Hi,
I bought and old boombox in a thrift shop, to use as an additional reference/monitor. I connect my Scarlett headphones output to the boombox via RCA -> DIN adapter, as seen on the pictures. I'm not getting any sounds out of it, but if I turn it all way up I can faintly hear the song....
My question is: could this be because I'm using a RCA adapter? do you think it would be better if I used a direct DIN cable to my Scarlett, with no RCA adapter in between?
The socket in the radio says "REC/PB", so it should work, as seen on youtube videos.
 

 

 

Btw the boombox seems to work, I get sound from the radio.

Is there not a mini jack aux in? That's what I use in similar set ups. The DIN system is from the 70's and lord only knows how that got wired. Just use a common 1/8" TRS to 1/8" TRS cable and put an 1/4" TRS adapter on the interface end. Even better if you can find a 1/8" TRS to 1?4" TRS but those are rare.  Almost half of my headphones have that adapter so you must have one somewhere. 
And 1/8" TRS cables are all over the place these days, dollar store item. 

my guess is that the DIN input on that boombox was expecting a very high impedance source which could have been typical from tape machines using DIN output from the 60's and 70's.  if that's the case then your Scarlett will never drive that much.
 
 
just looked up the specs on the scarlett (which is not atypical for any USB soundcard)
 
Nominal Output Level0dBFS = 10dBu
balancedFrequency Response20Hz - 20kHz +/- 0.2dBTHD+N-100dB (measured with -1dBFS input 20Hz-20kHz filter, un-weighted)
Output Impedance< 10Ω
Power Output into 150Ω  15mW
Power Output into 50Ω  30mW
 
So if the impedance of that DIN input on the boombox is >1kΩ then your Scarlett will be driving less than 7.5mW into it.  milliwatts, not watts! ;)
 
 

Thanks for both replies!
 
@Beagle, that's probably it....thanks for the clarification. I was suspecting something like that.
 
I should get a boombox with jack/mini-jack input as mentioned by Cactus Music. Or hack this boombox and install a mini-jack aux input!

What are all those jacks on the side for? seems at least one would be an input? 
Here's a funky solution.. One of those Cell phone or MP3 player FM transmitters! Hear your song on the radio!  
Here's a pricey model but looks cool:
http://wholehousefmtransmitter.com/uncover-an-amazing-mp3-fm-transmitter-you-will-love/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAzNfDBRD2xKrO4pSnnOkBEiQAbzzeQcpo0lGRjkq24rkWktCBgH-txGn-tg672OC2YSfDt0saAvZu8P8HAQ
Here's a more average under $20 model. 
https://www.amazon.ca/Updated-Universal-Car-Transmitter-Smartphone/dp/B014CXK10E/ref=sr_1_14/161-3571197-3316937?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1484181247&sr=1-14
 
 
 
 

Cactus Music
What are all those jacks on the side for? seems at least one would be an input? 
Here's a funky solution.. One of those Cell phone or MP3 player FM transmitters! Hear your song on the radio!  
Here's a pricey model but looks cool:
http://wholehousefmtransmitter.com/uncover-an-amazing-mp3-fm-transmitter-you-will-love/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAzNfDBRD2xKrO4pSnnOkBEiQAbzzeQcpo0lGRjkq24rkWktCBgH-txGn-tg672OC2YSfDt0saAvZu8P8HAQ
Here's a more average under $20 model. 
https://www.amazon.ca/Updated-Universal-Car-Transmitter-Smartphone/dp/B014CXK10E/ref=sr_1_14/161-3571197-3316937?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1484181247&sr=1-14
 
 
 
 

Interesting, thanks :-)
I tried the mini jacks with no luck....1 pair (L/R) is for external speaker, the other pair says external microphone, but no sounds comes.

pilutiful
 
Interesting, thanks :-)
I tried the mini jacks with no luck....1 pair (L/R) is for external speaker, the other pair says external microphone, but no sounds comes.

Did you try pushing record on the jambox when testing minijack? Use an old tape and keep it paused, I'm pretty sure you won't hear anything if "record" is not engaged on the jambox. 

stevesweat

pilutiful
 
Interesting, thanks :-)
I tried the mini jacks with no luck....1 pair (L/R) is for external speaker, the other pair says external microphone, but no sounds comes.

Did you try pushing record on the jambox when testing minijack? Use an old tape and keep it paused, I'm pretty sure you won't hear anything if "record" is not engaged on the jambox. 

I tried pressing down rec/play without tape, no luck. Haven't managed to find a tape yet. This is actually my second old boombox, the first one had exact same resultss. I thought it must have been faulty, but now the second one has same results. But maybe I need a tape. 

pilutiful

stevesweat

pilutiful
 
Interesting, thanks :-)
I tried the mini jacks with no luck....1 pair (L/R) is for external speaker, the other pair says external microphone, but no sounds comes.

Did you try pushing record on the jambox when testing minijack? Use an old tape and keep it paused, I'm pretty sure you won't hear anything if "record" is not engaged on the jambox. 

I tried pressing down rec/play without tape, no luck. Haven't managed to find a tape yet. This is actually my second old boombox, the first one had exact same resultss. I thought it must have been faulty, but now the second one has same results. But maybe I need a tape. 

actually you can fool the player into thinking there is a tape by pushing a little pin that will be sticking out to the right side and opposite the tape head mechanism side (if you don't see it maybe the left side) tapes have an indentation in the case so you wont accidentaly record over a recorded tape. you had to push out a little plastic tab on a blank tape to protect it from being recorded over or put a piece of tape over the indentation to tape over a prerecorded tape on purpose (sorry Bon Jovi). If you press the pin in while you press record it should work.