HiFi Help

[hongman]

Hey all

Can anyone shed some light on this?

I bought my wife a Sony Mini Hifi system for Xmas, model number MHC-EC79I - 380W RMS.


Inputs - iPod (which is what we mainly use), CD, PC via 3.5mm Jack
Outputs - 1 Pair Speakers directly, 3.5mm Jack Headphones

I actually was actually meaning to get the model up, with the Subwoofer speaker and Sub Output...my mistake. Return is not possible as we have chucked all the packaging etc.

So I want to enhance this while retaining use of the main unit, as we have paid for it etc.

I want to boost overall volume (to around 600w RMS) and also add a Sub. Only looking for 2.1, not bothered about anything more.


Do you know of any products you can suggest, which will take a 3.5mm jack output from the Sony unit, and enable to use of a Sub?


Can you even run an amp via a 3.5mm headphone output, with decent results?


Ideally it'd be something like:

Main unit (enabling us to keep the ipod + remote functionality) -> 3.5mm headphone jack -> Amp > Sub, Speakers

???

[beabert]

The volume is largly dependant on speaker sensitivity measured in decibels. The only real way to increase volume is change speakers.

You can fit an inline active(amp built in) subwoofer, you chop the speaker wire going to one speaker and it sits in between.

[SoulKiss]

Assuming that the 3.5mm out to the speakers are each mono, you could use a y-splitter to combine them - this is easy to spot - post a pic of the connector on the end of the speaker cables...

You could then plug this combined stereo 3.5mm jack into the input of any computer desktop 2.1 system.

Might it be worth ebaying the current system and put that towards the "correct" unit rather than lashing something up tho?

[Bluefish]

600 watts, i bet your neighbours love you :D

[Viney]

Hey all

Can anyone shed some light on this?

I bought my wife a Sony Mini Hifi system for Xmas, model number MHC-EC79I - 380W RMS.


Inputs - iPod (which is what we mainly use), CD, PC via 3.5mm Jack
Outputs - 1 Pair Speakers directly, 3.5mm Jack Headphones

I actually was actually meaning to get the model up, with the Subwoofer speaker and Sub Output...my mistake. Return is not possible as we have chucked all the packaging etc.

So I want to enhance this while retaining use of the main unit, as we have paid for it etc.

I want to boost overall volume (to around 600w RMS) and also add a Sub. Only looking for 2.1, not bothered about anything more.


Do you know of any products you can suggest, which will take a 3.5mm jack output from the Sony unit, and enable to use of a Sub?


Can you even run an amp via a 3.5mm headphone output, with decent results?


Ideally it'd be something like:

Main unit (enabling us to keep the ipod + remote functionality) -> 3.5mm headphone jack -> Amp > Sub, Speakers

???In a word Hong, nope. Sell the unit on Ebay swallow your pide and get the one you want. Joys of intergrated systems. 600w is not real wattage. its some figure thats made up by some marketing people. ALWAYS look for RMS figures in the the correct load for the speakers. For Instance 40w (RMS) per channel in 8ohms. This means that if you run a 4 ohm load then it will produce 80w per channel.

[maxinc]

In a word Hong, nope. Sell the unit on Ebay swallow your pide and get the one you want. Joys of intergrated systems. 600w is not real wattage. its some figure thats made up by some marketing people. ALWAYS look for RMS figures in the the correct load for the speakers. For Instance 40w (RMS) per channel in 8ohms. This means that if you run a 4 ohm load then it will produce 80w per channel.

+1 Cheaper too.

[munkygunn182]

I'd probably suggest selling what you've got, unless you, or a friend of yours has the patience of a saint to go through with loads of different wires, if you decide thats what you wanna do, I can probably provide guidance over PM, but bear in mind that wires are more expensive than you think. For simplicity, sell, if selling isn't an option, toss me a PM.

On the topic of annoying the neighbours, theres a ~5kW stage system sitting here... anyone got a neighbour they really hate?

[hongman]

Thanks for the input all...I've had a word with the Mrs and we are debating whether or not to change the system completely, or live with it. We both agree there is not much point lashing up a halfway system,, as it'll look ugly and be hard to find a place for in the house.

I'd be lieing if I said some of the wattage wasn't to annoy our neighbours, they are ****ing nuisances with their noise. Payback is sweet ;)

Can anyone recommend any decent websites? I'm browsing RicherSounds.com at the mo, but would appreciate suggestions. Seperates are looking quite appealing as well.

[paiste]

If you mainly use your Ipod, I would whole heartedly reccomend these (http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/Default.aspx?pagename=Aego-M-loudspeaker) .
They cost about £120. I paid £99 for mine a couple of years back. They are absolutely brilliant. A mate of mine bought a set and was raving about them. As he's usually full of sh!t I didn't really take notice of them until I heard them. :smt103 I have bought two sets, two more of my other friends have bought them, my father in law bought some and my brother bought two sets for his kids!
For the money they really cannot be touched. They sound better than my seperates and Bowers and Wilkins speakers that cost nearly ten times as much :rolleyes: More than loud enough to annoy the neighbours :D
Also as other have said, don't get sucked into the wattage b0ll0cks most of the time that figure is at best only vaguely related to what the real world power of the system is. Again as others have said, purely marteking rubbish.

