Can I run my computer's sound through my console record player?

March 4, 2012 8:56 AM

I would much rather listen to Pandora through the speakers in this record player than my Insignia computer speakers. The record player has an RCA input on the back, so can I just get a 1/8" stereo-to-RCA adapter and plug it in?

Also, the piece that holds the needle cartridge broke, and I have it held precariously in place with scotch tape. Can anyone think of a better fix? I'm toying with the idea of buying this turntable and finding a way to build it into the the console. Thoughts?

posted by jwhite1979 to computers & internet (14 answers total)

Is there a switch for using the auxiliary inputs (the RCA plugs)?
posted by kuanes at 9:00 AM on March 4, 2012

The record player has an RCA input on the back

An RCA input, or stereo (red and white) RCA inputs?
posted by stopgap at 9:01 AM on March 4, 2012

Sorry, stereo RCA inputs. And yes, there is a switch for using the auxiliary inputs.
posted by jwhite1979 at 9:08 AM on March 4, 2012

I'm not sure why you'd want to plug it into your record player. Does the record player have a built-in amp or something? Otherwise, I'd just plug it directly into whatever amp you're using to get sound to speakers from the record player.

Otherwise, yes; a 1/8 to stereo-RCA plug cord should get the sound from your computer to something capable of sending the sound to nice speakers (whether that be this record player with built-in amp (?) or a stand-alone amp).
posted by Betelgeuse at 9:32 AM on March 4, 2012

Are there console record players that require external amplification? I'm pretty sure this isn't that kind, because it doesn't plug into anything except an outlet in my wall.
posted by jwhite1979 at 9:36 AM on March 4, 2012

OK; where are the speakers, then? Built into the record player?
posted by Betelgeuse at 9:47 AM on March 4, 2012

Does the record player have a built-in amp or something?

It has speakers, so, yes. That's how that works.

There's no reason you couldn't plug the line out of your computer into the input of the record player. In any case, it wouldn't cost more than $10 to find out.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:48 AM on March 4, 2012

Yeah, there are several speakers built into the console.

That I had another console record player a few years ago, and I regularly plugged my MP3 player into the stereo RCA input. Eventually the speakers stopped working. I wasn't sure if the speakers failing had anything to do with the MP3 player; I didn't know if the signal coming out of the MP3 player was too strong to be fed through the record player's own amplifier, causing too much strain on the speakers.

I probably should have said all that in my initial post, but it sounds kinda like gibberish to me and I didn't want to risk confusing people.
posted by jwhite1979 at 10:32 AM on March 4, 2012

*I had another console record player..."
posted by jwhite1979 at 10:33 AM on March 4, 2012

Yup. Mini (1/8) to RCA adapter sounds like what you need.

If the system you're plugging it into can't handle it, I have to assume that the issue is with the system, not the computer.

RE: Also, the piece that holds the needle cartridge broke, and I have it held precariously in place with scotch tape. [...] I'm toying with the idea of buying this turntable and finding a way to build it into the the console. Thoughts?

Please, for the love of recorded music, do this.
posted by philip-random at 10:36 AM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

My father has been doing this for years; he grabs streaming audio and records it onto cassette tapes. He also listens to streaming music through speakers attached to the cassette player. It works perfectly for him, and should do for you as well.
posted by ronofthedead at 10:43 AM on March 4, 2012

It worked. Everything sounds great.
posted by jwhite1979 at 12:51 PM on March 4, 2012

Eventually the speakers stopped working.

Likely the amplifier in the unit was cheap and broke.
posted by rhizome at 1:10 PM on March 4, 2012

I use this to stream music from my bluetooth devices to my hifi. It plugs in via RCA or a single line-in, so if you have bluetooth or can add it to your streaming device it's a great way of getting music into a hifi without having a cable connected.
posted by DuchessProzac at 4:34 PM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]