New electrical project.

[Muddy]

It is my intention to establish a sound system in my wife's store that will operate from an MP3 player. My goal is to eliminate all the CDs from behind the counter (and the need to reload the CD player every 5 CDs) and allow playlists to be selected from the player. I would like to position one speaker in the front of the store and another in the back (about 80 feet apart).

Can I simply get enough wire, connect the ends to a headphone jack and plug it into the MP3 player? Will the MP3 player be powerful enough to do that? Will I lose stereo (not really a biggy) by connecting two speaker wires to one headphone jack?

Any thoughts?

[tsdesigns]

I'd say a better solution would be to use a laptop, just connect speakers and there you go.

I don't think an mp3 player would be powerful enough to do that, although maybe it will (you do get iPod docks where the speakers are wireless...so I guess that would work?)

[Zap]

I would go with some kind of computer solution too, but I would maybe try a nice set of speakers with it.
If you can find wireless speakers, even better!

[Muddy]

I thought of that (I've got a set of Klipsch speakers for my laptop that are incredible) but then there is 1. the woofer box to deal with, 2. the speakers would be too close together and 3. it wouldn't work if my wife wasn't there with her laptop.

[tsdesigns]

I thought of that (I've got a set of Klipsch speakers for my laptop that are incredible) but then there is 1. the woofer box to deal with, 2. the speakers would be too close together and 3. it wouldn't work if my wife wasn't there with her laptop.

Just tried connecting my iPod up to speakers (Okay, the speakers I used were gear4's blackbox - but i'm' sure it can be done with proper speakers, might just need a different type of jack at one end of the cable) through the headphone jack, but doing it this way would only allow me to connect to one speaker (although i'm sure there are adapters around to allow you to connect to more than one - done a quick search and it came up with "use a Y-adapter").

All you'd need is a (pretty long) 3.5mm sound jack cable.

Then you could just use one end of that cable for someone to plug in an mp3 player. It should work (but might drain the battery of the mp3 player quicker than usual).

[Big Dan]

I'm not sure the signal will carry over that length coming from just an MP3 player.

I would pick up a cheap stereo receiver at Wal-Mart and use a Y-Cable like this (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=11962345&findingMethod=rr&) to run the MP3 Player through the receiver.

Here's cheap system with full surround sound: Walmart.com: RCA Home Theater Audio System with DVD Player, RTD3133: Home Theater (http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-Home-Theater-Audio-System-with-DVD-Player-RTD3133/13020851) Not sure how big the store is but since putting the receiver in Dolby mode with a stereo source (MP3 player) will just duplicate the sound the 5 speakers may work better for full coverage.

If you don't want to buy a whole surround sound setup, which it sounds like you don't. Buy a cheap bookshelf style system that has RCA ins. Just make sure it doesn't have proprietary speaker connections so you can buy a roll of speaker wire and extend the wire yourself.

Bonus: With the Y adapter linked above you can run anything with a headphone out through the stereo.

Additional thought: Use a FM transmitter to transmit the MP3 player's output to any existing FM radio in the store. That would give you a lot more options and could save you from running wires.

If you want to blow some cash (who doesn't love spending money on gadgets? :D ) buy a nettop and run it headless (VNC in) use to store all your music or stream internet radio stations.

[Muddy]

This turned out to be much easier (cheaper too) than I expected. Just plugged an mp3 player into the aux jacks on her existing CD Player/Radio (Y-Cable like you mentioned Dan) and got some new speakers that allowed wire to be connected instead of the speakers that came with the unit which were factory attached to the wire. Fastened the speakers to the wall at either end of the store up near the ceiling and a couple of 100' rolls of wire and PRESTO!

[Zap]

Cool.
Much easier to change out to new tunes this way too.

[ewomack]

And here I was coming to you with a newly created mp3 player sound speaker system, compliments of the hedgehog... now I'll have to scrap it all... crapolas to the world...

...of course I was going to charge you $5,000, but if you would've seen it you would've understood...

Ah well, another diaper in the hamper of life...

[Muddy]

Sorry to hamper your plans.