Sound setup suggestions

[Rob_Hendley]

Guys,

I am at my whits end with the audio setup on my jukebox

I have a Soundblaster Audigy 2 platinum EX card with creative labs inspire 6.1 speakers.  When I was in to games it really used to kick ass with its surround sound capabilities, but give it something simple to do like playing MP3s in stereo, and it cringes in the corner of the room tickling its balls.

Trying to upmix to the surround channels hit a dead end and so i tried it in 2.1.  Simple yeah - only attach the front left and front right speakers along with the subwoofer, set it to 2.1 in the control panel and Bob's your uncle.  Wrong though, it wont play the right stereo channel.

I have literally tried everything, so please don't waste any time trying to help on that as I am now making the bold decision of ripping it out and going with a dedicated stereo speaker and sub setup.

The reason for this post is to whether anyone has a decent setup to recommend?  The basis of the Juke is a Dell Optiplex desktop PC with SoundMax integrated digital audio.  It has your basic 3 jack connections - input, output and microphone.

I am guessing most of the guys here use a similar base setup to me, but what speaker setup do you have?  The cab is almost finished and basically represents a life size juke, so plenty of room inside.

EDIT - and I don't really wanna spend more than about a hundred quid

Thanks for your help
Rob

[kizer]

I just use the onboard audio whatever it is. I just output it into my amp. It works and with the amp loud enough I can shake the walls.

[Rob_Hendley]

Kizer,

What amp?  Is this an amp where the sound goes in via a 3mm audio jack and then has outputs for speakers and subs?

Can I use this?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Motocycle-Car-MP3-USB-SD-Remote-Amplifier-4-Channel-FM_W0QQitemZ280391483514QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Audio_TV_Electronics_In_Car_Entertainment_GPS_Car_Amplifiers_PP?hash=item4148a2807a

If I get this, can I only use 40w speakers and subs with it?

[Barcrest]

Rob just a thought but you have put headphones in to check the sound card is actually putting out stereo? Anyway assuming it is what size speakers were you looking for? Are you going to put them in the cab or have them seperate?

I have not used these but i have been told they are good for the money.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=224733

Personally i'm using a microsoft sound system. If you can find one of those on ebay i doubt you will be dissapointed with the sound. Even though they are badged microsoft they are made by phillips.

EDIT:
One quick search later

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Microsoft-Digital-Sound-System-80_W0QQitemZ220551110871QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_DesktopComponents_RL?hash=item3359dee0d7

[Rob_Hendley]

Hi Gents,

Thanks for the input.  The lack of a right channel is a driver / software issue.  If I use the program that came with the soundcard called Creative Media Source it works great - even upmixes stereo to 6.1 surround sound. Has an I/O module with a remote control that lets u control ur whole music collection by remote.

However, it doesnt get on with WMP very well, and seeing as this excellent software uses WMP, it is a change of hardware that is required, not software.  Besides, with less sophisticated hardware there is less to go wrong.

Therefore, I am sticking with the onboard stereo output to an amp and cabinet mounted speakers.  Those amps designed for cars are cheaper than stack mount amps and look like they should do what I want.  That one I have linked has 4 channels, so i can use two speakers and one sub which should sound good.

40 watts per channel should be plenty for a house jukebox hmm?

[kizer]

Actually my amp looks something like this.
http://www.vintageaudio.com.au/Amps/Yamaha/Yamaha-Amp-a450.jpg

I just use a convertor from the 3.5mm jack to a pair of RCA's going into the back of the amp. I think the amps decal says it was built in 1979 I was at the dump a few years ago and a guy was tossing it out so I asked if it worked and he said yes so I claimed it.

[eist1]

Yes, I am using a 300 Watt car amp I bought from Walmart, just using the 12V power cable form my PC power supply, so the amp goes off when the PC is shut off. No issues that I have found.

[Rob_Hendley]

What speakers u running from that? 

[Hitbig]

Yes, I am using a 300 Watt car amp I bought from Walmart, just using the 12V power cable form my PC power supply, so the amp goes off when the PC is shut off. No issues that I have found.

Eist :
Sorry I'm a newbie.
How or which adapters you use to attach the car amp to the pc power supply.
txs

[Barcrest]

Yes, I am using a 300 Watt car amp I bought from Walmart, just using the 12V power cable form my PC power supply, so the amp goes off when the PC is shut off. No issues that I have found.

Eist :
Sorry I'm a newbie.
How or which adapters you use to attach the car amp to the pc power supply.
txs

When i have done this i have just take the 12v feed from the wires on the molex connector. Just chop it off and wire up to the amp.

[eist1]

I actually went to the comupter store and bought a male power adapter (4-pin Molex Male plug) (that fits the female adapters coming off you power supply) and the wired the end to the amplifier and then wired it to a yellow wire and black wires, as the yellow wire is 12v, red wire is 5v and black is ground. Here is a link to something similar that I bought and cut the other end off (you dont need two separate wires coming off the back, just wanted to show you what the plug looked like http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SY-CAB40007-Molex-Power-Inches/dp/B0027AGK3M/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b Hope that helps.

[Rob_Hendley]

Ah yeah I have a few cables like that. 

One the sparkies may be able to answer: should the wattage of the car amp be limited to the wattage of the PC PSU?

[jukejohn]

not audio output wattage if the power supply does not have enough current[amps] it will either not start up the amp or struggle when you get to a certain point of volume as more current is being drawn from your power supply but  it seems a 350 watt or above can do the job or if you are using it to run a screen and a light system and a amp i find 500 watt or above does the job

[Rob_Hendley]

Right, my PSU has 250 watts, so I am going with the AC/DC converter. 

[Moshed_70]

Hi guys,

I am making a new jukebox and have a 350W Kenwood car amp. I initially powered it with a 230w pc power suppy and this lasted one day before it failed. I now use a 360w and am having no problems.

pc power supplies generally have their output capacity written on a sticker on them (eg my 230w was 12v 9A and my 360w is dual rail so has 12v 8A on one rail and 12v 14A on the other). If you get a new amplifier they generally have their power needs in the manual. My amp requires 18A, but this will only be at full volume and I am only just over half so it should be fine.

A pc power supply is a much cheaper (even free) alternative to a DC converter and can be made to look nice and neat if you remove all the cables you don't need and just have a 12v and a ground coming out of it.