Amplifier<>monitors: Special connection

[ScroogeMcDuck]

Hi everyone..

I hope you don't find all my starter questions irritating, but there is still a lot of stuff I don't know, and here is one more question that I can't find an answer to anywhere on the Internet:

I'm gonna buy an amplifier so that I can connect my mixer to my monitors. But my monitors are a little special. You connect them by placing the unisolated copper ends on the cable from each speaker in some kind of clamps on the amplifier, like this:



This is the back of an all-in-one CD player. The cables directly from each speaker. How can I find an amplifier that I can use with these speakers? I've never seen such a thing. Can you place a plug in the end of the cables so they can be plugged to a normal amp?

Thanks!
Scrooge

[speiris]

Hi mate,

Yes, you can attach various types of connectors to the ends of the speaker cables. It depends on the type of OUTPUT connection(s) the amplifier provides (e.g. 1/4" Jack, RCA).

Some amplifiers provide the same type of connector as which is shown in the photo you provided. In this case you wouldn't need to attach a "plug" to the end of your speaker cable.

So you'll be able to utilise pretty much any amplifier you like. Just make sure it's powerful enough to drive your monitors.

Cheers.

[ScroogeMcDuck]

Originally Posted by speiris

Hi mate,

Yes, you can attach various types of connectors to the ends of the speaker cables. It depends on the type of OUTPUT connection(s) the amplifier provides (e.g. 1/4" Jack, RCA).

Some amplifiers provide the same type of connector as which is shown in the photo you provided. In this case you wouldn't need to attach a "plug" to the end of your speaker cable.

So you'll be able to utilise pretty much any amplifier you like. Just make sure it's powerful enough to drive your monitors.

Cheers.

Hi!

Thanks a lot for your answer! Do you know where you can get these connectors to attach to the ends, e.g. if I want to attach a 1/4 jack? I've never seen such connectors, what are they called? Cuz I think it's hard finding studio amps where I can plug the speakers directly into clamps like on the pictures, is that possible?

The red and black things in the middle of this amp, is that the clamps where I can connect the open copper ends directly?

Sorry for all my questions!

Peace!
Scrooge

[speiris]

Hi,

I'm sure you could get 1/4" Plugs from any electronics store.

They are called just that. "Quarter Inch Audio Plugs"
They come in STEREO (TRS) and MONO (TS) versions.

If you want to use an amplifier which has 1/4" sockets for speaker output then you will need two MONO 1/4" Plugs.

These plugs are very common and can be found practically anywhere. You can easily order them online as well. But if you have easy access to an electronics shop then it would probably be easier to go in and buy them.

I guess it may be rare to find studio amps which have the connectors which are shown in your CD-player photo. I do remember the Alesis RA-100 having those connectors. I'm not a power-amp expert. I haven't really researched various makes, models. Some amps come with what are called 5-way binding post connections. You can stick the end of the speaker wire into these and just clamp them down. So you don't "need" to attach a plug to the end. However if you do "want" a connector on the end of the wire then there are a couple of options you have. "Banana plugs" and "spade connectors" can also be used to connect to a "5-way binding post".

Do a google search on the above-mentioned connectors and have a quick look.

By the way, are the cables running to your speakers hardwired in (not able to be disconnected)? What are they if you don't mind me asking?

Also remember to try and get the polarity right when connecting speakers to an amplifier. Generally "positive" to red and "negative" to black. Even if you get it mixed up sound will still come out of the speakers but the cones will be pushing when they should be pulling, and vice versa. But try and get it right. You may already know this, sorry. Just making sure. No harm in that?

Ask all the questions you want mate. No probs.
Cheers
Sriyan

[ScroogeMcDuck]

Thank you, thank you, you helped me a LOT there! I've searched on the Internet, and there are lots of amps with the binding post connections. Now it won't be hard for me to find an amplifier for my speakers.

Unfortunately you can't disconnect the cables from the speakers. They are going through a hole into the speaker and you can't take it out. Now you'll have a laugh, cuz now I'll tell you which speakers I have: It is a couple of 1977' Dynamic studio monitors. This may sound weird, but both my friends (which are used to their own studio monitors) and I think that they have the most great, rounded vintage sound, that is just as good as some of the monitors you can buy today. They have been unused since 1984, my family stored them in the closet since then.. But now they gave them to me and I was surprised that they are so good. Unfortunately I don't have a pic of them right now (I can take a pic tomorrow, if you want one). It's a little weird to think of their age, they are much older than me. Stats: 100 Watt, 6½" base, 3/4" treble.

