[JBones]

I can connect an MP3 player to my home stereo using an 1/8" stereo to
RCA jack, but I'm not satisfied with the sound. The signal seems low
with too much bass. Even when I boost the volume on the MP3 player to
about 3/4 full, I still have to crank the receiver volume much higher
than I do with a direct RCA to RCA input device. I've tried this with
two different MP3 players with the same result. Is there simply a loss
of quality going from 1/8" to RCA? Any suggestions to improve the
sound quality are appreciated. Thanks.

-JB

[Laurence Payne]

On 15 Nov 2006 16:56:32 -0800, "JBones" wrote:

I can connect an MP3 player to my home stereo using an 1/8" stereo to
RCA jack, but I'm not satisfied with the sound. The signal seems low
with too much bass. Even when I boost the volume on the MP3 player to
about 3/4 full, I still have to crank the receiver volume much higher
than I do with a direct RCA to RCA input device. I've tried this with
two different MP3 players with the same result. Is there simply a loss
of quality going from 1/8" to RCA? Any suggestions to improve the
sound quality are appreciated. Thanks.

I hope you're using a stereo 1/8" jack plug to *two* RCA jacks?

Doubtless the output of the player is designed to drive a pair of
headphones. This is not a good match for Line In on an amplifier.
Sometimes you get away with it.

But do check first that you're using the right cable. It's a stereo
connection.

[JBones]

On Nov 15, 8:05 pm, Laurence Payne lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom
wrote:
On 15 Nov 2006 16:56:32 -0800, "JBones" wrote:

I can connect an MP3 player to my home stereo using an 1/8" stereo to
RCA jack, but I'm not satisfied with the sound. The signal seems low
with too much bass. Even when I boost the volume on the MP3 player to
about 3/4 full, I still have to crank the receiver volume much higher
than I do with a direct RCA to RCA input device. I've tried this with
two different MP3 players with the same result. Is there simply a loss
of quality going from 1/8" to RCA? Any suggestions to improve the
sound quality are appreciated. Thanks.I hope you're using a stereo 1/8" jack plug to *two* RCA jacks?

Doubtless the output of the player is designed to drive a pair of
headphones. This is not a good match for Line In on an amplifier.
Sometimes you get away with it.

But do check first that you're using the right cable. It's a stereo
connection.

Yes I'm going from 1/8" stereo to RCA stereo. Perhaps running the
signal through a preamp first would help?

[Richard Crowley]

"JBones" wrote ...
Laurence Payne wrote:

Doubtless the output of the player is designed to drive a pair of
headphones. This is not a good match for Line In on an amplifier.
Sometimes you get away with it.

Actually, the headphone output of most modern equipment
is not a bad match for the average line-level input in terms
of levels and impedance. The major possible downside is
slightly higher noise and distortion but perhaps not noticable
to most regular MP3 users. (No offense to MP3 users, I do it
myself for casual listening)

But do check first that you're using the right cable. It's a stereo
connection.

Yes I'm going from 1/8" stereo to RCA stereo. Perhaps running the
signal through a preamp first would help?

Possibly, but likely not worth the effort to try.

[Todd H.]

"JBones" writes:

On Nov 15, 8:05 pm, Laurence Payne lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom
wrote:
On 15 Nov 2006 16:56:32 -0800, "JBones" wrote:

I can connect an MP3 player to my home stereo using an 1/8" stereo to
RCA jack, but I'm not satisfied with the sound. The signal seems low
with too much bass. Even when I boost the volume on the MP3 player to
about 3/4 full, I still have to crank the receiver volume much higher
than I do with a direct RCA to RCA input device. I've tried this with
two different MP3 players with the same result. Is there simply a loss
of quality going from 1/8" to RCA? Any suggestions to improve the
sound quality are appreciated. Thanks.I hope you're using a stereo 1/8" jack plug to *two* RCA jacks?

Doubtless the output of the player is designed to drive a pair of
headphones. This is not a good match for Line In on an amplifier.
Sometimes you get away with it.

But do check first that you're using the right cable. It's a stereo
connection.

Yes I'm going from 1/8" stereo to RCA stereo. Perhaps running the
signal through a preamp first would help?

Test that cable to verify there isn't a short in there. Try another
cable.

There should be no discernible loss whatsoever going through a
properly manufacturerd 1/8" stereo to Right/Left RCA cable like this.
I use them frequently with portable CD players, my Creative Nomade
Jukebox, iPod, etc.

