Speaker Wiring

To cut down on spam, we tend to remove users that haven't posted anything after a day or so, so this is the place to say hi for the first time.
Post Reply
Clive2016
User
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:57 pm

#1 Speaker Wiring

Post by Clive2016 »

Hi Everyone

I'm new to the site, sadly I won't be bringing all my audio knowledge to the forum mainly because I don't know what the heck I'm doing.

So can anyone out there help me, I've got some Mordaut Short Carnival 3 Speakers which have a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, I need to wire them up to an Hitachi HA4800 Amplifier, all old stuff a bit like me really :D.

The cable run length from the amp to each speaker is 7.5 metres respectively, I assume
16 awg copper wire will be good enough for the job, don't hesitate to tell me if I've got it wrong :D .

On the back of each speaker there is provision for a negative and positive banana jack, but there are various connections on the back of the amp and I'm unsure which ones I should be connecting to.

What’s throwing me is the wording saying A or B - 4 ohms to 16 ohms / speaker and
A + B - 8 ohms to 16 ohms / speaker, hopefully someone out there can make sense of it.

I’ve uploaded some photos and numbered the terminals on the back of the amp to make it easier to say which ones should be used.

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x40 ... 190205.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x40 ... ut%202.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x40 ... 190197.jpg


Thanks for any help you can give me

Clive
User avatar
pre65
Amstrad Tower of Power
Posts: 21373
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: North Essex/Suffolk border.

#2 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by pre65 »

Hi Clive.

As I see it, if you are only using the one pair of speakers, then you can use either A, or B with no problems.

The + terminal on A (or B) would mate with the red terminal on each speaker.

Hope that helps. If not ask again. :)
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Edmund Burke

G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
User avatar
Mike H
Amstrad Tower of Power
Posts: 20157
Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:38 pm
Location: The Fens
Contact:

#3 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by Mike H »

Clive2016 wrote:A or B - 4 ohms to 16 ohms / speaker
A + B - 8 ohms to 16 ohms / speaker
OK so the amp can do either:
1 pair of speakers connected to A only. You have to then select 'A' on front panel (I presume).

Or, the same 1 pair of speakers connected to B only. Ditto.

In either case the speaker impedance can be down to 4 Ohms.

However it can also drive two pairs at once, on both 'A' and 'B'.

In that case the lowest safest speaker impedance is 8 Ohms, because the amp will see two speakers in parallel on each channel, making a 4 Ohms load. Which must not be lower than 4 Ohms.

Hope this helps!
 
"No matter how fast light travels it finds that the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."
User avatar
shane
Social outcast
Posts: 3403
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:09 pm
Location: Kept in a cool dry place.

#4 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by shane »

Don't worry, most of us don't know what we're doing either, but some of us don't know a bit more than others.

Anyone who refers to his amplifier as an Hitachi will be welcomed with open arms, unlike other fora where he may well be shot.
The world looks so different after learning science. For example, trees are made of air, primarily. When they are burned, they go back to air, and in their flaming heat is released the flaming heat of the Sun which was bound in to convert air into tree.
Clive2016
User
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:57 pm

#5 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by Clive2016 »

Hi Mike and pre65

Thank you both for your prompt replies guys, I knew there would be someone out there who could sort me out.

Can you possibly give me a bit of information on connecting a TV to the same speakers.
The connections on the back of the TV are a Common Interface, two usb outlets both 5v DC max 500mA and a single headphone jack.

If you take a look at the photos I’ve already posted showing the diagram of the amplifier, as I don’t have two tape decks connected could I simply use the connections for one of the tape decks.

The TV only has a single jack but in the diagram it shows two jacks one left and one right.

In other words would I need a lead with two jacks at one end and a single at the other if that’s possible, any ideas?
User avatar
pre65
Amstrad Tower of Power
Posts: 21373
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: North Essex/Suffolk border.

#6 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by pre65 »

The TV output jack is probably a 3.5mm stereo one.

So, if you get an adapter as per my link and connect to the AUX or TUNER or TAPE IN connections on the amp.

Use the amp input selector accordingly.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... o&_sacat=0
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Edmund Burke

G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Clive2016
User
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:57 pm

#7 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by Clive2016 »

Hi Shane

Well I defiantly fall into the later, trouble is I’m from the era of when you accidentally dropped a record (there’s a good old fashioned word for a start :lol: ) it would break into a thousand pieces and if the word stylus had been mentioned, you would have promptly been asked what’s one of those. :)
Clive2016
User
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:57 pm

#8 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by Clive2016 »

Hi pre65

Thanks for the link you gave me on the leads, I’ve looked at one advert and it says male 3.5mm stereo jack to two male mono phono plugs.

As I see it, if I’m listening to a stereo broadcast I should hear different sounds coming out of each speaker.
If the two male phono plugs are mono will that mean I will only get the same sound out of both speakers, in other words I will not be listening to stereo but mono out of each speaker, sorry to be a bit dim but could you indulge me please.

Cheers

Clive
User avatar
shane
Social outcast
Posts: 3403
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:09 pm
Location: Kept in a cool dry place.

#9 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by shane »

Hi Clive, don't worry, you will be getting stereo. The signal for the right speaker goes into the tip of the 3.5mm plug and comes out of one of the phonos, and the signal for the left speaker goes into the ring below the tip of the 3.5mm plug and is fed to the other plug. Usually you can tell which of the two phono plugs is the right hand one by a red mark. If you plug the red phono into the Aux input socket marked R on the back of the amplifier, and the left plug into the socket marked L, then the signals will come out of the corrrct speakers.
The world looks so different after learning science. For example, trees are made of air, primarily. When they are burned, they go back to air, and in their flaming heat is released the flaming heat of the Sun which was bound in to convert air into tree.
User avatar
Mike H
Amstrad Tower of Power
Posts: 20157
Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:38 pm
Location: The Fens
Contact:

#10 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by Mike H »

shane wrote:Don't worry, most of us don't know what we're doing either, but some of us don't know a bit more than others.
Image
 
"No matter how fast light travels it finds that the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."
Clive2016
User
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:57 pm

#11 Re: Speaker Wiring

Post by Clive2016 »

Thanks for the lowdown on that Shane, it's very much appreciated.
I'll get some cables on order for the speakers and also some leads for connecting the TV to the amp.

Once again, thank you for your guidance.

Clive
Post Reply