I have a receiver in the garage hooked up to 6 speakers. It can do Tape, CD, etc. by hitting the appropriate button, I just use FM. Listen for a while and it's a big repeat cycle, college stations are good but will go from Metal, to early Beatles to 1940s Swing all in 8 minutes. Looking for a replacement I found this.
Any suggestions out there?
What exactly are you trying to do? Get away from fm altogether? Go to pandora?
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :
Yep, you have to introduce a computer and internet access into the mix, any by using a digital audio converter between a USB port and and the line inputs on your existing receiver, stream music from Pandora or Spotify.
Sweetwater.com: Behringer U-Control UCA222 USB Audio Interface
I like Spotify because you can create your own playlist and download it onto your computer and take it with you wherever you go. I did just that for my 50th high school reunion and had 6 hours of 75 rock songs from the early 70s. (To be fair, I used my daughter in law's paid commercial free Spotify which let me download all of the songs and I don't really know if the free version lets you do that.)
(Edit: I just checked and you can only download podcasts with the free version. You would need to set up a paid subscription, make and download your song list and then cancel your paid subscription.)
I use an Alexa for the same thing for streaming plugged into a 3.5 mm headphone jack to RCA cable to the auxiliary on the back of my old receiver in the shop. Good enough for my blown out ears. I'm just not sure what the original posters actually trying to do in his shop.
Yeah, I just have a 1st gen iPad I got for free hooked into my stereo via the "CD" RCA inputs.. Good enough to stream Pandora!
Whatcha trying to accomplish? :)
My only beef with Pandora is that if I'm not on top of things and there to constantly guide it with a thumbs up or down in regards to its music suggestions, no matter what, it starts playing Barry Manilow. 
VolvoHeretic said:My only beef with Pandora is that if I'm not on top of things and there to constantly guide it with a thumbs up or down in regards to its music suggestions, no matter what, it starts playing Barry Manilow.
Is that something like how every CD in Crowley's car eventually morphs into a "Best of Queen" album?
In general, I've found it best to have minimal interaction with it, only thumbs-downing a song if it doesn't fit the theme.. It seems to get more suggestions that way for me?
Generally speaking, Pyle is an OK piece. It should last ok, but it is the furthest thing from audiophile. If you're just looking for tunes, great. If you're looking for good, accurate reproduction, look elsewhere.
I have a Pyle bluetooth amp that I use to connect to my home theater and it sends to two awful waterproof speakers on the patio. The sound is awful, but I have tunes around the campfire that I can control from my phone.
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:Generally speaking, Pyle is an OK piece. It should last ok, but it is the furthest thing from audiophile. If you're just looking for tunes, great. If you're looking for good, accurate reproduction, look elsewhere.
I have a Pyle bluetooth amp that I use to connect to my home theater and it sends to two awful waterproof speakers on the patio. The sound is awful, but I have tunes around the campfire that I can control from my phone.
I was gonna say the Pyle is probably good "bang for the buck" out of the box, but some reviews cast doubt on it's longevity. If you're shopping at Parts Express, their Dayton Audio stuff does pretty well. I got my son one of these a few years ago, and he really likes it:
It's not going to have the input flexibility of a receiver, but if you're only streaming, it should prove satisfactory. Worst thing is, you're giving up the FM radio.
You're looking to replace the receiver?
I have this small but mighty DAC with amp.
SMSL
I connect my phone via Bluetooth. It's great. Small enough to fit anywhere, but drives my Advent speakers way louder than I can push them with respect for my neighbors.
are you looking for audiophile quality, or just room-fill? For the same price as the pile unit above (misspelling intentional) the SMSL will not disappoint.
In reply to 914Driver :
There was a Pyle head unit in the Jeep, and it was a pile of poo. The interface controls were not designed very well, and it had issues connecting to various devices, iPhone or Android. I would not recommend. Maybe their home stuff is better, but I would look for a different brand.
FM does more commercials than I care for.
I have Spotify and a Podcast app on my phone, I can also get my WiFi out in the garage.
Easy solution- wire the phone to one of the accessories? (video, tape, CD, or phono). All use jacks on the back.
Your phone should pair wirelessly to any bluetooth device for streaming.
