How to Stream Music Through an Old Stereo System

Teaching a Vintage Hi-Fi or Boombox New Tricks

For many years, I was perplexed by a great mystery: how do you connect a computer to a stereo? As technology progressed, the question became: how do I connect my MP3 player to a stereo? Now, the question has become: how do I connect my Nook Color tablet to an old stereo? Fortunately, the answer is easy. Here is how to connect nearly any personal music playing electronic device to a stereo.

Nearly every personal electronic device has a jack for earbuds or walkman-style earphones. You can generally take advantage of that jack to port your outpit ovet to external speakers, a boombox, or a stereo. While some modern compact stereos make it easy to plug in an external sound source, vintage systems weren't designed with the idea that all of your favorite music might be stored on your phone. However, many were designed to accomodate auxiliary sound sources like reel-to-reel tape decks, phonographs, eight tracks, and the like.

To stream music through an old stereo, you have two basic options:

1. RCA Adapter.Real stereo systems use RCA jacks to get sound from external sources. You'll want to get what Microcenter calls "3.5mm Male Stereo Plug to Dual RCA Male Plugs." It's a cable that runs from you earphone jack and splits into two male plugs that plug into the back of your stereo. This cable is only $7.99 at Microcenter.com. However, you should be able to get it at your local Best Buy or Radio Shack. Plug the RCA plugs into the AUX jacks, select your sound source as AUX and start playing your music on your device. You can also order the cable you need from Amazon.com right here:

2. Audio Cassette Adapter. If you have an old compact or bookshelf stereo, there
may not be any provision for an external sound source. Many lower end systems and boom boxes were closed sysems. In these cases, you may want to try streaming your tunes via an audio cassette adapter. I recently bought one at my local RiteAid Pharmacy. The iEssentials Audio Cassette Adapter that I bought fits into a tape deck like a conventional audio cassette, but a cable runs out of the back and connects to your device.

I was amazed to see how simple it was to pipe music from my Barnes and Noble Nook through my older bookshelf stereo. There's no reason to kick a nice vintage stereo system to the curb. It can still play good music in a very twenty-first century way.

Which Micro Stereo Systems Have Headphone Jacks?

 Do you want your new micro stereo to have a headphone jack?  You would think that every little bedroom or office stereo would have them as standard equipment.  But, not every mini stereo has headphone jacks.  For example, Sony makes some really cool mini stereo and micro stereo systems.  They have some that look like boom boxes on steroids and they have an angular design that looks very contemporary.  However, systems like the Sony MHCEC919iP 700 watt Music System don't have headphone jacks.  In a world filled with premium headphones from brands like Beats and Bose, it seems like every stereo should have a headphone jack.  If you are looking for micro stereo, here are four systems that definitely have a headphone jack!

Onkyo CS-445 CD Receiver System

The Onkyo CS-445 is a well-thought out micro stereo.  It has an 80 watt AM/FM receiver pumping 40 watts through two low resistance (4 ohm) speakers.  With Onkyo known for for making quality stereos, it's no surprise that total harmonic distortion: <0.05%.  But, today, everyone wants to know one thing:  does it support my phone?  According to Amazon.com, the Onkyo CS-445 is compatible with the iPhone (iPhone3GS, iPhone 3G, and iPhone), iPod touch (1st and 2nd Generations), iPod classic, and iPod nano (2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Generations).  It plays CD, CD-R, CD-RW, CD-audio, MP3, and WMA files.  The Mix Tape is now the Mix CD!  Finally, it has a headphone jack so that you can listen through your Beats headphones and rock while the rest of the world sleeps!



Yamaha MCR-232BL Micro Component System

Yamaha describes their MCR-232 series of Mini Systems as being "executive style."  It has a USB port to allow all digital devices to be plugged in and a built in iPod dock.  The USB port also allows a thumb drive to be plugged in so that you can enjoy WAV / FLAC (PCM format only), MP3 and WMA audio files.  This Yamaha fills a room with 20 watts per channel through 6 ohm speakers.  It has an AM/FM receiver.


Denon D-M39S Micro Component System

The Denon D-M39 is another highly rated Micro Component System. It has a dedicated earphone jack right on the front.  It has an FM only receiver, but supports 40 channel presets.



Sharp Mini Hi-Fi

Some Mini Systems come from component stereo ancestry and others evolve from the boom box.  The Sharp 240 watt mini system looks like it comes from the boom box end of the spectrum.  However, if you want to be able to listen to multiple-CDs, the Sharp 240 watt system has a 5 disc changer.  Most mini systems hold only one CD.   If you want to get old school with this system, you can also play cassettes!  If you want to be newfangled, the system includes an iPod/iPhone dock, a USB port, and an audio input.   This system has an AM/FM receiver.  The headphone jack is right on the front.

The Evolution of a Dirt Cheap Stereo

 How to Expand Your Dirt Cheap Stereo

When it comes to having a nice stereo in your home.  Cost doesn't have to hold you back.  I started the journey on this blog when I put together a $40 component stereo system.  While I've spent a little more on it now, I've remained true to the idea of keeping my component costs low.

