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I have a silly question. How do you strip off excessively thick wire insulation? I bought some 14gague speaker cable, and, because it was all that Fry's sold, I had to get monster cable. Problem is, the plastic insulation around the conductors is stupidly thick and wont fit into the banana plugs i was going to attach to the cables. --- Edit: Also, I have another random question - Today while walking past my computer desk behind it, i mustve shocked my amplifier or something but it blew it's output stage and started smoking - my speakers got a good "jjjjt jjj jjjjjt" sound before i unplugged the unit. How can that happen? I didnt notice a shock or anything, is is possible for an amp to just short itself out and die like that? It's only 3 months old so I am RMAing it as soon as I can, I just thought it's odd. For reference, the amplifier in question is the Audiosource AMP 100 , and yes I am positive that there were no shorts in the connections to the speakers (although that is related to my first question, the cables were going to get banana plugged soon.) Sniep fucked around with this message at 07:58 on Apr 21, 2007 |
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Apr 21, 2007 07:38
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Here's a simple question that I hope I'm just being retarded / not looking in the right place... If I were to set up a mono-block amp set up, 5 amps one for each channel, what pre-amp/source could I use that has Pro Logic II, Dolby Digital, DTS, etc. decoding? Is there no simple discrete multichannel decoder that can take SPDIF or other digital input and just spit out 6 RCA jack analog line level outputs? What am I missing, here? Sniep fucked around with this message at 07:56 on Oct 6, 2008 |
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Oct 6, 2008 07:53
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Saukkis posted:But are you sure you would benefit from the mono-block setup? Nope. Saukkis posted:How big of a home theater are you building? That's just it - I'm just reviewing options and am not ready yet to really delve into it; I simply find it odd that they don't have a simple decoder box out. It would seem to be a stupidly simple thing to offer and I just assumed there would be a dozen out there. Plus, I just have a boner for modular, discrete components vs. fancy all-in-one/do-it-all receivers.
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Oct 6, 2008 19:14
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Ashex posted:Can someone tell me what the point of gold-plated connectors are? I've never found a point for using them outside of connections that are exposed to weather, so aside from protection from corrosion, I can't think of anything. You're right.. It's corrosion proof, but, GOLD! There is no signal advantage unless in comparison to corroded connectors. Not, at least, simply by the fact that it's plated... The cable itself and its shielding (for analog signals) makes for more of a difference. For digital signals, obviously, it's either on - or seriously broken / off.
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Oct 9, 2008 07:24
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KingKapalone posted:So a bigger awg is a less expensive cable? I haven't checked yet, but will my speakers come with anything? If I just buy this spool, do I also need to buy the connectors to plug them into the receiver? Are there any tools I'll need? I thought the sub would come with something, but maybe not. About wire gauge... A smaller awg number is a thicker wire.  (stolen shamelessly from Wikipedia) Sniep fucked around with this message at 21:53 on Nov 7, 2008 |
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Nov 7, 2008 21:50
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KingKapalone posted:..I'm trying to decide if I should put my center channel on the shelf below my TV or mount it above my TV.. Personally, I'd put it beneath the TV, but that's just my opinion. I think there is some psychological reason it's more pleasing to have the voice channels ahead of and under the picture vs. speaking from above you.
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Nov 10, 2008 07:49
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158 posted:For anyone with the Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K, I have a Wii and want to hook it up to this with my component cables. I can't quite figure out how to get both audio and video with a component hookup, is it even possible? Sure you can - the video goes through the component and the audio goes into any available aux input. I looked up the manual, and I highlighted where it says that the component video inputs are assignable to any audio source. See the following:  So yeah, it is possible - just look in the manual for how to set the assignment of the video input to an audio input.
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Dec 7, 2008 02:14
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Pibborando San posted:It's better to not get a $150 sub. Save up a little bit more and get the BIC PA-120. It's actually not crap. Really? The power cable built-in like that? That description of it and the look of it looks kinda janky, man.
