Question about audio

[johngorrow]

So ultimately, what is better, assuming your dvd player and stereo receiver have all three?

 

[carmusic]

digital is a lot better since there is no conversion done by the dvd player and it is the only way to get 5.1 sound, with rca audio you will only get 2.1 sound (basic surround sound)

the idea is to avoid unneccesary conversion between digital to analog, they sould be all done in the amplifier directly for the best sound with no loss of quality
and with digital you can put a cheap cable with no loss of quality

 

[johngorrow]

Okay. As far as connecting components for the circuits that I'm working on, 22 gauge copper wire is a good way to go, right?

 

[Torben]

Okay. As far as connecting components for the circuits that I'm working on, 22 gauge copper wire is a good way to go, right?

Once again, impossible to say without knowing what kind of current you want to put through them. For a preamp, probably. For a power amp, you probably want something bigger.

If you post a schematic or two it'll be a lot easier to tell.


Torben

 

[johngorrow]

See attached. Please do not pay attention to the switch at the top, it has 6 pins, not 3, and is working.

 

[audioguru]

The switch and jack wires are not shielded so they might pickup mains hum and radio interference. Use a metal box around them and connected to 0V as a shield.

 

[johngorrow]

I'm using a plastic enclosure around the whole thing.

0V means ground, right?

 

[Torben]

See attached. Please do not pay attention to the switch at the top, it has 6 pins, not 3, and is working.

I think for that purpose that 22 gauge (talking AWG here, right?) will be fine. I don't know what kind of speakers you have there but considering that they're fed via a 1/8" jack, I don't see a lot of current being involved.

And if this is really for computer audio, you're safe from having to worry about whether your cables are up to snuff as long as the connectors are solid and the cables are half-decent.

What kind of audio interface does your computer have? What speakers are you using? Are they active or passive speakers?


Regards,

Torben

 

[audioguru]

No metal box as a shield causes lots of mains hum and radio interference.

 

[Torben]

I'm using a plastic enclosure around the whole thing.

0V means ground, right?

Usually, yes. Also referred to as "common". Beware though: circuit "ground" can be very different from earth ground.

Ignore audioguru's advice at your peril. I'm a hobbyist; *he* knows his stuff. Dump the plastic enclosure and use a metal box. I've listened to the radio on circuits I've built while testing them, before putting them into a metal box.


Torben

 

[johngorrow]

What does AWG mean?

I'm using an Altec Lansing powered audio system, model VS-2121. It's 2.1, which is fine for my computer. The sound is coming from the onboard sound from my Compaq.

 

[audioguru]

The guys who make a sensitive audio amplifier on a breadboard (I hate those awful things) have all kinds of interference pickup.

 

[Torben]

What does AWG mean?

I'm using an Altec Lansing powered audio system, model VS-2121. It's 2.1, which is fine for my computer. The sound is coming from the onboard sound from my Compaq.

OK. No offence then but there is no chance your wire is going to degrade your sound. Built-in computer audio ain't even hi-fi, much less audiophile. Altec Lansing is decent consumer audio but also a long way from being the kind of system where you have to worry about whether your cabling is going to cause problems (again, unless the cable is broken or corroded or the connectors are completely cheap crap [EDIT: or not properly shielded.]).

AWG means "American Wire Gauge": American wire gauge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Regards,

Torben

 

[johngorrow]

All of the parts for this project came from the RadioShack store I work in.

 

[audioguru]

RadioShack stores are gone from Canada because they ripped-off too many people with their overpriced manufacturers rejects and very cheap Chinese products at high prices when exactly the same products are sold at The Dollar Store for only one dollar.

 

[Torben]

All of the parts for this project came from the RadioShack store I work in.

Then the parts will probably be fine, but overpriced. If your soldering is good, the switch box is metal, and the shielding is good, then you should be good to go.


Torben

 

[johngorrow]

I do not currently live in Canada. There are four dollar stores within ten minutes of where I am living now, and none of them sell resistors, switches, audio jacks, etc. I have purchased MANY earbud headphones from dollar stores and they all have been crap.

Either way, RadioShack is the only store near me that sells the parts that I need, and I get a deep discount because I work there. Additionally, every dollar store I know of--they do not take back returns. RadioShack does. Anything I don't use I can exchange for something I need.

Do you have Wal-Mart stores in Canada?

 

[audioguru]

Do you have Wal-Mart stores in Canada?

Yes, Wal-Mart is in my part of Canada. They sell cheap junk but I buy fresh milk and Energizer Ni-MH battery cells there at pretty good prices.
My El-Cheapo remote controlled (IR, not RF) helicopters come from Wal-Mart.