Interconnectivity question

grocerjack · 27-11-2008, 13:47

Dopey question. I have a 7 year old Kenwood hi-fi system (sorry can't remember the model number) and wondered if

a.) I could connect the iPod to it to use playlists for parties etc
b.) Do I need a sound dock or similar to do this?
c.) If anyone knows a way to connect my PC which also stores all my digital music to my hi-fi then that'd be appreciated. i'm afraid the changing of CD's at a party has now become a thing of the past.

In essence I'd like to connect the hi-fi to the PC and the ipod using both as a juke box kind of feed into the 'Wood's rather deliciois 7 speakers!

Or...would I better buying a great big singing/dancing TV/Home Cinema system and connecting PC/iPOD into this?

skinj · 27-11-2008, 13:59

Use a 3.5mm (headphone jack) lead from the ipod to a stereo phono (rca) red/white connection called aux or ext on the hifi to link from the headphone socket on the ipod, or the headphone/audio out on the PC.

Chris Frost · 27-11-2008, 22:56

skinj's suggestion will work and will cost peanuts to do. I've done the same for some of my customers.

Occasionally I've found laptops with noisy headphone sockets. An old Dell I had was fine but my current Acer sounds terrible via the headphone out. You've got to suck it and see. I now use a USB external sound card with the laptop. That gives much better results.

The headphone sockets of iPods aren't the greatest quality either. If you run in to problems there then an iPod dock is the answer. They take their sound feed from the multi-pin connector. This is a much cleaner feed.

RobAnt · 28-11-2008, 04:49

Quote:

a.) I could connect the iPod to it to use playlists for parties etc
b.) Do I need a sound dock or similar to do this?
c.) If anyone knows a way to connect my PC which also stores all my digital music to my hi-fi then that'd be appreciated. i'm afraid the changing of CD's at a party has now become a thing of the past.

a. Yes you could

b. no, not necessarily - a headphone jack to two RCA (Phono) plugs into the aux on your Kenwood will work fine - but be careful you don't have the volume on the iPod turned up too high. About 70% volume should work, but if there is any distortion turn it down.

c. If you PC has a digital output (optical or coax), and your Kenwood has a matching input that would work well.

Alternatively a headphone jack to two phono (RCA) plugs will work.

I am expecting that your Kenwood is stereo and doesn't have digital inputs - mainly because I haven't seen a Kenwood badged audio design since the late '70's! Everyone thought they were getting a free food mixer with their amplifiers/receivers!

I'm aware though that the name lingers on in the USA.

the hamster · 28-11-2008, 07:59

Kenwoods were the HiFi of the 90's when there seemed to be a competition to see who could make the biggest with the most neons and bits sticking out!

bobcar · 28-11-2008, 13:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobAnt

I am expecting that your Kenwood is stereo and doesn't have digital inputs - mainly because I haven't seen a Kenwood badged audio design since the late '70's! Everyone thought they were getting a free food mixer with their amplifiers/receivers!

I'm aware though that the name lingers on in the USA.

Wasn't Kenwood what Pioneer (or similar) equipment was badged as in the USA? I do remember all the food mixer jokes.

RobAnt · 30-11-2008, 22:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobcar

Wasn't Kenwood what Pioneer (or similar) equipment was badged as in the USA? I do remember all the food mixer jokes.

I don't think so. Pioneer were a separate entity in the UK, at least, remember the Pioneer PL12D? One of the most iconic turntables of the mid 1970's. I had a Kenwood receiver then, and Acoustic Research speakers.

bobcar · 01-12-2008, 14:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobAnt

I don't think so. Pioneer were a separate entity in the UK, at least, remember the Pioneer PL12D? One of the most iconic turntables of the mid 1970's. I had a Kenwood receiver then, and Acoustic Research speakers.

I've done a quick check and the company that was Kenwood in the US was Trio here (some Kenwood models were sold), I knew they were some other well known company I just couldn't remember which.

glyn · 01-12-2008, 16:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Frost

The headphone sockets of iPods aren't the greatest quality either. If you run in to problems there then an iPod dock is the answer. They take their sound feed from the multi-pin connector. This is a much cleaner feed.

It's not actually a dock, you just need a cable that takes the audio line-level output from the iPod, like one of these:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=99543. This presupposes you have a 3.5 mm line input jack on your amp. If it has twin phono inputs then you'll need to get a 3.5 mm to twin phono converter cable as well.

Chris Frost · 01-12-2008, 17:45

^^^ Yeah, that's a much better idea than using the headphone socket as an analogue output. Docks still have their advantages though...
[LIST][*]remote control[*]video output for the OSD[*]charges the iPod[/LIST]
I was wondering, my Philips MP3 player has optical out via the headphone jack, do iPods have the same feature? [It's of no use to the OP, but I was just curious

]

27-11-2008, 13:47	#1
grocerjack Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 363	Interconnectivity question Dopey question. I have a 7 year old Kenwood hi-fi system (sorry can't remember the model number) and wondered if a.) I could connect the iPod to it to use playlists for parties etc b.) Do I need a sound dock or similar to do this? c.) If anyone knows a way to connect my PC which also stores all my digital music to my hi-fi then that'd be appreciated. i'm afraid the changing of CD's at a party has now become a thing of the past. In essence I'd like to connect the hi-fi to the PC and the ipod using both as a juke box kind of feed into the 'Wood's rather deliciois 7 speakers! Or...would I better buying a great big singing/dancing TV/Home Cinema system and connecting PC/iPOD into this?