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Dec 15, 2008 22:07
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pim01 posted:Bose's marketing department is pretty good, though. " No highs, no lows? It's gotta be Bose™ "
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Dec 18, 2008 23:37
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gret posted:So right now I don't have the money for a proper audio system to go along with my TV. I do have a 10 year Denon mini system with Mission speakers. Before I run out and get a mini to aux cable to connect from my tv's headphone port to the aux port of my system, will even this crappy connection to my mini system most likely still generally produce a better sound than the tv's internal speakers? Right now I have a crappy Magnavox LCD TV. I don't see how a 1/8" phone to dual RCA cable is 'crappy' -- That's a pretty standard cable, if that is what you are talking about. It will work just fine.
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Dec 19, 2008 07:36
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ScottABoy posted:Anyway, whats happening is that when I'm listening to music sometimes the volume will suddenly be much louder than it should be (but only for a split second). Do you have a compressor plugin running in your music player? Maybe that's set funny.
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Dec 20, 2008 20:04
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158 posted:Is there a reason to not use DVI-component? SPDIF? TOSLINK?
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Jan 3, 2009 04:23
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Zand posted:So I got this home theatre in a box system by pioneer with a sub, and 5 speakers. I already have 2 very nice bookshelf speakers and a receiver that is also OK. I thought it would be nice to hook up the surround sound to my receiver, which I did, because the centerpiece of the home theatre system does not have video or audio inputs (WTF). Well, you can't, really, unless you run both amps at the same time and use the HTIB one with all the other speakers off and just use it for the sub. That's kinda what you are doing, right? Why would you try to append a component system with a HTIB, though? The HTIB is designed to work best with the parts in its box, and that sub is obviously expecting a high-power signal down its own line to come from the packaged receiver. The only way I'd recommend using that sub is connected to the receiver that it came with.
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Jan 3, 2009 08:19
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Bona Weiss posted:Thanks very much. I thought about the vibrations but I assume they're going to be much less than what the player goes through when it's in my pocket throughout the day. Nevertheless I've put a rubber pad underneath it just to be sure (though not covering the vents). Also, consider that the center channel speaker is designed for use on top of or beneath a television set, CRT or not. I bet you a buck that it's magnetically shielded, probably as well as the other satellites.
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Jan 15, 2009 06:50
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Solomon Grundy posted:The Panasonic has three audio outputs - a digital audio out, RCA jacks, and a headphone jack. I can't tell from the specs whether the TV volume up / volume down control would control those jacks. I would like to find something that plugs into one of those jacks and provides the following functions: First, you're going to want something driven off of the RCA Jacks, and then set the TV to control the volume of the external speakers with the TV volume control. (That should be in the menus in a setting somewhere, I've never seen one not have that option.) Secondly, the external speaker(s) don't have to be "surround sound" -- it's possible to just set up a 2 channel amp and speakers. You would then leave this at, oh, 50% volume, and then use the tv volume control to set the level as explained above. I can look for some good solutions for this a bit later, I'll post some examples of speakers that might fit the bill in a bit. Anything from small PA speakers to a cheapish pair of monitors that are active(powered) would just plug right in, though.
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Jan 30, 2009 22:40
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Omegaslast posted:most dont have the ability to adjust output with the red and white on the back of the TV though. It is usually an option in the menus, to either have the line-outs fixed or variable level control, where variable uses the tv's own volume and will control the signal on the line-outs.
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Jan 31, 2009 23:08
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thehandtruck posted:I had a ~10 year old speaker system composed of simply a CD/tape/FM receiver and two speakers. The receiver died and now I don't have any way to use the speakers. I was wondering if there is a way to somehow connect the speakers to my computer. I recognize they need to be powered somehow, so if it's any consolation I have one of those altec lansing IM7 portable speaker things which may or may not help at all. It'd help a lot if you described the speakers in question.. at least their rated nominal RMS wattage accepted and at what impedance?
