Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with stereo and radio

New stereo amp to replace my broken one.

misterpatrick — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:28:05 -0800

My amplifier/receiver died. I need something inexpensive (~$200) but powerful to replace it. I am not an audiophile but like my music to sound good. Should I get a simple amplifier and an HD radio tuner or troll eBay for a used receiver? I have two sets of speakers plus woofer and need about 100W per channel. Need three or four inputs. Don't need fancy 5.1 or anything. Recommendations? The receiver I am replacing is a Sony STR-DE525. Worked fine for me but our radio reception isn't great here and the stations we listen to broadcast in HD, so one reason to just get an amp and an HD receiver. My other inputs are the computer (iTunes), cable, DVD player and turntable.

Lite Rock, Less Talk? I'd like neither, please.

strangecargo — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:59:16 -0800

(Electronics|Stereo)filter: What is causing this infuriating noise in my preamp and how do I fix it? Links to sound files and long list of symptoms in extended. I have this preamp and ever since moving to my current apartment in San Francisco, it generates a really loud noise that sounds like a combination of 60 Hz hum and FM radio broadcasts. The noise is loudest when the volume knob is turned all the way down, but it doesn't go away when you turn the volume up. And this is what it sounds like when you go from zero gain to full gain and back. The noises don't sound that loud when played back on a computer, but that level of noise is pretty dang loud when sent to the input of a power amp.

The maybe pertinent facts (numbered because there are a lot of them):

1. I recorded the linked sound files by plugging in the output of the preamp into the line in of a MacBook Pro. No mixing or diddling with the file other than that.

2. You can clearly hear the station identifier for KOIT in the first sound file I linked. This is an FM station. What the heck? I was under the impression that FM was way too complicated for equipment to randomly pick up unless it was designed specifically to, you know, receive FM radio.

3. Changing the vacuum tubes inside the preamp doesn't change the nature of the noise.

4. I have other audio equipment (both solid-state and tubed) that doesn't make this sort of noise.

5. The noise is generated independent of what I have connected as an input or output (or if there's anything connected at all).

6. I can't seem to reproduce this noise outside of my apartment (friends' places, hifi shops, etc). Whenever I try, the preamp is noiseless and dead silent.

7. Physically moving the preamp around my apartment doesn't seem to change the noise either.

8. I live in an old apartment without grounding in most of the electrical sockets, but the noise doesn't change if I plug the preamp into a grounded outlet. I've checked that the grounded outlets in my apartment are indeed grounded with one of these devices.

9. I live sort of near Sutro Tower (but who in SF doesn't?). Wikipedia tells me that KOIT broadcasts from Sutro Tower. I also live right next to the N Judah MUNI line. Sometimes my lights dim when it goes by. I suspect the power is probably kind of dirty.

10. Using a different power cable doesn't do anything.

11. For what it's worth, here's a look at the circuitry inside the preamp.

I've been investigating this problem on and off for the last year or so and I still haven't figured out what's causing the problem. Do any electrical engineer types have an suggestions for further testing or solutions to this problem? I have a digital multimeter and oscilloscope at my disposal for the collection of further data.

I'm quite attached to this preamp (more so when it isn't making this noise), so please don't tell me to replace it.

What's up with my speakers?

mediocre — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:26:29 -0800

My stereo is off, unplugged even. I am not using my cell phone, neither is my adjacent roommate.. why do I occasionally hear loud conversation, almost sounding like walkie talkie two way radio communication, coming from my speakers? This is very rare, and has only happened 4-5 times in my lifetime.. and not where I currently live but once. But for reasons I can't imagine, I on that rare occasion will start hearing what sounds like two way radio convesation. But the stereo is off, I've even unplugged it during these incidents, disconnected the speakers even if I remember correctly (and there's a very good chance I don't).. this has always bugged me, why/what is that?