27-11-2008, 13:59	#2
skinj Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 3,206	Use a 3.5mm (headphone jack) lead from the ipod to a stereo phono (rca) red/white connection called aux or ext on the hifi to link from the headphone socket on the ipod, or the headphone/audio out on the PC.

27-11-2008, 22:56	#3
Chris Frost Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Cheshire Posts: 6,462	skinj's suggestion will work and will cost peanuts to do. I've done the same for some of my customers. Occasionally I've found laptops with noisy headphone sockets. An old Dell I had was fine but my current Acer sounds terrible via the headphone out. You've got to suck it and see. I now use a USB external sound card with the laptop. That gives much better results. The headphone sockets of iPods aren't the greatest quality either. If you run in to problems there then an iPod dock is the answer. They take their sound feed from the multi-pin connector. This is a much cleaner feed.

28-11-2008, 04:49	#4
RobAnt Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South West Posts: 10,218	Quote: a.) I could connect the iPod to it to use playlists for parties etc b.) Do I need a sound dock or similar to do this? c.) If anyone knows a way to connect my PC which also stores all my digital music to my hi-fi then that'd be appreciated. i'm afraid the changing of CD's at a party has now become a thing of the past. a. Yes you could b. no, not necessarily - a headphone jack to two RCA (Phono) plugs into the aux on your Kenwood will work fine - but be careful you don't have the volume on the iPod turned up too high. About 70% volume should work, but if there is any distortion turn it down. c. If you PC has a digital output (optical or coax), and your Kenwood has a matching input that would work well. Alternatively a headphone jack to two phono (RCA) plugs will work. I am expecting that your Kenwood is stereo and doesn't have digital inputs - mainly because I haven't seen a Kenwood badged audio design since the late '70's! Everyone thought they were getting a free food mixer with their amplifiers/receivers! I'm aware though that the name lingers on in the USA.

28-11-2008, 07:59	#5
the hamster Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: AA Aerials, Grantham & Melton Posts: 1,034	Kenwoods were the HiFi of the 90's when there seemed to be a competition to see who could make the biggest with the most neons and bits sticking out!

28-11-2008, 13:17	#6
bobcar Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 14,718	Quote: Originally Posted by RobAnt I am expecting that your Kenwood is stereo and doesn't have digital inputs - mainly because I haven't seen a Kenwood badged audio design since the late '70's! Everyone thought they were getting a free food mixer with their amplifiers/receivers! I'm aware though that the name lingers on in the USA. Wasn't Kenwood what Pioneer (or similar) equipment was badged as in the USA? I do remember all the food mixer jokes.

30-11-2008, 22:56	#7
RobAnt Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South West Posts: 10,218	Quote: Originally Posted by bobcar Wasn't Kenwood what Pioneer (or similar) equipment was badged as in the USA? I do remember all the food mixer jokes. I don't think so. Pioneer were a separate entity in the UK, at least, remember the Pioneer PL12D? One of the most iconic turntables of the mid 1970's. I had a Kenwood receiver then, and Acoustic Research speakers.

01-12-2008, 14:07	#8
bobcar Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 14,718	Quote: Originally Posted by RobAnt I don't think so. Pioneer were a separate entity in the UK, at least, remember the Pioneer PL12D? One of the most iconic turntables of the mid 1970's. I had a Kenwood receiver then, and Acoustic Research speakers. I've done a quick check and the company that was Kenwood in the US was Trio here (some Kenwood models were sold), I knew they were some other well known company I just couldn't remember which.

01-12-2008, 16:28	#9
glyn Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: London Posts: 47	Quote: Originally Posted by Chris Frost The headphone sockets of iPods aren't the greatest quality either. If you run in to problems there then an iPod dock is the answer. They take their sound feed from the multi-pin connector. This is a much cleaner feed. It's not actually a dock, you just need a cable that takes the audio line-level output from the iPod, like one of these: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=99543. This presupposes you have a 3.5 mm line input jack on your amp. If it has twin phono inputs then you'll need to get a 3.5 mm to twin phono converter cable as well.

01-12-2008, 17:45	#10
Chris Frost Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Cheshire Posts: 6,462	^^^ Yeah, that's a much better idea than using the headphone socket as an analogue output. Docks still have their advantages though... [LIST][]remote control[]video output for the OSD[*]charges the iPod[/LIST] I was wondering, my Philips MP3 player has optical out via the headphone jack, do iPods have the same feature? [It's of no use to the OP, but I was just curious ]

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Interconnectivity question