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Mar 3, 2009 08:34
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thehandtruck posted:Aiwa Speaker System Model No. SX-NAV800 Something like this should work just fine for those. Or this to step up - I personally own the AMP-100 and it's a beast. Very worth it but not sure what you are looking to spend. Edit: Ignore the stupid title of the first item on amazon, the model is PCA2. Sniep fucked around with this message at 03:51 on Mar 8, 2009 |
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Mar 8, 2009 03:19
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thehandtruck posted:Do you know of anything cheaper? I'm really not looking for quality in this instance. Also I heard there was a way to slice the speaker wires into auxiliary or RCA, is that an option? No, they need to be powered by something. The aux/line out/RCA jacks/whatever you call them, give a very, very low current signal, that simply contains the "information" if you would about the audio signal. It's enough to transfer the audio signal from one component to another, but at some point that signal needs to be amplified so that it can actually drive the electromagnetic drivers that actually move the speaker cones. I'm not sure what analogy might work for this for you, but I'll stick with the old standby.  When you turn on your turn signal in your car, the lever activates a relay. That relay converts the very low power signal that you give with the turn lever, and switches it into a high power signal that can power the turn bulbs. It's pretty much the same thing, when you have the headphone level / aux level output from your equipment, it's just the signal with very little power behind it. The speakers require actual power to drive the mechanical nature of how they operate, and that is what an amplifier does.
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Mar 9, 2009 08:59
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dreggory posted:Similar question as the previous poster, but hopefully even easier! Or for an option that's far better sounding quality wise than the first suggestion above me, and far cheaper than the one two up, something like this would be ideal. It's like ~$80 and is a decent condenser powered microphone, all USB powered. If you were going to be doing many of these voice recordings (I'm assuming from the length its either a podcast or something of that nature?), you'd want to spring for something that will sound crisp and with less noise than a small electret mic like found in headsets or normal PC mics. Sniep fucked around with this message at 07:15 on Mar 17, 2009 |
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Mar 17, 2009 07:13
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Kreez posted:If I want a single speaker to play both left and right channels from a 2 channel reciever (without needing to activate a mono setting on the reciever or source) can I just run both channels (ie. all 4 wires) into the same speaker? Or will bad things happen with sparks? Bad things will happen with sparks. Do not do that. If not just for the speaker, for the amp. I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish, either, if not just the combined power to that one speaker, which you CAN do if the amp has a bridge mode, which will usually use the outer pair of speaker terminals, and is most commonly found on car stereo amps.
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Mar 23, 2009 07:47
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Alpha posted:If I'm connecting a Sonos ZP 120(has an amp) to Klipsch R-52s, the speakers have four posts each while the amp only has two for each channel. One set on the speakers say LF and the says HF, which one should i use or does it not matter? Are those posts connected on the speakers with a bent flat piece of brass? They are for optional biamplification, but usually not required as long as they are connected set to set.
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Apr 4, 2009 04:49
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GORDON posted:NEW GENERATION BY BELDEN-M 6200FE That is commercial grade security/alarm/speaker cable, plenum rated. That means it meets building codes to be run in plenum (Air ducting) space. The wires are twisted inside the jacket, which I'm not sure about as far as audio is concerned but it looks to be high quality stuff and you should have no problem with it.
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Apr 18, 2009 23:17
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Porcupine posted:The mix seems to fade in and out. Sometimes the dialouge is too soft, and sometimes the music is absent. Or the sound effects drown out both of those things. I am only using the speakers on the TV, as I am by no means an audiophile. ... I fool with settings, but really have no idea what any of them mean. This happens across multiple dvds from differing studios. If anyone can school me a little bit on this I would appreciate it! Out of the settings that you don't know what mean, is there any option to set the sound output mode to something like "Stereo Mix"? As opposed to "Dolby Digital" "Simulated Surround" "DTS" or stuff like that? It might be outputting the front-left and front-right channels to the TV but also expecting there to be 3 more channels to convey dialogue, sound effects and music through, and you are only getting the front-left and front-right out of it.
