Archive: 14 posts

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I just decided i would try to connect my iMac to my old CD player speakers, so i could listen a bit louder with better quality. Problem is, being old they don't have an aux in, the only free inputs are red + white, like the audio inputs for a tv. Does anyone know if there is a way i can get sound from my mac to play through the speakers? The only two jacks that look look like they will take a cable on my mac are the headphone jack and another one which is a circle with two filled triangles pointing away (i have no idea what it does ) Any help would be great, i want to see if there is a way to do it before i spend money on new speakers....

2010-01-08 12:43:00 Author: Unknown User

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Don't know much about Mac's, but I suspect the other connector is the mic jack or an audio out. Hopefully it is audio out since the arrows are pointing out. However, you would need some sort of small stereo amp with RCA connectors to make that push the speakers from an audio jack. ..or if wire connector terminals are on the amp as many are these day , simply snip off the connectors on the speakers. If it isn't an audio out, headphone out might work depending how much wattage it actually puts out. However, I suspect adding an amp after the headphone output would really distort the quality of the sound. ..so hopefully it is audio out!!

2010-01-08 13:00:00 Author: jwwphotos Posts: 11383

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However, you would need some sort of small stereo amp with RCA connectors to make that push the speakers from an audio jack. ..or if wire connector terminals are on the amp as many are these day , simply snip off the connectors on the speakers. In a way that i can understand?

2010-01-08 13:03:00 Author: Unknown User

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Oh sorry... as well as I misread a few things. The funny red and white connectors on your speakers are commonly called RCA connectors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector). You might be able to hook your mac up to a small stereo amp and hook that to the speakers. To do it you may need to visit a Radio Shack (http://www.radioshack.com/home/index.jsp?&camp=PPC:Google:Brand:Exact) or some other comparable store in your area if you don't already have a set of cables lying around.

2010-01-08 13:27:00 Author: jwwphotos Posts: 11383

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If the audio inputs for the speakers are RCA, then that suggests they might be powered anyway, or if not, then they are probably very low wattage. I don't know if you wanna be amplifying a signal into RCA....? You can buy headphone jack to RCA adapters for next to nothing (if you look around - ebay often works for stuff like this). If I'm understanding correctly this should just work for you.

2010-01-08 13:34:00 Author: rtm223 Posts: 6497

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I'll have a look for a headphone to RCA adapter, if that doesn't work i'll try somthing else...

2010-01-08 13:39:00 Author: Unknown User

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If the audio inputs for the speakers are RCA, then that suggests they might be powered anyway, or if not, then they are probably very low wattage. I don't know if you wanna be amplifying a signal into RCA....? You can buy headphone jack to RCA adapters for next to nothing (if you look around - ebay often works for stuff like this). If I'm understanding correctly this should just work for you. You want an RCA-female to M Stereo 3.5 jack much like this one... http://budgetgamer.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/audio1-rca-to-headphone.jpg Good luck!

2010-01-08 13:43:00 Author: supersickie Posts: 1366

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That's the beastie. Although you'll need a normal RCA cable to go with that

2010-01-08 13:45:00 Author: rtm223 Posts: 6497

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That's the beastie. Although you'll need a normal RCA cable to go with that Of course, but it sounds as if his speakers have RCA connectors which - if I've understood correctly - should fit the role of the aforementioned RCA cable...

2010-01-08 13:48:00 Author: supersickie Posts: 1366

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Just realized i should probably point out that the RCA connecters are on the back of the CD player itself, not the actual speakers, so i assume plugging into the CD player which is connected to the speakers will have the same effect?

2010-01-08 13:51:00 Author: Unknown User

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Just realized i should probably point out that the RCA connecters are on the back of the CD player itself, not the actual speakers, so i assume plugging into the CD player which is connected to the speakers will have the same effect? Eh, I think so, but I'm not sure. I can't get my head around it this early. Either way, they make the jacks with male ends on the RCA as well. They should be dirt cheap either way so you wouldn't be out too much money if it didn't work. Are the inputs labelled as "Audio In" or anything at all?

2010-01-08 14:00:00 Author: supersickie Posts: 1366

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That sounds like the aux in I used to have on a really only stereo I had. The player should be able to just take that signal and amplify it, so jack-RCA would be the best thing to try first. Unless the RCA is a pre-out lol. That might cause you problems

2010-01-08 14:04:00 Author: rtm223 Posts: 6497

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Pre-out? You may have realized i have no idea what half of this means

2010-01-08 14:08:00 Author: Unknown User

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If the audio inputs for the speakers are RCA, then that suggests they might be powered anyway, or if not, then they are probably very low wattage. I don't know if you wanna be amplifying a signal into RCA....? Ahh yeah true... hard to say. Sometimes small rigs, it is hard to tell where they have the amp. Usually if the speakers aren't very heavy then, good bet that the speakers are not powered. I have small office stereo system that they use RCA jacks just to make it somewhat handy rather than having normal wires. Strange, but oh well.. The mini stereo to RCA connectors are worth a shot as supersickie suggests and somewhere like Radio Shack if it didn't work nicely you should be able to return them. Oh ...just read this. "Just realized i should probably point out that the RCA connecters are on the back of the CD player itself, not the actual speakers, so i assume plugging into the CD player which is connected to the speakers will have the same effect? " Yes that makes a difference! Sorry for adding to your confusion. I would still try what supersickie suggests.

2010-01-08 15:24:00 Author: jwwphotos Posts: 11383

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