If you're the host of a big party, this probably means being the DJ for the party's music. If you want the party to rock the house, a full DJ system is what you need. You can take all the music devices in your house and link them together to create a system that lets you play music all night long. What you need is an audio mixer and amplifier that will connect all your players together, allow you to control any player at any time and send the amplified music over your speakers.
Instructions
1. Take an audio mixer that has at least four channels, depending on how many music sources you have. If the mixer doesn't have a built-in amplifier, link it to an amplifier by connecting the mixer's "amp" output to the amplifier's input with RCA audio cables (the cables with red and white plugs).
2. Connect your speakers to the amplifier. Connect one amplifier's output port to one speaker with a cable that works with both devices. It can be an RCA or a mini stereo coaxial cable (whose cables have the single small plug with the two black bands). Make sure you have enough output ports and cables long enough to reach your positioned speakers.
3. Hook up a microphone and headphones to the mixer through the "mic" and "phones" ports. The mixer usually uses large stereo ports for these; its plugs are similar but bigger than the mini plugs. If your microphone and headphones have mini plugs, get mini-to-large adapters for them. A full headset has both the mic and phones together with plugs for both.
4. Attach all your music sources to the mixer. Each one is connected to a separate channel through its RCA input. You can use CD players, MP3 players, computers and even a turntable for vinyl records. If your devices have mini stereo output ports, get mini-to-RCA cables for them.
5. Set up all your devices on a table, along with their music sources (CDs and records) Plug in a multiplug surge protector next to your table so you can plug in every device safely in the same place.
6. Turn on all the devices, including the mixer and amplifier. Turn the mixer's master level to the volume level you want. When playing music on any device, turn up the volume level for its separate channel while keeping the other channels down. Do the same for the channel with your microphone when you want to talk over the DJ system.
Tags: music sources, audio mixer, have mini, microphone headphones, mini plugs