Speaker Connection to Receiver

[TexasGal]

Can you help me connect some rear speakers to my stereo system. The Stereo has two ports for right and left rear speakers that use wire with an RCA audio plug on one end. So I have the speaker wire with the plug on one end and bare wire on the other and my rear speakers have the red and black bare wire connections. The wire that I have is actually gray with one side plain and the other striped. How do I connect this type bare wire into the speaker.

My confusion is that I cant match the polarity of the wires that go from stereo to speakers since there is a plug on the end of the wire that goes into the stereo. Plus I am not sure whether to put the plain gray into the red or stripe into the red (on the speaker)

 

[alcoholbob]

Perhaps this would be more clear with some photos.

 

[fralexandr]

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-convert-speaker-wire-to-rca-plugs#.UYhETsrzW0I
see step 4.
apparently, striped should be the positive lead (red), I was expecting it to be the other way though

 

[TexasGal]

I don't have anything to make pictures with. And I already have the wire with the RCA plug on the end so no need to solder. But if you are saying to connect the stripe side of the bare wire end to the red connection on the speaker, I'll try that

 

[Childs]

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-convert-speaker-wire-to-rca-plugs#.UYhETsrzW0I
see step 4.
apparently, striped should be the positive lead (red), I was expecting it to be the other way though

Normally it doesnt matter, as long as you are consistent. If I am understanding the post correctly, it doesnt matter here as well, as long as TexasGal is consistent on both speakers. Although, if the red/black wires are built into the speaker, it would matter.

 

[fralexandr]

But if you are saying to connect the stripe side of the bare wire end to the red connection on the speaker, I'll try that

yep, that's what I meant, sorry for not clarifying

 

[TexasGal]

Normally it doesnt matter, as long as you are consistent. If I am understanding the post correctly, it doesnt matter here as well, as long as TexasGal is consistent on both speakers. Although, if the red/black wires are built into the speaker, it would matter.

The wires are built into the plug end but wires are bare on the end that plugs into the speaker. There are no wires already built into the speakers.

 

[sdifox]

just try it. one way it will sound right, the other will sound odd.

 

[Childs]

The wires are built into the plug end but wires are bare on the end that plugs into the speaker. There are no wires already built into the speakers.

Just to clarify, does each speaker have two rca connectors, one with a gray wire , and the other striped? Or is it one RCA with two wires coming out?

 

[TexasGal]

Each RCA connector has both the solid and stripe speaker wires coming out of it.. The RCA end plugs into the Aiwa Stereo, one for right, one for left. The other end is bare wire that splits to go into the speaker.

 

[sdifox]

Each RCA connector has both the solid and stripe speaker wires coming out of it.. The RCA end plugs into the Aiwa Stereo, one for right, one for left. The other end is bare wire that splits to go into the speaker.

The marked side is positive (red) so just connect them and try it at moderate volume. Speakers will make sound even if you connect them the wrong way. As long as you are not pushing full blast when you are testing, you won't damage the speakers. Worst that can happen is you connect them backward and the cone pulls when it should push and it will sound weird.

 

[TexasGal]

I connected them this morning. I connected the solid wire to the red on the speaker and the stripe to the black. This may be wrong but it sounds very good. The speakers are JBL Surrounds. No model # on them. They were from a true surround system that we had back in 1994 and left the front and center speakers because the wires were run thru the walls. Anyway to me they sound better than the Aiwa's did.

 

[Number1]

I connected them this morning. I connected the solid wire to the red on the speaker and the stripe to the black. This may be wrong but it sounds very good. The speakers are JBL Surrounds. No model # on them. They were from a true surround system that we had back in 1994 and left the front and center speakers because the wires were run thru the walls. Anyway to me they sound better than the Aiwa's did.

For whatever reason, you can't follow instructions people have given you in here. Get a friend who knows how to use a voltmeter or knows a little bit about home theater to help you out.

