connecting vintage equipment with newer parts

[supersiv8]

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone here can help me as I'm new to all things hi-fi. I'm reading up on it but it's a little overwhelming at the moment.

Basically I'm trying to help my mother sort out her audio and tv setup at home, and I'm wondering if we can use her older hi-fi parts from the 80s to connect to the tv as well as purchasing a DAB radio to this at a later stage. (Maybe even a CD player and turntable if possible but this is not necessary for now.) Ideally without spending a lot of money on it, as long as we get all connected with acceptable sound quality for non-audiofiles…

She has a Thomson tv and from what I can see at the back there's a SCART, some audio input connections, HDMI and audio jack.

The vintage equipment is a pioneer amplifier SA-520 and AR-8 speakers.

Alternatively for speakers, we have a pair of JVC SP-D701 three-way ones at 80 watts and 6 ohms, with bare wire connections.

I suppose we need to buy a digital to analog converter, but I'm wondering which one and how to connect it?

Any other help and tips greatly appreciated.

 

[spiny norman]

If the TV doesn't have an analogue audio output, you can usually get sound out of it using the Scart socket: you'll need an adapter like this:

Set it to output, connect normal stereo interconnects to the red and white sockets, and the other end of the interconnect cable to a spare input (AUX or whatever) on the amplifier. And no, you won't need a DAC.

For radio, just use the channels available on Freeview, with the TV as the 'tuner'. Otherwise you'll need to find a DAB tuner: there's no shortage on eBay, but you'd probably need a dedicated aerial for use with a hi-fi tuner (although you might be able to get away with using a splitter from the TV aerial).

 

[supersiv8]

Thanks for that, I will go and look for one of these. Would it be called a SCART to Phono adapter or something like that?

Good idea about using TV for radio as the arial is a bit fiddly…

 

[supersiv8]

I have now hooked up the amp, tuner and speakers but the right speaker sounds distorted as well as really loud even on the lowest setting… I swapped the wires from A to B option but issue was the same. I also swapped the actual speakers with a newer pair but issue still remained.

Is there anything I can do to fix this?

 

[Vladimir]

The volume knob has a smaller outer ring that is left and right balance adjustment knob. You need to set this so both channels are equally loud.

Also turn the loudness button off. Keep bass and treble on flat. Give all knobs a bit of a workout with turning and pushing switches while the amp is turned off. There might be some dust in there.

 

[supersiv8]

Thanks, althought the loudness has been set to off the whole time and I also tried adjusting left and right balance… That does not fix it.

I will have a play around with it!

I wouldn't be surprised if the amp is faulty as it's been in the basement for 10 years… But it would be great if there were any simple fixes!

 

[spiny norman]

Thanks for that, I will go and look for one of these. Would it be called a SCART to Phono adapter or something like that?

Well, Maplin calls the simpler version, which is an output-only device, a 'Scart to phono out adapter', and it's 64p(!), while Amazon calls the switchable one I mentioned a 'SCART Adapter - 3 PHONO + S-VHS IN/OUT', but that one's a fairly steep £1.88!

 

[Vladimir]

Thanks, althought the loudness has been set to off the whole time and I also tried adjusting left and right balance… That does not fix it.

I will have a play around with it!

I wouldn't be surprised if the amp is faulty as it's been in the basement for 10 years… But it would be great if there were any simple fixes!

Very possible the amp is broken and if it pushes DC voltage on its output it may kill your speakers. You can easily test this with a multimeter.

 

[supersiv8]

I got it to work with some contact cleaner!

The TV is a 'dumb' TV and uses a HD digital decoder. I noticed on the back were the white and red stereo audio connections, I suppose I can just use those and plug straight into the amplifier instead of going through the TV with the SCART?

 

[spiny norman]

The TV is a 'dumb' TV and uses a HD digital decoder. I noticed on the back were the white and red stereo audio connections, I suppose I can just use those and plug straight into the amplifier instead of going through the TV with the SCART?

A separate tuner box with red and white audio outs? Yes, will work fine.

 

[supersiv8]

The sound quality now that I have plugged RCA audio plugs is bad, with a humming sound even on the lowest volume setting… What could be the reason for this?

Also, the decoder is connected via HDMI, this works but the sound comes out of both the internal tv speakers and the external ones and when I mute the tv speakers there's a mute icon at the bottom of the screen that remains there…