

I just did some searching, maybe that helps you in someway.
http://www.dvdrom-guide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=560
was the site i found.

Ven

[venney]

http://www.tech-forums.net/showthread.p ... adid=51092

Check that out also.

Also mate, could you be after something as simple as this

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/252985/ ... uk_110103#

[Psymon]

that home cinema system is pretty much what my other option is, if I can't find just an amp. I just feel that I'll be getting better quality if I find an amp rather than one of instead.
I really don't like that idea of the wireless ones because my wireless network would screw around with my sound.

[venney]

Lol in thoery, you could buy a car amp, like mine, put a step down on it from the wall, hook it up to 2 speakers and have 2 amped speakers lol, but would be kinda a lot of money for 2 speakers.

[Psymon]

lol, yeh
but also I want to make use of all my speakers so its not what I'm after.

[venney]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 19-4703838

Is that what you want si? I think that looks awsome, cheap as well. I actually really like that.