When I put together a $40 component stereo from thrift shop components, it marked the beginning of a journey rather than an end. I started out with a basic Technics amplifier and tuner for $20 from a local Goodwill. I added a pair of inexpensive 50-watt Sharp mini-stereo speakers, and a cable to connect my Nook Color tablet to the receiver. I got very respectable sound for under $40. However, I immediately started to envision improvements.

If you've put together a similar dirt cheap stereo system, what kinds of additions, improvements, or expansions would make sense for you? Here are some of the additions I made and some suggestions for expanding your dirt cheap stereo.

Tape Deck. Thrift shops are literally awash in unloved tape decks. If you have a collection of music on cassette tapes, want to buy music cheap at thrift stores, or want to buy cutting edge music from cassette-only indie labels, a cassette deck might make sense for you. They often sell for $7 to $15 at thrift stores. I found a Technics Stereo Double Cassette Deck (Model RS-T16) at Goodwill for $15. Well preserved cassette decks may also be found on ebay.com or amazon.com. A few manufacturers still make new models. Cassettes are making a comeback. This old media offers analog music on the cheap.


CD player. A CD player offers an excellent way to bring very high quality music recordings to your stereo. Music on CD is not compressed like it is in the popular MP3 format. One of the first things I bought for my $40 stereo was a Sony 5-disc CD changer. It was $25 at Goodwill. It proved to be a mistake. You can't rely on a 20-year old piece of mechanical equipment. It played, but skipped from time to time and made horrible, clunky, noises when changing discs. On a shoestring budget, I should have spent $10 at a thrift store on a single disc player rather than a $25 changer. Instead, I bought a brand new Insignia brand 5-disc CD changer at Best Buy on sale for $80. I simply wanted to keep our discs in good condition.


Switch Box. In a world full of digital devices, your vintage stereo may not have enough inputs. If you get tired of swapping cables around, you can get a switch box that lets you select the input sent to your receiver. There are many models in the market ranging from $15 to $30. The TCC TC-716 Stereo Source Selector is affordable on Amazon.com.



Speakers. Finally, no accessory has more impact on the sound of your system than your speakers. You'll want to find stereo speakers that match the resistance rating of your receiver (8 ohms to 8 ohms). You also need to find speakers that are appropriate for your space. I'm currently experimenting with a set of Sharp speakers, a part of $11 Sony SS-D201 bookshelf speakers, and some Bose Acoustimass speakers that I've long had in storage. However, since I live in an apartment, I'm reluctant to attach Bose sub-woofer. That gives a slight advantage to the other 3-way bookshelf speakers. For your stereo, you can either experiment with thrift store finds or buy some decent new speakers for $50 to $100.

 

Music. While it is fun to play with stereo gear configurations, at some point, it is time to lock in the savings from buying dirt cheap gear and invest in some music. We've been delighted to find lots of great music on CD at Walmart and Best Buy for only $5 per disc. Thrift stores charge only a couple of dollars per disc. At these low prices, we don't have to hassle with online music stores, the cloud, slow internet download speeds, or any other high tech hassles. Now, we can simply load up some discs, dial in a radio station, or attach a streaming device, and enjoy some music.

If there are a few rules to follow in creating your own audio experience, they are build your own stereo system, don't worry about audio perfection, stop fussing with it, and crank it up!

Sources:
Amazon.com
BestBuy.com

Open Box Stereo Equipment Deals

Are you frustrated by the high cost of stereo equipment?  One low cost alternative is to look for open box specials at Best Buy.  Simply go to BestBuy.com and plug in zipcodes near you and look for the equipment you want on a store by store basis.  It's one way to get gear that you could not otherwise afford.  You can get low cost gear at even lower cost or to get high end equipment at low cost stereo prices.

If you are worried about the quality of open box gear, ask if you can buy an electronics protection plan for it.

Thrift Store Mini Stereo Systems for only $12.99!!!

The problem with Goodwill is that you can find something cool on every shopping trip.  You can even afford to buy it.  However, your home will never have enough space to hold every cool thing you find and can afford to buy.  That's why I passed on an awesome find last weekend.  One of our local Goodwill shops had mini stereo systems for only $12.99.  They had an Aiwa 3-disc changer unit with cassette and conventional speakers for only $12.99!  It even had RCA auxiliary inputs that would allow you to hook up another component (like a turntable or MP3 player).  I had to muster up quite a bit of internal fortitude to keep on walking.  The system was much like this one --

I've decided that I am either going to find a great and awesome receiver for a bedroom unit or I'm going to actually buy a totally new receiver or mini system.  But, still $12.99 is a great deal on a mini stereo.  That's a deal that makes me wonder if they are still there!

How I Built a Component Stereo for $40

My Dirt Cheap Stereo Using Components from Thrift Stores

This is the original system that started it all. I wanted a stereo and I didn't want to wait any more. I was determined to build it on the budget available.

