dab radio with extension speakers (rambling)

When I'm on the computer I listen to radio. Radioplayer through the net is good, but the quality through my pc speakers (even with subwoofer) is not the best and football on 5live is not always broadcast on the net for 'legal reasons'. My best quality sound is from my fm/am hi-fi with extension speakers, but it's old, sometimes cuts out and does not get 5liveX.

I begrudge getting rid of my big (unpowered) speakers, but I cannot find a dab radio or even a dab midi setup which uses them. Several dab radios have earphone jacks, but I have yet to find one that takes 'proper' speakers. Any ideas?

Reply to
Jim S
Loading thread data ...

My (discontinued) Pure Evoke3 has separate headphone, SP/DIF and line-out sockets, could you use the latter to feed an unused input to your hi-fi?

Reply to
Redrawn Buns

What do you mean by "sometimes cuts out"?

Has the FM/AM system got a line or aux in? Get a DAB radio with earphone out and take that into the FM/AM systems line in. Set the volume on the FM/AM set to normal, start with the DAB set turned down and increas it until level is correct.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

If you want to use your big (unpowered) speakers then you need an amp. Google for TA2020 amplifiers.

You should get one for about £20 from Amazon, or even less if you are prepared to risk and wait for shipping from China. [Just ordered

formatting link
but it hasn't turned up yet so I cannot recommend it yet.]

Connect this up to your speakers.

Then get almost any DAB radio, and connect the headphone ouput to the RCA inputs on the TA2020 amp.

Allegedly this should give you really good sound quality.

We used to play our Roberts (no relation) Gemini 49 (which has only one speaker but outputs stereo through the headphone socket) through a midi hifi and it sounded O.K. (the limiting factor was the poor DAB signal in our area).

Now getting set to play Internet radio through the TA2020 amp and ceiling speakers. Just need to decide on the source component - probably a tablet.

Cheers

Dave R

Reply to
David WE Roberts

If your Hi-Fi has a spare input you could use a FreeView tuner for R5 live. You could buy a DAB tuner - but they are considerably more expensive. FreeView tuners can be bought for about 20 quid. You'll likely need to get an adaptor to get the audio from the SCART socket, though.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

The hi-fi is on its last legs - hence the search.

Reply to
Jim S

I have a Hitachi AXM649U that i use as a DAB radio. It's a micro HiFi that, apart from the terrible speakers is very good. DAB, FM, iPod dock, CD Player and USB MP3 in a smallish package. It's this one:

formatting link
I suspect not much chance of getting one via Comet. I have seen them on Gumtree and eBay for about £100. The rave reviews are correct. The sound quality is excellent and the amp will drive my passive Tannoy monitors at decent levels.

Previously on eBay as 170931026410.

The speakers BTW are acceptable for a radio, just not audiophile quality. It seems as if they were what Hitachi skimped on to produce the system at the original price tag of £300.

Reply to
Steve Firth

Well, if you have an aux socket on your hi fi, then surely one of the cheap switches from cpc and a 3.5mm to phono lead will make most dab radios work through the stereo.

Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

The problem is with an aging hi-fi with perfectly good speakers. It's the hi-fi that needs replacing.

Reply to
Jim S

What make is it? If a decent one could likely be fixed for less cost than buying comparable new.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Technics, but then I would need a DAB tuner as well.

Reply to
Jim S

Or a FreeView one as I suggested. They are cheap new - and you might even find one for free on Freecycle.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I have a cheap freeview tuner in the shed hooked up to a indoor aerial. It has a built in amp and 2 speaker connectors and work great. Hooked it up to a TV at first to tune it, and then noted the radio station down . I got it off freecycle as the picture was faulty now and then.

You can just get a normal Freeview box and chop a Scart lead down and Identify the pins 1,3 and 4 for audio. Then solder on a 3.5mm jack or RCAs or whatever audio in you kit needs.

Then again DABs are quite cheap now, but my DAB signal sucks here. YMMV

Reply to
Camdor

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.