Help me hack my car's stereo!

phunniemee — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:53:05 -0800

I need tunes! Please help me hack* my car's stereo. So, some genius broke into my car (technically a '97 RAV4) and stole (only) the faceplate off of my cd player (an Alpine...something...that I got back in 2002). They graciously left the tape player, and since I've got one of those headphone jack-to-cassette mcgees, I'd ideally like to play songs off of my (no-brand, bare bones) mp3 player. However, the tape doesn't want to play (yes, it is a functioning accessory; it works just fine in my boombox). In fact, the whole cassette player itself appears to not work at all. I don't know if it ever worked, but I'd sure like it to now. I don't recall there being an option on my cd player to switch to the tape player, so I don't think it's that. If all else fails, I'll probably just buy a replacement faceplate, but I'd hate to have to upgrade from my sweet mid-nineties technology.

Picture of the offending area.

Is there anything I can do (for under, say, 10 bucks) to fix this thing? Could it be some sort of fuse (??) issue or something? Is there some secret other way for me to make my music come out of my car? I'm quite handy, so if someone tells me what to look for, I have no problem ripping my dash apart and tinkering.

Thanks!

* ...sigh... Yeah, yeah, I know.

Home Stereo of the Future, revisted

rouftop — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:34:15 -0800

Looking for a home stereo setup that supports internet radio, traditional radio, CD's and MP3's without a computer in the middle. My wife and I want to buy a nice home stereo system that can handle both the old and the new. This earlier thread from 2005 asks very similar questions to what I'm looking for, but a lot can change in three years.

My wife enjoys listening to internet radio stations using iTunes, but she hates having to leave her computer on when she's just listening to music. She also has an iPod which she uses to listen to audiobooks while at the gym, but sometimes she wants to continue them at home without having to put on earphones. And of course we still have / buy CD's. (heck, sometimes my wife pulls out cassette tapes from high school!)

Ideally it'd also be able to handle surround sound and speakers in different rooms in the house.

Any suggestions?

FM Antenna Help Needed!

imjustsaying — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:18:34 -0800

Is there an alternative to the single wire FM antenna supplied with my wife's new stereo? I bought my wife a Sony microcomponent stereo for her birthday, which she loves.

For optimal FM radio reception is there a better alternative to the single wire antenna which we have to run down behind a tallish stand alone kitchen cabinet?

Due to placement issues in our kitchen, the wire FM antenna has to run vertically down the back of a cabinet, near the AC cord from the receiver as well as in close proximity to the AC cord for our wall mounted cordless phone. The instructions for the tuner indicate that the wire antenna should run horizontally and this isn't an option.

FM broadcast reception isn't horrible now but I know it could be better.

How should I setup satellite radio in my car?

Rewind — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 18:04:04 -0800

Any satellite radio users able to offer some insight on the best method of installation? My lovely girlfriend surprised me with Sirius satellite radio for Christmas and I am thrilled no end. However, I’m wondering if I could pick the brains of my fellow AskMeFites as to the best way to set it up.

The unit she ended up getting me was a Stratus, which seems like a good fit, however given my current setup, I’m wondering if I should go another route. I currently have the Alpine CDA-9851 in my car along with the KCA-420i interface adaptor for my iPod. I love my setup, and I’m thrilled to be adding satellite radio to the mix but I’m wondering whether I should keep the Stratus and use it as essentially a 2nd unit to control the satellite radio, or whether I should return it and get the necessary components to have the service controlled directly through the Alpine.

The pros to the Stratus as I see them are more presets, the ability to see more than one line of text so you can see artist/song/channel info, and can (relatively) easily see what’s on the other channels with less scrolling through the display. The downside however is the fact that it’s a 2nd head unit, and that it would plug into my cigarette lighter (or whatever they’re called these days) thereby ensuring that I wouldn’t be able to use my GPS at the same time. Also, there seems to be a queston regarding the sound quality unless I have a direct connection.

The pros to the control through the Alpine are that it’s all one unit, which means less wiring all over and power is coming from a source other than the cigarette lighter. The downside however would seem to be that it only displays one line of text so that I’d have to hit a button each time I wanted to scroll through artist name/song/category, etc. Also, I’m worried that the scroll will be interminably slow. Currently, I control my iPod through the head unit and it is suh-low as molasses. It’s great to be able to do that, but I find I have to set everything up in playlists to actually find music efficiently. I’m worried that the scroll through the Sirius channels would be just as slow. Of course, I could upgrade my current Alpine head unit to one that displayed two/three lines of text (and I haven’t yet ruled that out) but that might be quite cost prohibitive.