Almost everyone would love to be a full-fledged audiophile and build a truly awesome stereo system with world class stereo components. But, that can be tough when you are on a very tight budget for hobby gear. However, that doesn't mean you can't have fun playing with stereo equipment. If you shop judiciously, you can put together a nice stereo on a shoestring budget. Here is how I put together my component stereo system for less than $40.



I donated my first component stereo to charity about a decade ago and, frankly, I've missed it. But, since I'm not on a free-spending bachelor budget anymore, I wanted to get back into stereo equipment without impacting our bottom line. My original plan was to buy a pair of used bookshelf speakers and a Lepai mini-amplifier from Amazon.com. It would have been a decent stereo for less than $50. Instead, I ended up with a full-sized stereo reciever, amplifier, and speakers for less than $40.



Speakers. Any audiophile will tell you that speakers form the core of a stereo system. I've seen some truly thunderous speakers at thrift stores from great brands like Fisher and Cerwin Vega, but, since I live in an apartment, I was looking for something that would be more of a nice bookshelf speaker. I visited an Atlanta area Goodwill store and found a pair of 40 watt Sharp Stereo Speakers for only $6.96. These speakers were engineered for a fairly powerful mini stereo they have bass ports, a driver, midrange speaker, and tweeter.


Amplifier. A second Goodwill run stifled my mini amplifier plan. I stumbled across a Technics SU-V76 amplifier for $12.91. It was an amp designed to be independent from the receiver. While some audiophiles will scoff at Technics, my first stereo was Technics and it delivered good performance for the money.

Receiver. Fortunately for me, an ST-S76 Technics receiver was stacked on top of the Amp and only cost $8.98. I cobbled both together with some nearby speakers and made sure they worked. After tapping it a few times, I was convinced that the system was solid and that I wouldn't lose a channel of speakers on the way home.

Sound Sources. For less than $30, the core of my system was established. However, the AM/FM tuner was my only sound source. I corrected that by connecting my existing Barnes & Noble Nook to the auxiliary input via an audio mini-jack to RCA connector conversion cable. I had previously bought a vintage Sony Discman portable CD player at a local Salvation Army Thrift Store for $5.99. I can also connect that to the amplifier via the conversion cable.

Sound Quality. The sound quality and the potential volume generated by this old school amplifier and speaker combination is astonishing. In truth, I can only crank the stereo dial up to two or three in fairness to our neighbors. It is more than capable of completely filling the room, the whole building, and perhaps the whole building. While true audiophiles might be appalled, I think these cast-off speakers deliver good sound and would outperform most entry level bookshelf speakers.

Next Steps. I've been debating whether to add a tape deck or vinyl record player to my project stereo. However, we don't have any vinyl records and we only have about two dozen cassettes. Nevertheless, cassette players are often available in thrift stores for around $10. Stereo Component CD players can often be found for similarly low prices. Although both components can be difficult to test at a thrift store. I've seldom seen record players at thrift stores probably due to their popularity, fragility, and mechanical complexity.

While I put together this dirt cheap system just to get a stereo again and to as a thrift store shopping challenge, it will serve as a good base for future expansion. If we like having a full-sized stereo again, we can slowly upgrade to more modern components or better speakers whether they are new or used. This stereo has room for some speakers by Definitive Technologies or a receiver by Marantz. But, the project has already been a success by making thrift store shopping even more fun.

The Cables You Need For A Vintage Stereo

The Cables You Need To Set Up An Old or Vintage Stereo

If you are going to buy any component stereo system, there are a few essential cables that you will need to hook your system up.

1. Speaker Wire.  To hook up traditional stereo speakers, you are going to need some speaker wire.  You don't need to spend too much on speaker wire.  You just need to buy enough to reach from your receiver to your speakers.

2. Stereo Cable.  You will need cables to connect your stereo components to your receiver.  There are many companies selling premium stereo cables.  But, unless you are an audiophile with superhuman ears and an incredible budget, traditional stereo cables will do nicely.

3.  FM Antenna.  Most stereo receivers come with a dipole antenna in the box. However, there is a good chance that any receiver from a thrift store or eBay will be missing an antenna.  If you are shopping from Goodwill, you can probably just grab the dipole antenna from another receiver.  Otherwise you can just order one here.  Dipole antennas are really cheap.

 

4.  AM Antenna.  An AM/FM stereo receiver usually comes with a loop antenna to receive AM signals. If yours doesn't have one or doesn't have a small AM antenna built in to the back of the receiver, then you may want to buy and AM Loop Antenna.  These are also really inexpensive.



5.  Device to RCA Adapter Cable.  If you want to connect modern devices such as tablets, computers, iPods, MP3 players, you'll need a cable that runs from the headphone jack of your device to the RCA Plugs of your stereo receiver.  Technically, it's a 3.5mm male to 2-male RCA adapter cable. 



Fortunately, all the basic cables you need to hook up your new, old, or vintage stereo are fairly inexpensive.  If you need more advanced help ask almost any forty to fifty year old American male or join a forum like audiokarma.org.