PC to Vintage Amp Connection

[JulesBadass]

My Samsung PC has a 3.5mm jack output which is a combined microphone and headphone socket; i.e. it will take one plug with 3 sections, like you might see on an iPhone headphone/microhone headset.

I have a stereo 3.5mm jack to phono cable.

When I connect the Samsung to my CA 540a amp using the above cable, and play music on the PC, all is good.

When I connect the Samsung to my recently acquired vintage Pioneer SA-6500 II amp, it seems to be picking up radio, regardless of which input is selected, and no sign of the music playing on the PC. I've tested the Pioneer with a more conventional laptop which has seperate headphoneand microphone jacks and everything is ok.

I guess I can buy some kind of splitter for the PC end to branch the headphone signal out, i'll look, however I just wondered what might be going on here.

Thanks in advance!

(P.S the 70s Pioneer amp blows the CA out of the water in every respect!)

 

[AnotherJoe]

Not sure I can quite follow where the picking up radio bit comes in but..

I would try right clicking on the speaker symbol in windows taskbar on the PC and making sure that the playback and recording devices are set correctly.

You might want to disable the mic device.

 

[MajorFubar]

Think you'd be better off using an external DAC to be honest. Pretty sure the combo-connector you speak of is designed more to be used with a combination headset/mike of some sort, not plugged into a HiFi amp.

 

[JulesBadass]

Thanks all.

Yeah, appreciate its not an optimal setup, but sometimes you just need to 🙂

im just perplexed as to what the difference is between the two amps, and/or what the vintage amp isn't liking.

Some kind of earth issue I wonder?

 

[MajorFubar]

Don't know really but you can get a usable USB DAC for less than £20 so tbh I wouldn't fight with it lol.