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Apr 19, 2009 04:28
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Keshik posted:I'm asking this here just as a quick question: My stereo receiver which has served me very well for approximately ten years finally died for good. It's had problems for about two years with switching off at inappropriate times, but now it's just dead. No! GET THIS GET THIS GET THIS > Audiosource AMP-100 This is an AMAZING price at $50 on this unit. I got mine I think for $119, and recommended them to friends and they are just outstanding 2 channel no frills amps. You plug in speakers and a source and they just kick rear end whole-heartedly. Edit: In fact, I just bought another because of the price. Never can go wrong having a spare, great, zone amp. I had no idea they were selling at this price until I looked it up to recommend it thinking it was going to cost nearly double what it's going for now. Sniep fucked around with this message at 08:44 on Apr 28, 2009 |
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Apr 28, 2009 08:01
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TeMpLaR posted:I run single cables and have the bi-amp turned on Wait what?
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May 1, 2009 21:47
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On Unicornback posted:Audiosource has been mentioned and I'm considering it. Any other alternatives that may sound better? I'm one of those who pimp the audiosouce amps for a basic power source... And I'm not sure what you mean by "sound better." It doesn't do anything to the sound, realistically, as far as tonality is concerned. (Of course everything will have some effect to a degree...) There is no DSP, no digital path at all - the AMP-100 which is 50 watts per channel, does not even have a "Treble/Bass" pot to tweak that, just a balance and volume knob. Edit: Here's the guts of one, I took one of mine apart, just to satiate curiosity. Click for big. 
Sniep fucked around with this message at 09:28 on May 20, 2009 |
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May 20, 2009 09:17
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On Unicornback posted:Cool, well unless I'm mistaken different amplifier designs (different solid state classes, tube, etc) can produce different sound qualities. But I guess I should just realize this is just powering some old bookshelfs for PC listening and STFU Pretty much, and, that amp is going to be on the upper end of quality to begin with, from the beefy toroidal power supply to simple audio path you're going to see a rapid diminishing gain when compared to cost while trying to go "more audiophile" from a unit like the one I posted.
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May 21, 2009 06:38
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Phillyt posted:When I have the Dayton 8" Sub plugged into my Audioengine A2 speakers, what volume control will control the whole system? quote:If I have my source output plugged into the sub then the output from the sub plugged into the speakers; will changing the volume of the speakers change the volume of the sub simultaneously, quote:changing the volume of the sub change the volume of the speakers simultaneously, or neither, quote:they are independent of each other? quote:If I go the other way for the source, that is, source output to speakers, then speakers to sub, will that allow me to control the sub through the speakers? quote:I basically don't want to have to bend down to control the sub volume.
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May 24, 2009 09:33
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Phillyt posted:I've been told by the manufacturer that the speakers inputs also function as outputs. That doesn't make any sense unless they meant they are just hard wired together... which would be a terrible design flaw in other ways. Also, upon looking at the spects, the 5 model has a sub out, the 2 does not.
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May 25, 2009 06:45
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Phillyt posted:stuff Well, you can solve it however you like but I go back to my initial statement that I made, that the source volume control should be the only volume control. Here is how it would work: 1. Whatever your main signal out is, goes into sub. 2. Your sub outputs feed the speakers. 3. You set the speakers to approx. 60-75% volume. 4. You set the sub to fill that in conservatively. 5. Then, you use the source volume control to control both of their output, tweaking their respective volumes when necessary. It's not going to require climbing under your desk unless you set the sub too high or far too low, and just keep your fingers off the volume on both of them after you have them set properly. Am I missing something in here that was a problem with that setup? Sniep fucked around with this message at 09:03 on May 25, 2009 |
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May 25, 2009 09:00
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Straithate posted:Many years ago I picked up a JBL E150P Subwoofer for my HT. Several years after that I purchased a HTIB, Onkyo brand, for a new apartment. As far as I can tell the subwoofer that came with it is an SKW-540, which seems to resemble an SKW-204. This is a purely uninformed decision, based solely on looks, but I'd say the JBL a thousand times over the HTIB include unit. Try them yourself and compare?
