Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Thinking about changing my all-in-one hifi (which, other than the CD bit beginning to get tired and not reading CD-R discs half the time, is in great condition and still works fine), and going for seperates.

My current hi fi is an Aiwa unit, and the reason I got it was two things - 1) it has built in Minidisc (I use MD a lot, specially for in-car) and also has an optical TOS input.

But I am thinking about getting a seperate MD deck, with a USB connection so I can transfer MP3's to MD directly without having to burn em ot CD-R and record em to MD.

But I am having a right tough time finding a normal stereo house amp with an optical TOS input and output

All I seem to find are AV amps, which I just don't need! And as such I don't want to pay the hefty price tag for them since all it will be having plugged into it is the PC (via optical cable), the MD deck (by optical TOS or normal stereo RCA) a CD deck (by either digi-coax or normal stereo RCA) and possibly a DAB tuner.

I don't want to spend a tonne of money as my current hifi is mostly fine, apart from a few issue with the CD part getting tired, but otherwise it produces crystal clear audio from my PC, through it's amp and out the speakers....

Any idea's?

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

No?

Fil

whats TOS short for, or is that the small square clip in optical plug/socket?

JohnnyB

why the great need for a optical conection?

normal will work fine for all but the nutter audifile

Fil

ebay is your friend matt,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Technics-SUX98...QQcmdZViewItem

JohnnyB

fooking hell Fil, you ebay fiend.

Anyway Fil how are you still get rid of your 4x4

Fil

in awhile , once i make my mind up, looking to stay 4x4 but in the shape of a S4 audi 99/00 model, just want something newer really oh and the need for an estate ( note not for kids , dogs, just drug running )

JohnnyB

don't lie you want it to sort out your dinner party cred


you sell out

Fil

Dont be silly if i was going to a dinner party the misses would be driving me there in her KA, so's i could get pissed on posh wine

oh and see here > https://passionford.com/forum/viewto...136&highlight=

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Fil - don't know what TOS is short for, but yes, it is the small squarish plug on optical cables. I have also had my eye on that particular hifi for a few days now The only thing is, it looks like it only has 1 TOS in and one TOS out, and I ideally need 2x TOS inputs

Johnny - Optical is superbly clear, and since going to optical over analogue, I don't think I could go back.

I kitted my PC out with an decent soundcard with optical in and out, along with digi-coax (SPDIF) and since listening to the PC through my hifi using optical, and making optical CD>MD copies, going back to analogue would be poo!!!!

I am thinking about maybe this one;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SONY-STR-LV500...QQcmdZViewItem

3x Optical TOS inputs
1x Optical TOS output
4x stereo RCA line inputs
1x stereo RCA line output
1x SPDIF digi coax input

50w x5 @ 8ohm

JohnnyB

thrush optical is digi and audio file would never use it.

A mate is a audiofile and does my fooking face in, 800 pound speaker wire FFS

Fill

So you want a Diff then?

Fil

johnny i do, but i think stu with the gtr's on thecase for me, but if that falls through, and you know of one via your contacts, then im interested!

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Johnny - do you mean AUDIOPHILE? as in an audio quality freak?

I am not an audio quality freak, but I do like crystal clear sound comparred to lesser sound. Since MP3 is digital media, as is CD and Minidisc (to an extent), optical cabling is the best way to go (or SPDIF digi-coax, which isn't as common these days due to optical TOS being cheaper)

I have a definite mindset to stick with optical cable anyway, regardless of what audiophiles think They hate MP3's anyway so fuck em

Fil

SPDIF digi-coax, which isn't as common these days

thats how both my dvd and satellite reciever are conected to my amp, the dam 1M leads were the cheepest i could buy when i got them @ Ł25 each

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Optical TOS is cheaper than that still. 5m optical cable (and not a shitty thin as fuck on either, with decent connectors on the end) was about Ł8

Fil

im sure that was 5/6 years ago now, not sure what they cost these days, or what better outta the two?

