I've been reading this forum for a little while now and it's been a Godsend in honing my thoughts on how I might get the best quality from my itunes library - about 140gb worth of Apple lossless tracks sitting on an external 500gb Toshiba hard drive hooked up to an ageing Evesham desktop pc. I'm running a minijack to phono connection from the analogue out on the soundcard to a Marantz PM6010 OSE amp bired wired to a pair of Epos M16 floortanders. The sound is decent enough but - as you'd expect - is noticably poorer than from my CD player. I'm now thinking about going for the CA Dacmagic hooking it up to the pc by USB. My problem is this; I'm getting married a week this Saturday and using my amp and speakers for the reception. I've hooked my Ipod classic to the amp using an Apple universal dock with a £10 Richer Sounds minijack to phono lead. The quality is passable but to get the volume levels I need for the reception I'm having to turn the volume on the amp to past 12o'clock. To get the same volume spinning itunes from the pc I'm at just before 11pm and from CD about 9:45pm. Is this high volume setting going to damage the amp - bearing in mind its going to be running for around four hours. Secondly I was wondering whether using a Russ Andrews GQ 24 connection which by-passes the I pod's own volume control will give me the same sort of volume I get from a CD player connected to the amp. The other alternative I was toying with is to buy myself a lap-top - something I've wanted to do anyway and then hook that up via USB to the dacmagic. Would this solve the volume issue? This is obviously an expensive option and very much a last resort as I'm pretty skint right now would need to do it on a buy now pay later deal. If I do go down the laptop route would a macbook or normal laptop give a better sound - would there be any difference anyway if its hooked up to the dac by USB. The final thought I had was to buy a cheapish headphone amp designed for MP3/ipods - somthing like the £30 Boostaroo. But would this solve the volume problem bearing in mind it will then go into the marantz amp driving the speakers. Any suggestions would be priceless right now as I've got a horrible feeling that I',m fast running out of time. Cheers in advance.
Save my wedding reception - please
- Thread starter Megs
- Start date
idc
Well-known member
Hi Megs. I would go for the GQ-24 route. That way the ipod can be left playing away and the amp will do all the work volume wise. It will go as loud as a CDP, it does with my amps. Dont worry about the amp volume going passed 12, so as it does not distort or clip there will be no risk of damage. It will also give you a much better sound than a minijack connection or the dock you have. Get the GQ-24 with phonos and plug into the CD input on the amp.
That is way cheaper than the laptop routes. The idea of a Boostaroo, one amp feeding another, I dont see how/think that would work.
That is way cheaper than the laptop routes. The idea of a Boostaroo, one amp feeding another, I dont see how/think that would work.
IDC you're a star. I was hoping the GQ24 might be the answer as I vaguely remember reading on one of the other threads some time ago that it delivers CDP volumes but I didn't have this problem then and I couldn't re-find the thread. I'll raise a glass to you at the reception and let you know how it went - BTW is the Ultraplate the one to go for?
idc
Well-known member
I would go for the nickle phonos, I just checked and they are in stock, but the ultra ones are not, so if you are in such a hurry....in any case, its your reception so I presume cheesy pop and loads of chat and laughter will compete with the SQ of your hifi!
Best wishes for the big day
Best wishes for the big day
Nice one IDC - it'll be soul, northern soul, reggae and funk with a sprinkling of cheesy pop for the girlies and yeah hopefully lots of cheer but yeah you're right SQ aint gonna be that paramount and the lead won't be getting much use afterwards anyway.
Big Aura
Well-known member
to further put your mind at ease, I bought a nickle phono gq-24 last week, Replacing a similar non-branded line-out-dock connector. Sounds much better! Good luck with the wedding.
Can I advise finishing off the night with Don't Stop Believin' by Journey?!
Can I advise finishing off the night with Don't Stop Believin' by Journey?!
John Duncan
Well-known member
Or Faithfully. Or Open Arms. Or Who's Cryin' Now. Not Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) though, obv.
Or of course, if you're feeling, er, minxy - Any Way You Want It
Or of course, if you're feeling, er, minxy - Any Way You Want It
professorhat
Well-known member
Sorreltiger
Well-known member
Please don't use your hi-fi for the reception, no matter how tempting . It will be fried. I did this once when I was young and foolish. Leave it in your home where it should be - it isn't designed to fill a large space with dance music. Hiring a PA system will work out cheaper than replacing your amp and/or speakers.
Big Aura
Well-known member
JohnDuncan:Or Faithfully. Or Open Arms. Or Who's Cryin' Now. Not Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) though, obv. Or of course, if you're feeling, er, minxy - Any Way You Want It
JD's been at the sherry again!
JD's been at the sherry again!
Big Aura
Well-known member
JohnDuncan:Or Faithfully. Or Open Arms. Or Who's Cryin' Now. Not Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) though, obv. Or of course, if you're feeling, er, minxy - Any Way You Want It
JD's been at the sherry again!
JD's been at the sherry again!
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
Sorreltiger:Please don't use your hi-fi for the reception, no matter how tempting . It will be fried. I did this once when I was young and foolish. Leave it in your home where it should be - it isn't designed to fill a large space with dance music. Hiring a PA system will work out cheaper than replacing your amp and/or speakers.
Sounds like the reception is at Megs' house? If it is, I would go with the pc to DAC route. No need to worry about volume control and I had an all day, all night BBQ last week and the music was playing throughout - loud too.
Sounds like the reception is at Megs' house? If it is, I would go with the pc to DAC route. No need to worry about volume control and I had an all day, all night BBQ last week and the music was playing throughout - loud too.
Sorreltiger
Well-known member
Sorry, I may have misunderstood. If it's at the house, it should be OK. Don't let anyone else fiddle, though!
We had our band finish up with RATM-Killing in the name. What a laugh place was rocking. Enjoy your day.
idc
Well-known member
Our DJ was a horrible little guy that the hotel insisted we used. He played cheasy pop, as the wife insisted and it does work getting people up to dance, especially as we and all the guests were well into our 30s. But he demanded to be paid cash on the night, have a specific break and there was no merry banter. If they were about then, I would have happily replaced him with an ipod on shuffle for the night. I think it is a brilliant idea.
chebby
Well-known member
Megs:Nice one IDC - it'll be soul, northern soul, reggae and funk with a sprinkling of cheesy pop for the girlies
Please can I come too? (Ah 'real' music! Stuff you can actually groove to and not a 'prog' or 'concept' rock track in sight. Lots of Ska too I hope.)
Please can I come too? (Ah 'real' music! Stuff you can actually groove to and not a 'prog' or 'concept' rock track in sight. Lots of Ska too I hope.)
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