Yup. Rca to 3.5mm headphone male plug to phone. Dad used tgat for a long time, same as me. Till i got pinned one day and couldn't get to the phone across the shop to call for help. That's when we learned alexa can call your emergency contact if linked to your phone.
914Driver said:FM does more commercials than I care for.
I have Spotify and a Podcast app on my phone, I can also get my WiFi out in the garage.Easy solution- wire the phone to one of the accessories? (video, tape, CD, or phono). All use jacks on the back.
The cheap solution is a bluetooth-to-RCA device, plug it into one of the audio source inputs on your existing amp, then pair your phone to it. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016NUTG5K (no personal experience with that device, it's just the first one I googled)
If you want to spend more money, you can get receivers with bluetooth built-in.
codrus (Forum Supporter) said:914Driver said:FM does more commercials than I care for.
I have Spotify and a Podcast app on my phone, I can also get my WiFi out in the garage.Easy solution- wire the phone to one of the accessories? (video, tape, CD, or phono). All use jacks on the back.
The cheap solution is a bluetooth-to-RCA device, plug it into one of the audio source inputs on your existing amp, then pair your phone to it. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016NUTG5K (no personal experience with that device, it's just the first one I googled)
If you want to spend more money, you can get receivers with bluetooth built-in.
I've had this unit for years. Works great. And yes, this is the easy button for getting streaming music on any audio device built after the 1950's or so.
I'd actually be looking at the big-name consumer brands: e.g. Sony, LG, Yamaha, etc.
Get something with Bluetooth and done.
I'm an audio geek with a fairly large collection of gear and have spent too much time and money perfecting my sound. Here's what I would do:
The Fosi V3 amps are great. Low distortion, cheap for audiophile quality, small and plenty of power if you buy the optional bigger power supply. Fed by a wiim mini streamer. It will stream most radio stations (I like Radio Paradise - no commercials and music I like.) and also Spotify, Tidal (hi res digital) The wiim is controlled by an app on your phone/ipad/whatever.
That plus decent speakers is really all you need these days for good sound and a near unlimited library. (google for more info on the amp and streamer)
codrus (Forum Supporter) said:The cheap solution is a bluetooth-to-RCA device, plug it into one of the audio source inputs on your existing amp, then pair your phone to it. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016NUTG5K
I came here to suggest this exact model. I've had one hooked up to my boombox out in the garage for a few years. It works well for my use.
Its for a garage, right? Anything off the curb will work just fine for an amp.
Decide if you want to stream from a source (computer, phone) or have it stream locally.
If you are already in the Alexa universe, an Echo Dot can stream anything you want without tying up your phone or making you have to plug something in every time you want tunes. Or use bluetooth on your garage PC. Or use a Chromecast. There are about 1000 ways you can do this.
I might also suggest what I did in my shop at work. I scoured FBM and CL and found a random home theater receiver with bluetooth. I think I paid $60 because the surround channel amps didn't output. That was fine since I was just going to run it in 2-channel mode anyway.
Even cheaper, the above-mentioned bluetooth adapters. I use one at work (theater) so choreographers can connect to a powered speaker for dance rehearsals.
I'm going to jump back in after a couple of bottles of wine...
First, I missed the "six speakers" requirement in the OP post. That makes things more interesting. Are these in different areas? Or just 3 pairs parallel connected in one area? Do you need different volume controls on each pair? If so, you need to be looking at multizone stuff.
Connecting via bluetooth just doesn't sound very good. There are various bluetooth standards, and the newer flavors actually aren't bad, but it's still a limitation. Plus if you are bluetooth connected it ties up your "device" - phone or whatever.
A stand alone streaming device - wiim mini as I suggested or whatever brand you prefer - can stream hi res audio that just sounds damned good. Because it does the job of streaming and your phone just controls it, your phone is free to sit in your pocket to do whatever you do with a phone. I stream hi res audio at 96khz/24 bit which is certainly more resolution than I can hear, and the price tag for audiophile quality sound isn't much more than the generic bluetooth amp setup others have suggested A modern class D amp and hi res streaming device is audiophile quality, comparable to high end gear costing mucho $K dollars from a decade or so ago. The cost these days isn't huge.
On the other hand, a multizone A/V amp from goodwill or a rummage sale is cheaper and will give you multiple amps with volume control per zone, so if free or nearly free is a bigger objective, that's a good approach too. It won't sound as good, but won't cost as much either.
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