I'm thinking about getting my first stereo setup, and I have no idea where to start. - Page 4

From pics it does have a 3.5mm socket and stereo, you can use http://myhometheater.homestead.com/splcalculator.html to calculate how loud it will drive your speakers , and heres a vid on how to connect it up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU1r8ySaD3Q

I had posted this earlier, but a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then so I will repeat it:  the Lepai has both a 3.5mm stereo jack and a pair of RCA jacks.  They are connected together so its only one input but two ways to connect.  You can certainly use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, however the RCA inputs are a bit better and more secure and thus are preferable.  However the 3.5mm input works just fine and those cables are pretty cheap, so go ahead and use it if you want. 

 

By the way you will need to cut the speaker wires down to a more reasonable length, so you will need a wire cutter/stripper which is a handy thing anyway if you don't already have one.  You should be able to get one for a few bucks, maybe at Radio Shack.  This one is overkill since it also does crimping, but is still not too expensive:  http://www.amazon.com/GB-GS-66-Multi-Purpose-Electrical-Crimp/dp/B00002N5EW/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1321917876&sr=8-32

You don't even need to use wire strippers, I used a stanley knife and a pair of scissors when I last replaced some speaker cable.

My scissors don't like my 16 or 14AWG speaker wire. I always use diagonal cutters, nippy cutters, wire cutters, wire stripper blades, or any of the other more metal oriented blades I have over scissors on anything over about 22AWG, though they can do 18AWG fairly well.

twas strange reading this thread as I've put together a budget computer system just last year.  included in the build was an Asus Xonar DS, the above mentioned AudioSource amp (no fires yet, lol) and ....  Polk Audio 40 ii with the Polk PSW10 subwoofer.  sounded brilliant, after the speakers were broken in.  the sub was the weak link, imho, but overall, it sounded full and clean.  i've no direct experience with the other gear mentioned but i liked the sound coming from this little budget system I put together.  the DS has since been replaced by a proper DAC and the amp by a flavor of Marantz 22xx.  cheers everyone.