HOW TO CONNECT PREAMP TO LAPTOP (which components and cables I need)

[nacmat]

this is my preamp, I know the reviews here say its ****, but its a present and I want to test it before changing it

the thing is the pre amp has line out and line in rca connections and I dont know how to connect this to the laptop

any clues?

thanks... yes I am new

I have akg k501 headphones if its of any interest

 

[grawk]

The lowest impact in terms of cost would be an rca to mini cable. Next would be a usb sound card of some sort. Your budget entirely determines what makes sense.

 

[nacmat]

so I need the laptop+usb sound card+preamp+headphones

man this is getting expensive

 

[billybob_jcv]

It would be helpful if you kept the discussion to one thread instead of three...

No one is asking you what should be the first questions - what are you really trying to do? Are you listening to music? Gaming? Watching movies? What headphones do you have? Why do you want to use a preamp in your system - what do you hope to achieve?

We all might be providing the right answers to the wrong questions...

 

[Kees]

To connect the line out of the soundcard of your laptop to the preamp you can use a simple mini-to-dual-RCA cable, like this for example.

 

[billybob_jcv]

In one of the other two threads you said that you were using this preamp with the tape line-in/out on your "hifi". Are you trying to connect your laptop to your "hifi", or are you just intending to hook headphones directly to the preamp? If it just for headphones, then you do not need to use the line-out RCA jacks of the preamp, you can just use the headphone jack on the front of the preamp for your headphones. You can then either go directly from the headphone-out on your laptop to the line-in on your preamp, or you can use a DAC between a laptop USB port and the preamp line-in. But again, we need to know what you are really trying to accomplish...

 

[nacmat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by billybob_jcv /img/forum/go_quote.gif In one of the other two threads you said that you were using this preamp with the tape line-in/out on your "hifi". Are you trying to connect your laptop to your "hifi", or are you just intending to hook headphones directly to the preamp? If it just for headphones, then you do not need to use the line-out RCA jacks of the preamp, you can just use the headphone jack on the front of the preamp for your headphones. You can then either go directly from the headphone-out on your laptop to the line-in on your preamp, or you can use a DAC between a laptop USB port and the preamp line-in. But again, we need to know what you are really trying to accomplish...

sorry for posting crossed questions in diferent threads, I was just eager for answers

the thing is:

I have a laptop (fujitsu siemens amilo), I have a pro-ject head box se and my headphones are the akg k501

my hi-fi is a yamaha e-100



what do I want?

I want to know how to connect the amp to my hi-fi (this is easier cos the manual explains me how: 2 rca cables one going from amp´s line out to hifi´s "tape in" and the other from amp´s line in to hifi´s "tape out")
I did it and it gave me problems but I shall try again soon

the other thing and my main doubt is how to connect the amp to my laptop considering my laptop only has a minijack output for the headphones
I want to see which is the cheapest combination that manages a fair sound

 

[nacmat]

also, I listen mostly to electronica (aphex twin, autechre and the like) and I just want to improve the sound as the laptop seems not to be able of feeding my headphones properly

 

[billybob_jcv]

I would start small and easy, then add more complexity only if you feel you need to.

1) Use a stereo 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo mini plug to RCA stereo adapter or cable to connect the headphone out on the laptop to the pro-ject preamp line-in. Plug you headphones into the preamp's headphone jack. You are done.

If that does not result in the sound you want...

2) Buy a DAC with a USB input and stereo output (either 1/8" mini jack or RCA), and connect the laptop's USB port to the DAC with a USB cable. Then connect the DAC's output to the line-in on the preamp. (if the DAC has RCA output, then use an RCA-RCA stereo cable, if the DAC has 1/8" output, then use a 1/8" to RCA adapter or cable). Plug your headphones into the headphone jack on the preamp. You are done.

If that doesn't give you the sound you want...

3) Rip your music to a higher bit rate

Or,

4) Buy new headphones

Or,

5) Buy a new headphone amp

Or,

6) Buy a new DAC

Or,

7) Start all over again using more expensive everything and continue the cycle until you are out of cash or dead or both...

Hope this helps...

 

[nacmat]

it helped a lot

really thanks for the info and the advices about forum use

 

[nacmat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nacmat /img/forum/go_quote.gif the thing is: I have a laptop (fujitsu siemens amilo), I have a pro-ject head box se and my headphones are the akg k501 my hi-fi is a yamaha e-100 what do I want? I want to know how to connect the amp to my hi-fi (this is easier cos the manual explains me how: 2 rca cables one going from amp´s line out to hifi´s "tape in" and the other from amp´s line in to hifi´s "tape out") I did it and it gave me problems but I shall try again soon

ok what I dont understand about the conection with my hifi, is why I have to connect the amp with the "tape in" and "tape out" why not with the md in and md out or with the aux?

and what am I exactly doing connecting through the tape of my hifi? cos I see the cassette player is a source of music, but the amp?

I mean, I connect the cassete to the tape in tape out of my hifi amp, and I can then listen to my cassettes

but if instead I connect the headphone amp to the tape in and tape out of my hifi... then I am supposed to listen to the cd or turntable through my headphones...

how does that work?

 

[nacmat]

and another questions is:

the pream i have (see first post of the thread) is really that bad?

 

[billybob_jcv]

You really don't have to use the tape-in/tape-out - particularly if the only reason the preamp is in the system is just to use the headphone jack on the preamp. You could put the preamp on any of the inputs to your receiver (except the phono in).

If all you want to do is *listen* to cassettes, you only need to have the cassette player line out attached to the receiver's tape-in. The receiver's tape-out is used to send a signal from the receiver to the cassette to *record*. You need to use both tape-in and tape-out because a cassette can both play & record. A CD-player doesn't record, so it only needs to use an input to the receiver, not an output.

I have to admit - I'm still a bit confused about why you are even using the preamp in your "hifi" system - do you notice a significance difference in sound quality between plugging your headphones into your preamp and just plugging them directly into the headphone jack on your receiver?

BTW - talking about a cassettes and a turntable is dating you as at least as old as I am - and that's OLD...

 

[nacmat]

I am 32
I love vinyls

I will use the preamp only in my laptop

finally I got the head box II instead of the head box se

the new one is just with one line in instead of 3, but on the other hand is the new generations which seems improved

I dont have money for a real good preamp following this web´s standards

yesterday I noticed that the headphones worked great plugged to the headphone outline of my hi-fi so I wont use preamp in it

but, do you guys use preamps with hi fi?

my hi fi is only a yamaha e-100 from 1999
(small hifi)

the cassette player was my father´s, and its beautiful and great

how elese could I listen to all the tapes I recorded as a teenager?

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif To connect the line out of the soundcard of your laptop to the preamp you can use a simple mini-to-dual-RCA cable, like this for example.

I don't understand the problem.
The rest of your stereo has nothing to do with this setup.
Just connect the preamp (any line in) to your laptop using the cable I mentioned and plug your phones in the preamp.
Ready to go.