Using USB to play music on a stereo

Simply put, you can't.

Any stereo that has an input for USB is for USB External Hard Drives, and the like, not for raw analog audio.

The only thing close is a wireless media extender, such as Creative's solution, or Apple's own Airport Express.

I'm gonna guess that it doesn't actual send an audio signal. I'm sure the manual has more info, but what probably happens is that the stereo needs the data files (mp3s) to be in a certain location on the computer, you connect the USB, and then all of the processing is done on the stereo. Presumably you can idrectly connect an external drive, but I don't know any of this for a fact.

Get an iMic from Griffin. Plug the output from the iMic into the aux input on your stereo. Run a USB cable from your Mac to the iMic and set the audio output from the Mac to the iMic instead of the default.

As an alternative to the latter, use a utility such as Detour (free) to set just the output from iTunes to the iMic, leaving everything else to go to the default audio output. This way you won't get system sounds going to your stereo. This is what I've done.

The only cost for this is the iMic (not horribly expensive) and the USB cable. The max length of a USB cable is meant to be 5m but I use a 10m one (well, 2x5m) which works just fine. If you need longer than 5m and a longer cable doesn't work for you then you'll also need a USB repeater (in the UK Maplin stock them).

If you have a really good stereo don't expect CD quality sound from the 128kbps AAC files. If you rip songs from CDs as 160kbps or 192kbps AAC the quality is somewhere between a good FM tuner and a CD. 128kbps AAC is, in my opinion, about the same as a good FM tuner with a decent antenna. Radio Paradise's new(-ish) 192kbps MP3 stream is better than FM.

An added bonus is that you can also use the iMic to record from your stereo if you have the right software.

PowerMac dual processor G5 2.3GHz Mac OS X (10.4.3) 1Gb RAM

PowerMac dual processor G5 2.3GHz Mac OS X (10.4.6) 1Gb RAM

PowerMac dual processor G5 2.3GHz Mac OS X (10.4.3) 1Gb RAM

Can't see any reason why it shouldn't work on a PC - it's just a small round box with a short USB cable and two jacks for analogue input and output. On a Mac you just plug it in (no drivers to install) and suspect it's the same on a PC. Guess you should check Griffin's site.

What model stereo is it?

Peter,
Does the iMic have support for Windows XP? Or is it a Mac only toy. 'Cause if it's the later, this poor gent is out of luck 😟

Scott, I did look up the stereo. It has a USB port, thus digital input, iTunes is not used, no analog connection.

Stereos with USB ports? What will thet think of next? Cars that shift gears for you? 😉