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Question

connecting a very old all in one hifi?

  • December 23, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 28 views
S

We have a very old Aiwa CX-77 stereo, for sentimental reasons SWMBO want let it go and it's currently sat doing nothing.

I've had a look on the back and there are no pre-amp outputs, the only outputs are speaker connectors on the rear and large headphone output (yes it's that old).

Because it has CD player and tape decks not it would be great to be able to use those too.

So my question, is there any chance I can connect this to a Sonos. 

The CD player has a ribbon plug to connect it to the main body, however the turntable does have phono leads, so I'm figuring I could use that separately with a pre amp, but it would be really cool to get the whole thing connected (extra brownie points to play her dad's only CDs, tapes)

Obviously the sound quality it's going to be brilliant with this old kit, but it would be nice to hear it.

Thanks in advance

3 replies

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  • nik9669a
  • Senior Virtuoso
  • December 23, 2025

Your Gen 1 Play:5 has a line-in, I believe, so if there is a suitable output from the Aiwa you can do it. Can you post a photo of the connectors on the Aiwa? At a push you could use the headphones output but I’m not a fan of variable-level outputs - too much risk of someone accidentally increasing the volume! 

    S
    • sidaorb
    • Author
    • Contributor I
    • December 23, 2025

    The main unit doesn't appear to have anything usable other than the headphones output, zero risk of someone increasing volume as no little people in the house.

     

    If it was just the turntable I wanted then I could use a preamp.

     

     

    Belly M
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    • Belly M
    • December 23, 2025

    Don’t use the headphone out, it’s just not designed for anything other than headphones, sure you will get audio out but the voltage and current is wrong

     

    Quick solution is a speaker to line level converter, its wires up to your speaker terminals and provides a line level output you can then connect into a suitable Sonos speaker.

     

    Better solution is that I download the service manual and it’s quite easy to pickup the stereo  line level and feed it to a new pair of phono sockets. Personally this what I would do as it would only cost a small length of screened wire and a pair of chassis mount phono sockets. 
     

    The surround sockets are useless as it’s some form of DSP that’s added, could probably cannibalise these as outputs?

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