HOW TO: Get sound from PC to Car Stereo / Amp - Page 5

miztahsparklez · 01-19-2005, 03:42 AM

Ok, heres my setup, I have a 4 channel amp, as well as a mono amp. i would like to use a 4.1 setup using an audigy 2nx. Ive noticed that switching to 5.1 using the creative tools and whatnot cuts down the sound of the front speakers quite a bit probably because the sound card is now redirecting sound to the centerspeaker. Now what im wondering if there was a way to continue to send FULL sound to the front speakers and still be able to use the subwoofer output of the device? Like is there any hacks or modifications that can be done to the software to enable an output like this.

Scouse Monkey · 01-19-2005, 04:00 AM

i think you want to set up your soundcard as 4 channel and connect the mono amp to the front via a crossover - this should take the low frequencies you sub needs to the amp. But i am in no way an expert onm car audio.

miztahsparklez · 01-19-2005, 04:12 AM

i could do this, but i would prefer not to. i do have an electronic crossover, (audio control 6xs) however, i would like to try to not use as many components in my system. I would think going from sound card straight to the amps would be best.

im sure theres probably some software toggle setting somewhere that could be switched around, but my programming background is fairly small.

Nic · 01-19-2005, 05:19 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by MrSpace

probably already discussed in the 5 pages, but I stopped reading at first page

really, you will get sound using a 1/8 to RCA converter, but the sound quality is terrible compared to using a digital output into a digital to analog converter and into your amp(s)

Etienne

i use a 1/8 to rca converter and it dosent sound terrible at all, in fact it sounds better than my old headunit. This statement is really only true if you are talking about crappy sound cards and/or really good DAC units

ombastic · 01-19-2005, 03:39 PM

sorry if this was mentioned before...i skimmed through the threads but i did not seem to find this. i was wondering if i used a sound card what the preamp voltage is because currently i have an alpine headunit and it has a 4v preamp voltage. i want to hook up a carputer and not use the alpine but was afraid of losing sound quality. thanks.

miztahsparklez · 01-20-2005, 12:38 AM

take a digital multimeter and measure the end of the rca cord using AC voltage setting. heres a hint when measuring, turn up volume at least 75% of full volume to take an accurate measurement. most headunits dont even put up near the rated vrms power until the last few clicks of the volume, but by then the signal has already gone way into clipping and lots of distortion and whatnot can be heard. i think theres only a select few headunits that actually didnt go into clipping when turned all the way up, but i dont remember which.

ombastic... do you happen to have an rsx by chance?? or visit clubrsx? i think ive seen the same screen name on there.

Snurp · 01-20-2005, 07:46 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ombastic

sorry if this was mentioned before...i skimmed through the threads but i did not seem to find this. i was wondering if i used a sound card what the preamp voltage is because currently i have an alpine headunit and it has a 4v preamp voltage. i want to hook up a carputer and not use the alpine but was afraid of losing sound quality. thanks.

By far as I know from my laptop the output is around 0.75v to 1v depended on the volume. Don’t know if this is the same output as from a soundcard maybe it’s a little higher like 1.2v.

I think we have the similar problem. I’m using a pioneer 9000 headunit which has also an output of 4v combined with a CD changer. My idea was to hook my laptop up on the same amp so I won’t lose my radio option or sound quality. Since I use my laptop most of the time for navigation. But also want to be able play some mp3’s.
My only requirement is having my music playing and hearing the fat lady giving me road directions. So using my aux of the headunit is no option since I can’t listen to the radio and get the road directions at the same time.
So I thought of using a Y-splitter but that could give some problems. When I use my radio with the 4v output the same voltage will go thru the splitter to my laptop. My guess is that the feedback of the radio will damage the output of my laptop. I only tried it for a short time to see what will happen. What I found out was that the sound quality what came out was awful for both radio and laptop.
Maybe I can converter to boost the output from my laptop also to 4v but still the two signals will come together.
So how can I connect the two signals to my amp and no lost of sound quality or will damage the laptop or headunit?

pjvdg · 01-24-2005, 04:46 AM

Could somebody show a diagram that:
connects the radio to the line-in (mic in) of the pc
and connects the pc to the amp.

Thnx

miztahsparklez · 01-24-2005, 04:47 AM

is the radio factory or not?

pjvdg · 01-24-2005, 04:49 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by miztahsparklez

is the radio factory or not?

it's a simple pioneer radio... no option for attaching a cd changer or anything else special

ombastic · 01-25-2005, 08:44 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by miztahsparklez

take a digital multimeter and measure the end of the rca cord using AC voltage setting. heres a hint when measuring, turn up volume at least 75% of full volume to take an accurate measurement. most headunits dont even put up near the rated vrms power until the last few clicks of the volume, but by then the signal has already gone way into clipping and lots of distortion and whatnot can be heard. i think theres only a select few headunits that actually didnt go into clipping when turned all the way up, but i dont remember which.

ombastic... do you happen to have an rsx by chance?? or visit clubrsx? i think ive seen the same screen name on there.

yeah. haha i have an rsx and i'm on crsx.

miztahsparklez · 01-26-2005, 01:05 AM

is there preouts on the headunit? if so you can get one of those rca to 3.5mm stereo plug adapters shown on page one. this wold go from the preout on the radio.. to the input on the sound card. then take the another cable like the one u used before and go from the speaker out from the soundcard to the amp.

DubiousOne · 01-29-2005, 09:19 PM

This external sound card should do the trick. It has two sets of rca output connectors.

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...hile-main.html

Can be purchased here for $170:

http://www.americanmusical.com/item-...-FWAP2496.html

Mattlocked · 01-30-2005, 12:38 PM

Hi everybody... My first post here, but have been snooping a while here and there for info... so not so newbie...

I'm in the final stages for getting a toshiba PIII laptop into the trunk of my 2004 Audi A3 S-Line, packed with whatever you may imagine...: wi-fi, bluetooth, 120 GB external HD, GPS, Gamepads... and a new black 7" lilliput nicely fitted under my A/C panel...

The problem I'm stuck with is I bought an aux line-in adapter for use with Audi/VW factory fitted stereos (including my Concert II radio CD- by matsu****a)

Here's a link to the aforementioned adapter....
http://cgi.ebay.es/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=LanguageToggle

As my german is not that good, when I bought it I didn't notice that this adapter required that the factory unit had a source button, which concert II does not have... so the point is that even I have connected this adapter to the cd-changer jack at the back of my concert, and I'm sending sound from my laptop, I have no way to switch sources, and this purchase of an adapter has been a complete bluff...

Anyone out there with an Audi, who had to set an auxiliary input for his CARpc, has found any way around to solve this inconvenience?... The other option I have is to go for a Connects2 interface which is quite expensive.

Any thoughts most welcome....

Regards...

Mattlocked

jbraddoc · 02-20-2005, 02:52 AM

Okay, this is going to sound far fetched, etc, especially from a newbie, but.. If you want to keep your radio, cant you do this.. For a normal 4 channel head unit, the wires going to the radio, take the Right front pos and neg and left front pos and neg, and put rca jacks on them, right rear pos and neg, and left rear pos and neg, put rca jacks on those, and then use a converter to convert from rca to headphone, and get a sound card that has 2 inputs, I guess, and then output using the speakers? This may not make sense now, but I will clarify it tomorrow..