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Dunno really - I haven't looked for ages either. My DVD player has SPDIF output on it, but my hifi don't have an SPDIF input so I don't use it. PC card has SPDIF input and output, but again - as hifi don't have it I don't use it.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Anyway, much as I want that Sony NetMD deck I think I might stay with the current set up I have, rather than buy all new stuff, as to be honest as while I might be able to afford to do it if I buy second hand stuff from fleabay, I can't really justify spending out Ł200+ when currently, my MP3's sound fooking ace through my hifi

Think I might just spend Ł20-Ł30 on a portable NetMD and have it sat on the desk so it's easier to transfer MP3's to and from the PC and MD

Fil

yep my pcs got one too, but its about a 15M run to the amp, Łsss probably

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Actually maybe not - prices HAVE come down on em!

hhttp://www.cutpricecables.co.uk/digital.html With 10m being Ł10, and increases of 1m adding on Ł1, bank on Ł15-Ł16 plus postage.....

Fil

i'd still have to drill more holes in the walls of my house, my dad allready thinks its going to fall down , due to the amount of holes ive drilled for cables

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

scruffythefirst

You really don't need optical in or out on an amp, just use a decent minijack to phono to play stuff out from the computer, and digital to go between the pc and minidisc player. Been doing it for years and the dac in a good soundcard is likely to be good enough not to notice for high bitrate mp3's. In fact the dacs in a good soundcard are likely to be better than the ones in a cheap amp with digital in. As long as you use a decent cable, you won't notice any difference, in fact it'll probably sound better than an all in one job.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Your missing the point. The go between the PC and the MD would be a USB cable, so no audio cables would be needed for that.

The optical cable from PC to hifi has made a HUGE improvement in sound that it did when I had mini-jack (3.5mm stereo) to RCA/phono. MASSIVE difference in quality.

scruffythefirst

Thats cos you've got a shitty mini system or simmilar, the aux inputs on them are nearly always shite.

Even a cheapish standalone amp, speakers and a good soundcard with decent cables WILL sound better.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Well, I get virtually no difference in quality from using the analogue RCA inputs from the DVD player to my hifi, comparred to using the optical output - so it must be the soundcard then. I ran a 3.5mm stereo cable with 2 RCA's on the end to the RCA inputs on the hifi and it sounded okay. Ran the optical cable to it and it sounded far clearer, much better and even a little bit louder.

Either way, I am happy with the sound coming out my soundcard to the hifi - the purpous of changing it all was really a) to make use of a USB connected MD deck, and b) to get a new CD deck....

But I have decided that I can live with my CD player, as I generally don't do THAt much CD playing anymore (thanks to PC connected to hifi) and might just get a portable NetMD to connect to the PC...

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Ah!

After some hefty late night research, I won't be buying anything

I have found out, from several reliable sources, that it is NOT possible to upload from MD to PC using NetMD decks or portables. That means that you can't transfer songs from MD's to the PC using any of the Sony NetMD players and software, except the brand new RH1 and even then you can only do it with stuff recorded onto the new-ish HiMD disc



So no point even buying a portable.

It seems there is only two ways to get stuff from an MD player onto the PC, and both are done by recording it onto the PC in realtime - 1) is analogue (3.5mm from MD line out/headphone to 3.5mm soundcard line in) and the other is to use the Xitel MD Port I/O which is a DA converter and uses a USB sound plug on the PC end. This does both ways.

But, I can't find one in the UK, not even on ebay Will probably have to import one from the US or Germany or something.....

So half the reason for getting a NetMD device is gone, so for the cost involved, it's not really worth buying one. It would still be good to be able to transfer directly from the PC to MD disc without burning or in realtime (as std MD's will transfer at about 1.8x normal, but the NetMD software needs to convert from MP3/WMA/AAC to Atrac first, which by the time it has done that, it might be about the same to record in real time)

Fooking MD

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

The MD Port I/O, as I have just been informed, is now discontinued So can't get one of them either

biglee

fookin hell i thought mine was expensive at 120quid a meter......800quid fookin hell,

mind i did pay 350quid for inox phono cables...lol....cant beat'em