Amplification for PC suggestions.

[uberlad]

When I moved into my new house my girlfriend informed me that now I have a spare room I wasn't allowed to have a computer in the bedroom any more. This is fair enough (until I can afford an EPIA system and a mini LCD to hide in the HiFi 8-) but it's left me with a bit of a sound problem with my machine.

The machine was originally set up to go into my hifi, which is now in the next room. I have got two speakers and a subwoofer (moved upstairs after losing the surround sound amp when my old housemate moved out) but no method of amplification of the PC output.

It seems a waste to get some powered speakers but I have no idea what the best way of getting sound from the PC to the speakers. I could get another HiFi amp, but it's a bit expensive and I'd never use all the extra inputs.

I suppose I could build a small single input amp from a kit. Are they cheap?

Or pick up a second hand amp from a 4.1 speaker set on eBay, if people are going to sell them without the speakers.

I just don't know.

Any suggestions on what to do?

Uberlad

[edit] Made no damn sense.

[gt40]

I'm using a pc power supply to power a car audio amp I had laying around.
Easy to hide and LOTS of volume if needed.

At the momment I am using it to power two bookshelf speakers and a sub.

It sounds pretty damn good, too.

[uberlad]

Now that's a heck of an idea. Run a 12V line out of the case and I'm golden.

I presume that they dissipate a lot of heat, with the big heatsinks and all.

It's top of the list so far

Uberlad

[gt40]

I wouldn't use the 12v line from the case, it may stress the powersupply too much unless you have a larger (350 or larger) psu.
I am using a seperate unit I pulled from an old computer.
Generally speaking a car audio amp draws quite alot of current (15 amps or more) - unless you limit the volume.
I am using a unit rated at 12v 3.5A (pretty small by todays standards) with a 150W rms pioneer amp and am happy with the volume levels - although when loaded the lights on the amp dim a bit!

[uberlad]

Good point. Possibly worth my while to look for a kit that'll run off the mains. The sub is powered anyway but I can't get it to amplify the treble. Which is annoying.

I'm thinking maybe a guitar amp head might do the job.

Uberlad

[WyWyWyWy]

Uberlad, I have an answer to your question....

The good old Maplin does hi-fi amplifier kits, which is quite cheap (less than 20 iirc), but I don't know about the quality. You might need a "power protection module" as well, about 15 quid.

Those kits = PCB + components. You need to solder it.

I know there are many more kits with high (very high) quality, but they ain't gonna be cheap. In that case you'd better buy a 2nd hand amp from Sony Yamaha etc...

Can give links if wanted.

[uberlad]

Cool! An opportunity to burn my fingers.

Give me the links - There's gonna be a limit to the HiFi-ness of the soundcard output anyway. I had a quick look on Maplin before, but no full kits jumped out at me.

I'd rather not pick up a second hand full-size amp (although I will if it's the obviously cheapest) because there isn't really space for it in the spare room unless I use it as a monitor stand.

Uberlad

[WyWyWyWy]

Firstly Maplin link

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search/Results.asp?CartID=030217190122188&Menu=25298

Rswww.com and Farnell have some too.

A 2nd hand 1980's amp without and fancy stuff like ProLogic (not even LCD) should be the cheapest, obviously. On eBay it generally ranges from 20 quid to 100, depending on brand.

Some info on "building" hifi

http://www.decdun.fsnet.co.uk/index.html

Now this is the most respected hifi DIY person (site), and he sells PCB+datasheet directly from Australia. Not expensive and obviously pretty cool.

http://sound.westhost.com/

I also wanted to build a small simple amp to power a central speaker for my PC...

EDIT:
Actually, is there anything as "powered mono/central-speaker"?

[uberlad]

Thanks for those - an evening's reading.

I'll keep everyone updated if I manage to go through with it.

Uberlad

[gt40]

Too bad your not at a more reasonable shipping distance, I've got a few car amps /pc supplies I would rid of for close to nothing.

[uberlad]

And it's a shame I didn't think about this last week - my boss has an interview in the states on thursday and I could have jury-rigged a cheaper shipping option for you.

Ah well, ebay uk have pretty cheap car amps if I decide to go on that route.

Uberlad

[TnT]

This may be a stupid question, but are there any DIY on a budget sites? Cause I think it'd be fun to build a home theater system even if it isn't the highest quality.

[Wombat]

I home HT system? Not too likely. If nothing else, the Dolby codecs are carefully licensed, and I can't imagine someone just selling decoder chips.

[KvHagedorn]

Here you go.. they just came out with it.. I think the whole system, receiver and 6 speakers, is $199.00.

http://www.yamahamultimedia.com/yec/index_us.asp

[WyWyWyWy]

KvHagedorn, IIRC the receiver itself is $199....
The older one with just 2 channel is just $79 or something like that.

TnT, you can use 6 analogue channels from the back of your sound card, and buy 3 amp kits... enclosure is something you need to think about though. And you need some speaker protection modules too. Overall it would be like buying a 2nd hand low-end receiver...