Low volume ouput when the MP3 player is connected to the 2 Way Stereo Amp

[Kelpie]

Hi!

I have a Philips MP3 player with music on it. I have connected it to my HK3490 through the usual analog red & white PINs. My issue is that my amplifier / receiver is running at 85% volume output to make the music from my MP3 player just audible. The volume on my MP3 is at 75%, because I was told that if I turned that up too much it would lead to distortion and ruin my speakers.

My Amp is 120 watts per channel and my JBL ES 80 speakers are rated at 100 watts continous.

Can somebody please help me with ways to increase the volume and sound from my MP3 player when I route through the Amp. I have most of my music there

Thanks

 

[Raghav]

the issue could be with the interconnect cable.

I had a similar problem with my iPod and Yamaha AVR. The change of cable worked and the system is good as ever. The Bad cable was working fine to start off with. Also you could try connecting the MP3 player to another Audio input like Aux, CD, CD-R etc. from its current one.

Hope that works.

 

[psychotropic]

While it could be the cable, I suspect the culprit is your MP3 player, it is very likely that the output from it is too weak for the amp to do a good job with it, it happens with my Transcend MP3 player as well. If possible try it out with a good cable and see if it makes a difference. I don't think it will. If it does, great, if it doesn't you ma have to consider increasing the volume on your MP3 player. Do it gradually and see if there is any distortion, if there isn't (it is possible that the output of it is so weak that even at a 85-90% volume, it won't strain your pre-amp), then go ahead and enjoy the music. If even this doesn't work you may just have to get an iPod

 

[Jith77]

Many mp3 players do have a line-out option when using it with external speakers. . . .please check yours. . . . My sony gives very good volumes with line out. . .dont use it with headphones though. . .O, and it works with any cable.

 

[Kelpie]

Thanks a lot Folks, I am going to first try the volume increase and look out for distortion. . . later, the cables. Yes I do know that the output from the MP3 player is weak, because when I hear it with my headphones, I keep the volume at nearly 90%. . .

About i Pod not giving issues, I dont know, becuase when I used my wife's i Pod, we had similar issues, of course, I did not allow the volume on the i Pod to go beyond 65% or so.

I shall post the results of my experiments soon

Funny my HK 3490 starts it volume at - 80 dB, and I can start hearing anything (including good CDs) only at - 50 or so. . . why do they have so much of play in them? Reminds me of brakes on my bike during college days

Cheers!

 

[marsilians]

Thanks a lot Folks, I am going to first try the volume increase and look out for distortion. . . later, the cables. Yes I do know that the output from the MP3 player is weak, because when I hear it with my headphones, I keep the volume at nearly 90%. . .

About i Pod not giving issues, I dont know, becuase when I used my wife's i Pod, we had similar issues, of course, I did not allow the volume on the i Pod to go beyond 65% or so.

I shall post the results of my experiments soon

Funny my HK 3490 starts it volume at - 80 dB, and I can start hearing anything (including good CDs) only at - 50 or so. . . why do they have so much of play in them? Reminds me of brakes on my bike during college days

Cheers!

I am a bit surprised to read you say you listen to music at 90% - either you should check your hearing or the quality of player since my Sony or iPod at 90% will cause temporary deafness once removed.

You can ramp up the vol on mp3 to 100% it won't/shouldn't lead to distortion though you might hear a hiss sometimes depending on the processing.

Check the cables by connecting to another input as Raghav has suggested.

If there is no line out, use the same socket as the headphones one and I am assuming through all these you are using a Y-cable.