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A question about MP3 players.

GonzoEngineer

Dec 2, 2011
321
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I decided to relive my childhood last year, and decided to build a Tube Stereo Amplifier.

The sound is fantastic, and the warm glow of the 6T10's takes me back many years.

It's not Green, and it sure isn't energy efficient, but it's mine and I love it!:D

Unfortunately, I haven't owned any Vinyl or a turntable in years.

So my first test was using the sound output from my computer. At first it sounded great, but something just wasn't right. :confused:

So I paused the song (Dark Side of the Moon), and lo and behold, there is a bunch of crap coming out of my sound card! My computer is a new Gateway, with the computer integrated into the 24" LCD enclosure. No access to replace a sound card like the old days.

So I went to Radio Shack a month ago, and bought an iPod Nano. (My first time ever owning an iPod, and I have to admit I was impressed.)

Works great, and when I pause playing a song and crank up the volume to the max, not a sound comes out.:D

At least now I know it isn't my Amplifier!

So I am thinking about integrating an MP3 Player into my Amplifier.

I thought of hacking the iPod Nano, but I can't even figure out how the damn thing even comes apart!

Anybody here have any experience doing this, and have any suggestions as to what I could buy and hack into?

It would be cool to have a USB port or a memory stick input on my amplifier that I could just plug in with MP3 files on it.

Anybody got any ideas on where to look, or what to buy?
 

CocaCola

Apr 7, 2012
3,635
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There are cheap mp3 player modules out of China that you can add your own custom micro front end to quite easily... Simple serial communications... Some even have the standard play, stop type buttons if that works...

From experience you would be better off using one of these modules vs hacking an existing unit unless you just want to relocate buttons and sorts...

I'm on the way out the door right now but I will get back to you with more details when I get back...

Actually here follow this link, you get your complete MP3 module with a remote so basically an entire system for dirt cheap and it's a simple cutout install in your existing housing...

http://dx.com/s/mp3+module
 
Last edited:

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Jan 21, 2010
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Bring your tube amp over to my place and connect the turntable to it!

Oh, bring any vinyl you may have...
 

GonzoEngineer

Dec 2, 2011
321
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Dec 2, 2011
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Bring your tube amp over to my place and connect the turntable to it!

Oh, bring any vinyl you may have...

Wish I could. I went to Australia back in 1970 on a two week R&R from Vietnam.

Never had so much fun, or met so many fun people in my whole life!

Always wanted to go back.:D
 

GonzoEngineer

Dec 2, 2011
321
Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
321
There are cheap mp3 player modules out of China that you can add your own custom micro front end to quite easily... Simple serial communications... Some even have the standard play, stop type buttons if that works...

From experience you would be better off using one of these modules vs hacking an existing unit unless you just want to relocate buttons and sorts...

I'm on the way out the door right now but I will get back to you with more details when I get back...

Actually here follow this link, you get your complete MP3 module with a remote so basically an entire system for dirt cheap and it's a simple cutout install in your existing housing...

http://dx.com/s/mp3+module

Perfect.......and cheap too! Thanks for the lead!
 

geekygenius

Jan 21, 2013
27
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Jan 21, 2013
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Sometimes my audio driver likes to add its own stuff to the sounds coming out. Try installing another driver, like asio4all. Asio is one of the best drivers out there. It seems like their website is down at this moment though...

http://www.asio4all.com/
 

GonzoEngineer

Dec 2, 2011
321
Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
321
Sometimes my audio driver likes to add its own stuff to the sounds coming out. Try installing another driver, like asio4all. Asio is one of the best drivers out there. It seems like their website is down at this moment though...

http://www.asio4all.com/

Unfortunately, the sound is embedded with the motherboard, and I can't find any information about it.
If it were a seperate sound card, I would have swapped it out!
There is stil la lot to be said for "Open Systems", like the older PC's.:(
 

CocaCola

Apr 7, 2012
3,635
Joined
Apr 7, 2012
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3,635
Unfortunately, the sound is embedded with the motherboard, and I can't find any information about it.
If it were a seperate sound card, I would have swapped it out!
There is stil la lot to be said for "Open Systems", like the older PC's.:(

You can get a USB sound card dongle for $3 delivered if you want to bypass the internal one...The same site I linked has them, I have used them on an older integrated sound system PC that stopped working and the results were actually decent...
 
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