how do i set up speakers with my TV & Airport Express?
nikko -- Thu, 12/07/2006 - 18:48
Let me start by saying that I am a total newbie to home theater, home audio and all that stuff.
Here is what I want. One set of speakers through which I can listen/watch my TV, and also listen to music streaming through my computer via an Apple Airport Express.
I haven't bought the speakers yet, and before I purchase them want to know what inputs I should be looking for. I don't have a receiver and don't intend to get one, so I'd be curious to know what options I would have for connecting the speakers for use with both the TV and the Airport Express. I'm not looking to get a state of the art system. Just a basic 2 satellite + subwoofer arrangment that delivers good quality sound would be great.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
I don't have an Airport Express, but it looks like it has a line out jack (miniplug style). Presumably, your TV has audio out jacks (does it?). If so, you could simply get a switch (from say Russound, Niles Audio or Radio Shack) that connects powered loudspeakers either to the TV outputs or the Airport Express. These switches may have RCA inputs, so you may also need a miniplug to RCA cable to connect the Airport Express to the switch. Any powered loudspeaker system will work with this arrangement (they all have line inputs). But the key will be to use powered speakers (e.g. the kind of speakers that work with a computer -- though there are plenty of high end speakers that are powered, ie they have amps inside). For convenience, I would look for a powered speaker with remote volume control, but that isn't a requirement.
Another option is to use a multimedia speaker with dual inputs. An example is the Bose Companion 3:
http://www.bose.com/controller?event=VIEW_PRODUCT_PAGE_EVENT&product=com...
Since these speakers are made for computers (near field listening), I don't know if they will play loud enough for your needs.
I would like to get a recomendation for the least expensive means to connect mid (or line level) impedence audio gear to various pieces of equipment in a home separated by maybe 25 to 50 feet apart. These analogue output/inputs typically use mini phone plugs, not the high grade connections like the new digital connectors.
I realize that phone cord and zip cord are the absolute least expensive, but I want to know if twisted pair cable such as used in network cabling is the next step up, to prevent extraneous pick up from nearby power cords and standard house wiring such as NM/romex (plastic sheathed) cables.
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