Is there any way I can convert a pair of really good Wharfedale speakers to accommodate a Sony NW-A1200 MP3 player? Jef Jon Fox
An MP3 player is not going to have enough output to drive a pair of good loudspeakers unless they are "active loudspeakers" -- which means they have their own built in amplifiers. Examples include the Wharfedale Active Diamond range, but there are lots more designed for use with portable music players.
If you have to buy an amplifier to drive the Wharfedales, then the question becomes a familiar one: how do you connect an MP3 player to a hi-fi? In this case, the answer is simple. You just need to buy a connection lead that has a 3.5mm headphone jack on one end (to fit the MP3 player) and a pair of RCA phono plugs on the other end (to fit the amplifier) -- check your systems first!
You can use any line-in input on the amp, and often there's one called AUX for auxiliary. If not you can use the one intended for a CD or DVD player or a tape recorder. The input you can't use is the one intended for a turntable.
You should be able to get a cheap cable on the high street, although there are some sold for that specific purpose. For example, Amazon.co.uk has a Hama Connection Cable MP3 for £1.88, while Maplin sells the Groove Connect MP3 cable for £9.99.
Oddly enough, there is a cheap but well-reviewed Chinese-made amplifier that can run on batteries and has a 3.5mm input jack: the Sonic Impact T-Amp. If anyone has used this with an MP3 player, let us know how it works.
Backchat: On using the cheap but great-sounding Sonic Impact T-Amp to blast out music from their MP3 player, Eamonn Twomey responded, saying: "I'm really pleased with mine, purchased on eBay for about 30 quid. As long as you do not want ear-splitting volume, it provides wonderfully clear, detailed sound. It's better if your speakers have a high sensitivity (eg 89dB). Mine are Mission 731s."
Tom Davis says: "I use my Sonic T-Amp day in day out, both with my Mac laptop and my iPod -- it's great. You need a decent power supply and you're also best off using higher attenuation speakers -- I use Kef Q Compact speakers with mine -- as they need less power. There's also a version of the T-Amp with a restyled box which looks much more stylish. The price is £100+ rather than £30, though!"
