OT. How to stream music

[steveoz]

So I like to stream music through my laptop, but the sound sucks. My home stereo speakers sound great but I obviously can't stream through it. How can I stream music through "something" that will attach to my good home speakers? I DON'T want one of those "smart speakers" that listen to my every word....lol!

[Marvinlungwitz]

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[schwa86]

The low tech options (less good sound quality) get a Bluetooth receiver that plugs in, or repurpose the old cell phone you have lying around and plug it in via the headphone jack (play the music via that phone)

The high tech option - get a dedicated device like a Sonos (I used to have a Logitech squeezebox - these are no longer made — there are a variety of similar options some are DIY if you like that kind of thing).

[glepore]

ahhh... what I do to 4 different audio systems and a headphone amp is use a second gen apple airport express (the receiver, not the router which is the airport extreme). They're cheap-40 to 50 bucks on ebay. They have a decent onboard DAC (digital to audio converter) that you can use with a 1/8 male to dual rca cable (on amazon) or better yet with an optical 1/8 to toslink optical cable to an audiophile outboard dac. You can now stream from any apple device to any stereo. If you have a windows system, there is a program named airfoil that allows to to stream using the apple protocol.
I've been doing this for years. It has sonos level flexibility but allows you to use real audio gear, and now with services like Amazon HD you have tons of hi resolution audio available.
Bluetooth sucks by comparison.
A first gen airport will work, but you're limited to one device at a time and it only works on the 2ghz band, the newer ones are dual band. The ones after the second gen output only audio, not pure digital.

[Ewiser]

I have AppleTV’s and homepods
So I play music though out the house by tapping on one button.

[woolly]

Originally Posted by glepore

ahhh... what I do to 4 different audio systems and a headphone amp is use a second gen apple airport express (the receiver, not the router which is the airport extreme). They're cheap-40 to 50 bucks on ebay. They have a decent onboard DAC (digital to audio converter) that you can use with a 1/8 male to dual rca cable (on amazon) or better yet with an optical 1/8 to toslink optical cable to an audiophile outboard dac. You can now stream from any apple device to any stereo. If you have a windows system, there is a program named airfoil that allows to to stream using the apple protocol.
I've been doing this for years. It has sonos level flexibility but allows you to use real audio gear, and now with services like Amazon HD you have tons of hi resolution audio available.
Bluetooth sucks by comparison.
A first gen airport will work, but you're limited to one device at a time and it only works on the 2ghz band, the newer ones are dual band. The ones after the second gen output only audio, not pure digital.

I've done similar with an Airport express, with decent results. I suspect some of the higher-end options in that Crutchfield link would be even better (for a higher-quality audio system, that is).

For a cheap, low-end solution, I hooked one of *these* up to a powered speaker in the garage, and am pleased with the results for the cost (and the results are plenty good enough for that particular application): https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My uncle has a full-house Sonos system, and I was not impressed. It was fine, but nothing to write home about. That "demo" convinced me it was not the way to go for me - I'll piece my own together, at least for now, and tailor the cost/quality of each piece to the intended use.

[choke]

If your stereo has a set of unused RCA inputs all you need is a 3.5mm to RCA adapter. The 3.5 end goes to the headphone connection on the laptop and the RCAs to the stereo. Select the 'line out' option on the laptop volume control.

If you have other unused inputs on the stereo such as HDMI or USB you may be able to use them as well, depending on the outputs on the laptop....i.e a Display Port output to HDMI on the receiver.

Most computers have a pretty crappy DAC however, so something like an Audioquest Dragonfly should give you better sound. https://www.crutchfield.com/S-ge8lTB...iABEgLLHvD_BwE It uses a USB output on the laptop and then you would need a 3.5mm to RCA adapter to connect to the stereo.

You could also use an cheap phone or tablet instead of the laptop but again they usually don't have the best quality DACs.

[Spaghetti Legs]

Definitely avoid any Bluetooth solutions.

I have whole house Sonos and really, really like it. This includes a their amp which powers regular speakers, used for my patio. Sonos will play files from your computer, which I did for years, or link directly to your music service of choice which is what I do now. I think sound quality is very good but audiophile-like quality would be lost on me with my crappy hearing.

glepore’s solution is intriguing and I might make that a rainy day winter project to mess around with.

[William]

Super simple - RCA auxillary jack and your cell phone. Plug into your phone and then into the AUX on the back of your stereo.

Or, if you have a newer digital tv, get a DAC and connect via toslink and again utlize the RCA connections to the AUX on the stereo. Then you can stream pandora or Amazon HD etc... from the TV.

If you are already using the ports on the back of your stereo get a passive source selector and run multiple sources trough it and plug into the aux.





W.

[IJWS]

Apple Airport (mentioned above) is the way to go. You can spend more money if you want but the airport a very simple and convenient solution.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by William

Super simple - RCA auxillary jack and your cell phone. Plug into your phone and then into the AUX on the back of your stereo.

Or, if you have a newer digital tv, get a DAC and connect via toslink and again utlize the RCA connections to the AUX on the stereo. Then you can stream pandora or Amazon HD etc... from the TV.

If you are already using the ports on the back of your stereo get a passive source selector and run multiple sources trough it and plug into the aux.





W.

Problem with that is no headphone jack on phones anymore.

[glepore]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

Problem with that is no headphone jack on phones anymore.

There is a lightning to rca dongle in the apple world


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[glepore]

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

Definitely avoid any Bluetooth solutions.

I have whole house Sonos and really, really like it. This includes a their amp which powers regular speakers, used for my patio. Sonos will play files from your computer, which I did for years, or link directly to your music service of choice which is what I do now. I think sound quality is very good but audiophile-like quality would be lost on me with my crappy hearing.

glepore’s solution is intriguing and I might make that a rainy day winter project to mess around with.

I have unused gen 1 expresses laying around if you want to play. They work just fine but you can only stream to one at a time with the native phone app


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[Spaghetti Legs]

Originally Posted by glepore

I have unused gen 1 expresses laying around if you want to play. They work just fine but you can only stream to one at a time with the native phone app


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Thanks Greg. Recently upgraded my wireless network so I have one in my superseded electronics bin as well.

[Tony T]

Google Sonos DAC (plugs into your stereo receiver)

I’m using my old-reliable Squeezebox Touch to stream through my stereo.
It’s a shame that Logitech dropped this product years ago.