Headphone to RCA with Amp

[compuguru]

I would like to use the Headphone output of my Laptop and connect it to my amplifier. I know I need a mini to RCA cord. However, when I tried it, the volume was much lower than the other components in my system, such as my DVD player. Any recommendations on how to increase the volume of the laptop (already at full level) to the same level as the DVD player? I'm on tight budget to, so the cheaper the recommendation the better.

 

[upstatemike]

Does your laptop have a speaker out for external speakers? If so, use that instead. (When you test it start with the Laptop volume set low for safety!)

 

[compuguru]

Nope, just a headphone jack.

 

[upstatemike]

If that output will drive 100 ohm headphones to a decent level it should be able to drive a 10K ohm amp input with plenty of volume. Are you sure your adapter cable is good?

 

[compuguru]

It might be the cable. I chatted with someone at BHProAudio and they said that the volume will be lower, and recommend I get a headphone amp...

 

[smee]

If you haven't done it yet, make sure that all the applicable volume controls are "up." Even if the main volume is all the way up, the mixer volume for the particular component (probably wave) may not be.

 

[upstatemike]

How about this?

Or this?

 

[ellisr63]

Well if you had some Klipsch LaScala speaskers you could forgo the amp entirely I had some years ago and drove them off a headphone amp on a boom box. 103 db with one watt..

 

[JohnWPB]

If that output will drive 100 ohm headphones to a decent level it should be able to drive a 10K ohm amp input with plenty of volume.

I agree completely. I have always used the headphone out on small devices to run into the stereo system with a typical 1.4 to 2 RCA "Pigtail". (PDA, Ipod, Walkman, Portable CD player3e ect). In fact if the volume is turned up to high on the device it is FAR too loud, and will distort terribly, as the normal input on a stereo will not accept that much.

As mendtioned above, check your other volume settings in your sound control and insure that they are turned up as well. It is slightly possible that there is a seperate one for headphone, being it is a laptop.