I have a hard time finding out the polarity on the speaker cable. They have the same color so I don't know how I can see it! I'm not used to this kind of speaker cable.. :-(

Thanks a lot for your help, much appreciated!

Cheers
Kris

[brandondrury]

But my monitors are a little special. You connect them by placing the unisolated copper ends on the cable from each speaker in some kind of clamps on the amplifier, like this

That's not "special". It's how passive, unpowered speakers work.

Why don't you take a picture of the back of your power amp and we'll tell you exactly what to get?

Brandon

[jpeek345]

Hey Guys,

I'd like a great recommend on a preamp/receiver that could be a good starter for these early 1980s Genesis speakers. (see attachments)

I just refurbished them for $75. It broke me.

Now I want to use what you've mentioned in this thread and alleviate the god awful distortion from my onboard soundcard in my MicRecycle (previously enjoyed 1.1 Ghz) PC.

The distortion happens when I am using the OS (Win XP Pro Serv Pk 2) Master volume and my MP3/media player volume and my boombox (aux inputs) volume all in one enchalada.

Obviously I am not dealing with a full deck.

My Genesis speakers are rated for 8-16 ohms ( I still haven't mastered Ohms and Volts).

But the simple request is:

"How can I get these monitors/speakers to play my sound files back optimally- at next to no cost?" (And get rid of the archaic boombox.)

If I were to go from say a $50 in a preamp now (or some such solution) to a $300 jobby 6 months from now (and no sooner) and then to the soundcards this site wizard recommends ($400 to $40,000) when I'm rich and famous, what can I do now?


Jay Peek

P.S. Here is some banter from hometheaterforum.com:

-------------------------------------------------------------



""Nice garage system there, Patrick!

I think one of the things that made the Genesis speakers sound so good was their tweeters. They had huge magnets which allowed for ridiculously low crossover frequencies – all the way down to 11-1200 Hz on some models like the 44! So basically the tweeter was handling nearly half the frequency spectrum. Using such a low crossover frequency kept the divide out of the critical 3-4 kHz range that most manufacturers commonly use.

Unfortunately the downside to the low crossover frequency was that the tweeters would easily fry when the speakers were pushed hard (voice of experience here! :b ), so in later models Genesis moved the crossover point up to 1800 Hz.

By the way, I also have some Human QT-2 speakers (same as the current 61 model) and they sound very nice. Couldn't go wrong with those.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt""





PSS: If you want I will link and photobucket any images you want larger than the ones I uploaded here.

[brandondrury]

"How can I get these monitors/speakers to play my sound files back optimally- at next to no cost?" (And get rid of the archaic boombox.)

You need an amplifier of some kind. Maybe you could find one at a yard sale or something if you are on a microbudget.

Brandon

[jpeek345]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

You need an amplifier of some kind. Maybe you could find one at a yard sale or something if you are on a microbudget.

Brandon

Believe it or not I had an old Realistic TV Reciever/Amplifier with those conventional jacks mentioned in this thread.

It was AWFUL. I'll craigslist some things. Get some bananna plugs.

Anyway, I edited this message and I was sure that I posted it earlier.

I asked,

"If we have one positive jack on the back of each of these passive speakers and one negative- and only one "1/4" inch digital plug going in to the default(onboard) sound card when we're done then-

What is the importance/reason of playback and recording of stereo?
What is the importance/reason of playback and recording of mono?

I'm not filled out in all of my recording areas and this is the beginners section so....

will anyone care to share?

Thank-you.

Sincerely,

Jay Peek

[Electriclight]

Hopefully the two speakers are connected to one 1/4" STEREO plug? In that case the left and right channels are still separate channels - there is a left conductor, a right conductor and a common ground.


It is good to check a stereo mix in mono because if some signals are out of phase with each other they cancle and you will be missing sounds in mono that were there in stereo.

Did I understand your question correctly?