Attaching an iPad to a Stereo Receiver

By Solomon Poretsky

Digital connections over HDMI have high audio quality.
i Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images

The Apple iPad is more than just a portable computing device -- it is also a multimedia powerhouse. With its ability to store, manage and play back video and audio files, many people choose to make it a part of their home entertainment system. While connecting an audio line-in cable between the headphone jack and an analog input on a stereo receiver is one way to go, the best sound quality comes from using the analog or digital line-level outputs in the dock connector.

Attaching the iPad to an Analog Input

Step 1

Turn off both your stereo receiver and the iPad.

Step 2

Connect the Apple Composite Audio Video cable to your iPad's dock connector.

Step 3

Locate an open analog audio input on your stereo receiver. Connect the white phono plug to the white phono jack, labeled "L," on your receiver. Connect the red phono plug to the red phono jack, labeled "R," on your receiver. Some receivers will not color code their inputs. You can leave the yellow video connector unconnected or, if you desire, connect it to a corresponding yellow composite video input on your receiver, if it has one.

Step 4

Turn on both your iPad and your stereo receiver.

Step 5

Press your receiver's direct input selector button for the input you used or use the "Source" or "Input" button to cycle through the receiver's inputs until you reach the one to which you connected your iPad.

Attaching the iPad to a Digital Input

Step 1

Turn off both your stereo receiver and the iPad.

Step 2

Connect the Apple Digital AV adapter to your iPad's dock connector. If you want to charge your iPad whille you are using it, connect your charging cable to the dock connector port on the adapter.

Step 3

Insert the connector on one end of an HDMI cable into the HDMI port on your AV adapter.

Step 4

Connect the other end of the HDMI cable into an open HDMI input on your receiver.

Step 5

Turn on both your iPad and your stereo receiver.

Step 6

Press your receiver's direct input selector button for the input you used or use the "Source" or "Input" button to cycle through the receiver's inputs until you reach the one to which you connected your iPad.

×