And go away, you're wasting everybody's time in here.

There's no reason to be rude like this. -Admin DrPizza

 

[sdifox]

For whatever reason, you can't follow instructions people have given you in here. Get a friend who knows how to use a voltmeter or knows a little bit about home theater to help you out.

And go away, you're wasting everybody's time in here.

No need to be rude. Op is just worried about damaging the hardware.

 

[Childs]

Each RCA connector has both the solid and stripe speaker wires coming out of it.. The RCA end plugs into the Aiwa Stereo, one for right, one for left. The other end is bare wire that splits to go into the speaker.

I connected them this morning. I connected the solid wire to the red on the speaker and the stripe to the black. This may be wrong but it sounds very good. The speakers are JBL Surrounds. No model # on them. They were from a true surround system that we had back in 1994 and left the front and center speakers because the wires were run thru the walls. Anyway to me they sound better than the Aiwa's did.

You dont really see wiring like this anymore. I even had a hard time finding a picture of it. Since its working for you, it doesnt matter.

EDIT: Doh, normal 9v polarity test wont work with RCA.

 

[TexasGal]

For whatever reason, you can't follow instructions people have given you in here. Get a friend who knows how to use a voltmeter or knows a little bit about home theater to help you out.

And go away, you're wasting everybody's time in here.

There's no reason to be rude like this. -Admin DrPizza

Normally I would apologize but I'm not going to. I am 66 YO and technology is not second nature to me. I don't have any friends that know anything about this or I would have asked them in the first place. So I came here. If you took the time to be rude you could just as easily told me something constructive.

Should I have connected the stripe wire to the red? I thought someone said the sound would be weird if I did not get it right?

 

[sdifox]

Should I have connected the stripe wire to the red? I thought someone said the sound would be weird if I did not get it right?

Yes, striped to red. That is of course presuming the wire follows standard convention.
Just try it and it should work fine.

It would sound weird if it is wired backwards, but it will be pretty obvious. You just swap them around if that happens.

Just try it at moderate levels and you should be fine.

 

[TexasGal]

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer. I looked and I have connected the front speakers like the rear ones - solid gray to red. But everything is consistent on both the speaker and receiver ends, we'll except for the rear ones that are connected to the receiver end with an RCA plug. The sub has an RCA plug on both sub and receiver end. And that's why I connected the rear speakers as i did, to be consistent.

But I will switch everything I can to stripe to red positive. I predict I won't be able to tell the difference. But since I asked, I'll take the advice!

 

[reallyscrued]

For whatever reason, you can't follow instructions people have given you in here. Get a friend who knows how to use a voltmeter or knows a little bit about home theater to help you out.

And go away, you're wasting everybody's time in here.

There's no reason to be rude like this. -Admin DrPizza

AT Forums now reprimanding you for being "rude"? That's a new one.

 

[iRONic]

AT Forums now reprimanding you for being "rude"? That's a new one.

In ATOT that may not fly but it should be acceptable in the topic-specific forums. There's no reason for anybody to be told to "go away, you're wasting everybody's time in here." None.

 

[reallyscrued]

In ATOT that may not fly but it should be acceptable in the topic-specific forums. There's no reason for anybody to be told to "go away, you're wasting everybody's time in here." None.

Yeah...so you'll be branded an asshat for doing so.

But reprimanded? Really?

 

[iRONic]

Yeah...so you'll be branded an asshat for doing so.

But reprimanded? Really?

Meh, a dbag is still a dbag, reprimanded or not. *shrug*

 

[Number1]

Meh, a dbag is still a dbag, reprimanded or not. *shrug*

What's with the name calling? This is not ATOT?

My original comment was deemed "rude". Fine, but it looks like the OP paid a little bit more attention to the suggestions in here and actually got his problem kind of resolved. Good on him/her.

 

[iRONic]

What's with the name calling? This is not ATOT?

Nice try.

 

[Number1]

Nice try.

Nice try at what?