[andrewsmith]

Hong

can fit an inline and that should do the trick http://www.richersounds.com/products/hi-fi-separates/speakers/subwoofers

[beabert]

Again, if you want loudness you want the sentitivity rating of the new speakers to be high. Pointless having a high wattage amp if the speakers arent efficient.

[Viney]

Hong with regards HiFi, whats your budget?

I take it that you want volume and bass and are not really an Audiophile and quality has to be uppermost in the spectrum of things?

Sevenoaks sound and vision have a sale on. It recomend thier Audiolab CD and Amp combo with a pair of Monitor Audio RX2 (Possibly one of the bassiest set of book shelfs on the market due to thier 8" Cones. But you are looking at around £1100 for that set up :)

Richer Shouldnts, They do some half decent stuff. Cambridge Audio is thier own brand, but they do NAD and Marantz, both good systems for the money. Speaker wise, if you want a bit of thump, then go for floor standers or Bookshelfs with a sub.

Heres a 'Loud system'

Amp - http://www.richersounds.com/product/amplifiers-receivers/teac/ar650/teac-ar650
CD - http://www.richersounds.com/product/cd-players-recorders-dacs-cassette-decks/teac/cdp1260/teac-cdp1260
Speakers - http://www.richersounds.com/product/floorstanders/eltax/concept-400/elta-concept-400-blk
or - Sub - http://www.richersounds.com/product/subwoofers/mordaunt-short/alumni-9/mord-alumni9-blk with
http://www.richersounds.com/product/bookshelf-speakers/mordaunt-short/aviano-1/mord-aviano-1-dk-wal

[hongman]

Hi Viney

Ooh, budget. he system you have specced up looks the dog doodah's but in reality is money I dont have to spend on a sound system. Thinking about it logically too, although I prefer floorstanding speakers, I'd get bookshelf ones - easier to keep out of the way of my (very angelic) destructive little daughter :D

However, I'd be lying if I said I didnt realise how much I need to spend for the system I really want! I need to sit and re-evaluate I think.

Sound is one of those things that is very hard to describe...I mean, yes I want loud, personally bass is what does it for me. When you say I'm not looking for the uppermost spectrum of things, what do you mean?

I'm happy if it can be cranked up "loud" and still remain clear with no distortion!

The Sony will do for now. Dont get me wrong, it's not BAD, its just not quite what I had bargained for (maybe if I didnt buy the wrong system in the first place....dont know how I managed that)

Just out of curiosity, one thing I have always wanted is wireless speakers. Any experience of them in conjunction with an amp + ipod dock? I expect they cost mega moola!

[hongman]

Again, if you want loudness you want the sentitivity rating of the new speakers to be high. Pointless having a high wattage amp if the speakers arent efficient.

Define high - what kind of figure should I be aiming for? 80's? 90's?

[barwel1992]

Define high - what kind of figure should I be aiming for? 80's? 90's?

i use 300w RMS 8ohms front monitors with a 250w amp and i dont 'need' a sub for music although i does add some low end rumble

no point going in the surround speaker spec cuz thats not what ure looking for

[Viney]

Rule 1 of Hifi - Its always better to over power a speaker than underpower it. 'Clipping' will damage speakers far faster than over driving it. Most speakers will take far in excess of thier niminal rating thats for sure.

Sensititvty is always a factor - Usually quoted as something like 89dB. The higher this number the more efficent therefore louder the speaker will be for the given volume, and Decibels are linear. So +3dB is twice as loud etc etc.

So in a speaker, look for its Resistance - 4-8 ohms and 89+ db. In the amp, look for something that will match if not 'over power' the speakers nominal RMS input. Then comes where you sit the speakers...its all very complex but as you say the sony one will be fine for now :lol:

Just be sensible with what you buy and dont fall for all the HiFi nonsense because there is one born every minute and they are usually in a hifi shop somewhere!

[barwel1992]

Rule 1 of Hifi - Its always better to over power a speaker than underpower it. 'Clipping' will damage speakers far faster than over driving it. Most speakers will take far in excess of thier niminal rating thats for sure.

Sensititvty is always a factor - Usually quoted as something like 89dB. The higher this number the more efficent therefore louder the speaker will be for the given volume, and Decibels are linear. So +3dB is twice as loud etc etc.

So in a speaker, look for its Resistance - 4-8 ohms and 89+ db. In the amp, look for something that will match if not 'over power' the speakers nominal RMS input. Then comes where you sit the speakers...its all very complex but as you say the sony one will be fine for now :lol:

Just be sensible with what you buy and dont fall for all the HiFi nonsense because there is one born every minute and they are usually in a hifi shop somewhere!

so what do you think to the spec of my mordaunt short's

87db/watt/meter
4khz cross over
20-300w rms (amp compatibility)
8ohms
built in over load protection

ps they are older than me ;) (1988 )