Mini HI FI as computer speakers with optical (digital in)?

Hoping this will be the right forum for this.

I need a new sound system after the demise of a Sony one I've been using for 10 years or so. This system had a Minidisc recorder, a CD Drive (laser long since not working properly!) and analog in, and digital (optical in) in the back, now I need to be quite choosy about replacing this because of my recording setup. I need to record with and hear a multitrack ASIO sound card.

I have a keyboard going into a sound card capable of ASIO (synced recording!) and what I used to do was have the regular computer output on the analog in and the output from this recording device on the optical (digital in). And now I can't seem to find many Hi-fi systems that even have it. I can't record on the regular sound card because Cubase says it's not in sync and I have to monitor output via this specialist card, but it has some strange choices for output connectors.

So if I fail to get this exact mini hi-fi again what sort of thing do you think I could use as effectively computer speakers and a monitoring device for this?

Comments

  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,330
    Forum Member
    I have a keyboard going into a sound card capable of ASIO (synced recording!) and what I used to do was have the regular computer output on the analog in and the output from this recording device on the optical (digital in).

    I suspect you're going to struggle? - the old system only had digital in because it was mini-disc, there's no reason to have it any more as there's no domestic digital recording formats in use.

    An obvious use would be for feeding the digital out from a TV through it, but for that they make theatre systems, not stereos.
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    If all else fails, something like this

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/LINDY-Digital-Analogue-Stereo-Converter/dp/B002AKXG5E/

    would allow you to plug the optical out of the sound card into any analogue stereo input on the replacement audio system.
  • Bill ClintonBill Clinton Posts: 9,389
    Forum Member
    Thanks for that advice, that would have been just the device to go for to replace it, given so many systems don't actually have the optical in. Luckily I found an Ebay auction for an exact copy of the same hi-fi, funnily enough winning it for the same price minus postage for the same price as that optical to analogue converter.
    The MD recording is useful for when I do radio interviews, as if something goes wrong on the computer end and I stand to lose the file I can have a MD recording and get it back that way.

    Shame there isn't a model like this that also included DAB radio which I would have gone for as a replacement had it been possible.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,330
    Forum Member
    Shame there isn't a model like this that also included DAB radio which I would have gone for as a replacement had it been possible.

    There have certainly been some Sony systems with DAB and MD, but I've no idea if they had optical in or not?.
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