Best Regards,
--
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[Laurence Payne]

On 15 Nov 2006 17:22:51 -0800, "JBones" wrote:

Yes I'm going from 1/8" stereo to RCA stereo. Perhaps running the
signal through a preamp first would help?

There's nothing inherently wrong with: "Even when I boost the volume
on the MP3 player to about 3/4 full, I still have to crank the
receiver volume much higher than I do with a direct RCA to RCA input
device." Some sources are higher level, some are lower. That's why
equipment as level controls. Why not set the player volume to 100%,
if that's what it takes? That's all a preamp would do, after all :-)

Might the player have a bass boost function? This is common in
portable players designed to drive earbuds. But it should be defeated
when feeding speakers.

Have you told us what model MP3 player you have?

[Jeff Findley]

"Laurence Payne" lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom wrote in message
...
Might the player have a bass boost function? This is common in
portable players designed to drive earbuds. But it should be defeated
when feeding speakers.

A lot of them have volume limiters as well. Some models you can go into the
menus and tell the unit the max volume allowed.

Jeff
--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety"
- B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919)

[JBones]

Laurence Payne wrote:
On 15 Nov 2006 17:22:51 -0800, "JBones" wrote:

Yes I'm going from 1/8" stereo to RCA stereo. Perhaps running the
signal through a preamp first would help?

There's nothing inherently wrong with: "Even when I boost the volume
on the MP3 player to about 3/4 full, I still have to crank the
receiver volume much higher than I do with a direct RCA to RCA input
device." Some sources are higher level, some are lower. That's why
equipment as level controls. Why not set the player volume to 100%,
if that's what it takes? That's all a preamp would do, after all :-)

Might the player have a bass boost function? This is common in
portable players designed to drive earbuds. But it should be defeated
when feeding speakers.

Have you told us what model MP3 player you have?

But the preamp doesn't eat up my battery charge! I don't have the
effort to run it through the pre-amp, it's just not worth it. I'll
stick to MP3 CDs for the receiver.

[Todd H.]

"JBones" writes:

Laurence Payne wrote:
On 15 Nov 2006 17:22:51 -0800, "JBones" wrote:

Yes I'm going from 1/8" stereo to RCA stereo. Perhaps running the
signal through a preamp first would help?

There's nothing inherently wrong with: "Even when I boost the volume
on the MP3 player to about 3/4 full, I still have to crank the
receiver volume much higher than I do with a direct RCA to RCA input
device." Some sources are higher level, some are lower. That's why
equipment as level controls. Why not set the player volume to 100%,
if that's what it takes? That's all a preamp would do, after all :-)

Might the player have a bass boost function? This is common in
portable players designed to drive earbuds. But it should be defeated
when feeding speakers.

Have you told us what model MP3 player you have?

But the preamp doesn't eat up my battery charge!

Neither does feeding it to anything other than headphones, including
whatever you're trying to drive. All are going to be high impedance,
low current draw inputs whether they're labeled preamp or not.

High volume setting doesn't necessarily mean you're going to radically
reduce your battery life if you're feeding down stream electronics.


I don't have the effort to run it through the pre-amp, it's just not
worth it. I'll stick to MP3 CDs for the receiver.

Does that work through the same cable you're inquiring about?


--
--
/"\ ASCII Ribbon Campaign | Todd H
\ / | http://www.toddh.net/
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[Jeff Findley]

"JBones" wrote in message
oups.com...
I can connect an MP3 player to my home stereo using an 1/8" stereo to
RCA jack, but I'm not satisfied with the sound. The signal seems low
with too much bass. Even when I boost the volume on the MP3 player to
about 3/4 full, I still have to crank the receiver volume much higher
than I do with a direct RCA to RCA input device. I've tried this with
two different MP3 players with the same result. Is there simply a loss
of quality going from 1/8" to RCA? Any suggestions to improve the
sound quality are appreciated. Thanks.

Stop plugging the headphone out jack on an MP3 player into your stereo?

But seriously, most of the time this will work, but I've found it likely
you'll have to disable any volume limiter on the MP3 player (commonly found
on MP3 players to limit the output to the factory supplied ear buds so the
buyer doesn't lose their hearing), disable any equalization on the MP3
player (which could be the source of too much bass), and turn the volume all
the way up.

Do all of this and you're getting closer to what a line level input would
want, but the headphone out jack is still not a real line level output.

Jeff
--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety"
- B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919)