Anyway, any MeFites have a similar setup to those described above and are there any major (or minor) pros/cons you’d be willing to share? Thanks in advance.

Home Audio 101

10ch — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:49:09 -0800

What components do I need to buy to have a solid stereo system for my home? I know nothing about home audio and I want to buy a quality turntable for playing records (including 78s) as a gift for my one and only.

I took a look at other mefi questions about turntables and found some good resources, but I quickly realized that there's a lot of vocabulary and hip-bone-connected-to-the-assumptions going on that leave me clueless. I need someone that isn't trying to sell me something to help me figure out what I need.

Fer'instance... am I better going with separate parts (and if so, what are those parts specifically) or with a "home system" (I want to avoid crappy parts just to get the 78 feature, for example).

Here are the things I'd like the system to do, in priority:

- Cost around $500
- Sound good
- Play records (78s, 33s and 45s)
- Play cds
- Play cassettes
- Play FM/AM radio
- BONUS, BUT NOT REQUIRED: Record across the above (ideally on CD)
- BONUS, BUT NOT REQUIRED: Be aesthetically pleasing

Speak jargon as long as you provide clarification (parenthetically). Links and specific make/model recommendations are appreciated. I'll be happy to converse in thread if I'm leaving details out. Thanks for your help.

Looking for a car stereo with a good UI.

Plutor — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 06:36:24 -0800

The factory-installed stereo in my car has stopped playing CDs, and my commute is fairly long, so this is essentially unacceptable. I've looked into getting it repaired, but the whole stereo'll have to be sent away for weeks, and it'll end up costing a bunch. But I've yet to find an add-on in-dash stereo for $200 or less that isn't terribly ugly. I have a 2003 Nissan Altima; the current stereo (and dash) looks like this, which I'm otherwise 100% happy with. I'm not really an audiophile, so pretty much any stereo will probably sound good enough for me. I've considered buying an MP3 player, but my stock stereo doesn't have an aux port, and it'd require a lot of CD-ripping time to convert all of my collection. I'm savvy enough that I have absolutely no problem mounting a stereo myself.

But I absolutely hate the trend of blinking lights and tiny lettering on tiny chrome buttons that seems pervasive in the car stereo market. My priority is a good UI. Is that too much to ask for?

Car CD Player (without car stereo)?

punkbitch — Sun, 11 Sep 2005 23:42:03 -0800

My friend has a VW Gol (not a Golf). She just had her stereo stolen. The wires that hook into the car's speaker system are fine and dandy. Is there a way to attach a portable CD Player to these wires alone (without replacing the stereo system and using a cd-player adaptor etc.)? I don't know if the car model matters. I don't recall seeing too many Gols in the States though. We're in Argentina. She wants to take a road trip, but to have music. I thought "I bet a Mefite knows!"

that is all.

Clever uses for a receiver

aladfar — Fri, 05 Nov 2004 17:12:48 -0800

What to do with a Receiver? Someone in my building left a decent Pioneer receiver near the dumpster, obviously hoping that someone would put it to good use. I believe I might be that person, but am not sure what to do with it. I've already got a reliable radio that I enjoy listening to, my record player has it's own pre-amp, and I don't feel a need to add surround sound to the TV (in part because it would mean buying a mess of speakers). But I'm betting someone out there in MeFi land has a clever and novel idea for how it might be employed. If no suitable use for it can be found, I plan on donating it to the Howard Brown Health Center - no reason for it to go to landfill.

FM Transmitter That Plugs Into PC And Transmits to House Appliances?

Jimbob — Sat, 13 Dec 2003 03:43:53 -0800

I'm looking for a gadget - essentially a low powered stereo FM transmitter I can plug into the sound output of my PC and broadcast the music on my harddrive to the various clock radios and stereos around my house. I guess a 30m range would be ample (although it does have to get through some pretty thick walls). So far the closest thing I've found are tiny battery-powered transmitters designed to plug into a CD-walkman and sit next to your car stereo while you drive - pretty useless for my purposes. Does anyone out there know of a suitable transmitter? And here's the crunch - do you think it would even be legal in Australia?