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I quite fancy being able to run some music off my phone through my amp and speakers. It's an old hi fi system, separates and mostly vinyl
I saw some cables that would seemingly work, but will it be worth it or is there a better option? I'm basically skint so budget options only!
Isn't there a problem here in that USB C is digital and the RCA input to your old hi-fi will be analogue? So you need a DAC in the system. With iPad (and iPhone too if I want to) I use a 3.5mm to RCA cable from the headphone out to the hi-fi. I'm sure it's not the best solution but it works.
I'd be looking at some sort of Bluetooth receiver rather than buggering about with cables.
I'm running a cd player through the amp so assumed it would work with the phone?
I'm a bit of a Luddite when it comes to modern media entertainment 😄
Had good results with the moderately priced Chinese valve DACs / pre-amps from Amazon. Would happily buy again.
eg https://www.amazon.co.uk/AIYIMA-T9-Bluetooth-Amplifier-Amplifiers/dp/B09G3487FB/
Only £100 at the moment.
Definitely worth trying, I bought a cheap USB to 3.5mm jack which has an inbuilt DAC and it works ok, but this is only for the tiny amp/speakers in the shed, so similar USB to RCA cable has the potential to work if you can find one.
I've done the blue tooth receiver thing in another room, which works well, but it is a case of having another thing to plug in/use power etc. Can send a link to the one I use if you're interested,.cheap (£30?) and was recommended by a vintage hifi shop contact.
Works fine for me, but I'm not a hifi enthusiast or anything like that..
Google Chromecast audio solved this problem...but they stopped making it ☹️
I recently went though this and ended up with a cheap Chinese DAC from Amazon / AliExpress:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0C1Y7C9HH?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Plus a secondhand WiiM Mini streamer from eBay. Sounds pretty good and very easy to use - recommended.
No headphone jack on the phone?
Cheapest might be a cheap Bluetooth receiver from Amazon but my experience with those is that connection is patchy and quality not great. But you will get something out
If you are streaming from Spotify on your phone then something like a WiiM mini is much much nicer but is unfortunately a level up in price although still cheap by hifi standards.
Edit: too slow, just
We use basic usb to twin minijack adapters all the time for zoom calls where we are setting up hybrid meetings. This is on laptops rather than phones and just speech.
So yes they work but I've not tried them with a phone or for anything where musical fidelity was really an issue
Recommend what you have etc etc
Cheap and so far reliable
Isn’t there a problem here in that USB C is digital and the RCA input to your old hi-fi will be analogue?
USB C to 3.5mm headphone jack's seem to work fine, I'm not sure this is any different as it's the hi-fi amp that will be driving it.
I have an Apple usb-c to 3.5mm socket to get stuff as far as the Aux cable from the ipad. Super sound quality and only £8 which isn't bad for apple. However, it doesn't work properly from my android phone, gives tinny minimal volume and google says I'd need their own one for the phone. Since I have Spotify on both I haven't bothered, but be aware these are not all fully compatible even if the plugs fit.
Chromecast audio?
Upside, it's a known, high quality DAC. And it continues to work when you walk off with the phone unlike bluetooth or a cable.
Downside, only works with streaming services, not local stuff on your phone (does anyone still use that feature?).
And something that was £10 when new is now listed for £100 on ebay 😵, guess that proves it was a good, if too niche, product!
I think some variations on google home, alexa etc have an audio output which would be a simpler phone-free option.
All USB to RCA/3.5mm male and female have a DAC (digital to analogue) chip in them. So do SPDIF (optical) to RCA, 3.5 etc.
This is because the signal from your USB socket or Optical out is digital (1s and 0s) and the signal feeding your amp through a line level input (RCA, 3.5) is analog.
The cables will have a tiny dac and depending on the price will range from absolutely rubbish to OK. OK versions will be from the likes of iFi, Dragonfly, FiiO and be £50 upwards. Having said that, the lightning connector to 3.5 dongle by apple is only about £15 and thats almost OK.
Personally, If I was you I'd get an iFi Uno USB dac for around £75. This has RCA on the back to go straight into your amp and a usb c for input from your phone. It can also be used as a headphone amp. The sound is awsome for the price and its very well made.
Alternatively the replacement for the old Chromecast Audio (may they RIP) is generally acknowledged to be the WiiM Mini. This is a fantastic little thing that works as a streaming dac so you can plug it into your stereo (3.5 to RCA) needed. Then you can use your streaming service either via wifi (far superior) or bluetooth if you have to. The Wiim dac isn't anywhere near as good as the iFi though - thats the trade off unless you spend more which you don't want to do.
I’m not sure this is any different
The levels are different. A signal via RCA connectors will be line level, a 3.5mm jack is amplified to drive headphones.
Will it make much difference in practice? Probably not. It could theoretically damage the amp, you'd need be a little careful with volume settings on the phone. Personally I'd file it under "why bother" when the RCA connections are literally designed to connect source equipment to an amplifier.
Not all 3.5mm jacks are amplified. Only those marked with the headphone symbol. The 3.5 socket in the Wiim mini is line level - its just that there is no room for RCA and its cheaper which is why they are used on loads of portable audio. 3.5 TRS share a common earth as well whereas RCA don't so sometimes it can be argued RCA sound better with less interference but you need relatively good kit to distinguish this. RCA is also more robust.
Isn’t there a problem here in that USB C is digital and the RCA input to your old hi-fi will be analogue?
Think you’ll find the DAC is in the cable. It’s amazing how small and integrated they are. Those apple lightning->3.5mm jacks have a dac built in, but look like just a dumb cable.