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May 31, 2009 07:28
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Omegaslast posted:the jbl should definitely have more power and be a better woofer cone than the onkyo. if you want you can take out both the woofers and look at the actual magnet structure, the jbl is probably a lot heavier than the onkyo which probably is way cheaper looking That is, if the onkyo will even be disassembled, and was not glued together permanently. * * Not saying Onkyo is in any way a bad name, but, cheap HTIB kits require some sacrifices. They do very well in my opinion for the pricepoints they reach, but still, I doubt that sub even has a screw in it
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Jun 1, 2009 08:12
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Magical Ponies posted:If there's a better place to ask this, let me know. I'm pretty sure this is hopeless, but I have a stereo I absolutely love that can't play cds anymore (it won't recognize any cd put in) and has no aux input jack. It's not fancy and was inexpensive, but is there any way to have an aux jack put into it? You might have better luck replacing the laser for the CD player .. sounds like maybe gravity got to it and its just not focusing anymore..... try leaving the entire thing upside down for an hour and see if it will play then? I know it sounds asinine but just try it...
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Jun 8, 2009 19:06
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McKracken posted:Not sure if this belongs in this or the software thread, but... I am pretty sure that the authoritative FLAC-listening-to goon answerTM would be Foobar 2000.
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Jun 12, 2009 12:50
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Unreal posted:I want to hook my PC up to a receiver and speakers through a digital connection so I can enjoy 5.1 surround. I have the Audigy 2 zs platinum card and it features a digital output jack (I don't have the "live drive" that used to ship with it that featured all the great connections). That is exactly it, you just need to pull the light from the jack to a toslink compatible plug, the light is all the same.
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Jul 7, 2009 11:42
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The Zombie Guy posted:http://www.citizen-electronics.com/citizen/en/product/details/ZZIE520 This is the kind of TV I have. (Yeah it's tiny and crappy. Shaddap!) It's kinda like getting a swiss army knife when you need a nailfile, but, the cheapest audio mixer you could come across could suit your need pretty well and be useful in other ways, too. http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHXENTX502 Just a simple mixer, but, itd allow you to have it wired up to where it was still output to your TV, as well as having two sources input to it, control all the volumes, and power headphones as well from, without having to dick with wires every time you wanted to change where the audio was going. Just an idea. Edit: You might need six of these, too: http://www.amazon.com/RiteAV-inch-Male-Female-Adapter/dp/B001S0JZNO/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249284256&sr=8-11 Sniep fucked around with this message at 08:25 on Aug 3, 2009 |
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Aug 3, 2009 08:19
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Fifty Three posted:I have a Logitech X-530 sound system... thing. For my computer. Are you hard connecting them together like that? That is a bad idea, and can not only cause the outputs on the devices to flake out like that, but also might fry the output stage altogether. What is happening is that you have two devices with albeit low powered, but still, powered outputs that are being mated together... an output to an output so to speak. Just because there is a speaker at the end of it is irrelevant. You need to have a mixer involved, or a switch to choose one or the other. Having them connected in that fashion is dangerous for the equipment and will often fail in the manner you are speaking of, if not worse.
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Aug 29, 2009 06:18
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b0nes posted:Are there any component systems with built in hard drives? I have a friend who has a 400+ CD collection, we are looking for a solution for her. Now I do know about the iPod and certain components can be bought with an iPod dock but I was looking for something more "integrated" in the system, possibly that uses redisplay available hard drives? It sounds like you are talking about a media center, although those usually do video as well. Frankly, if you're willing to put in some effort, an original xbox with XBMC makes a great media center.
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Sep 6, 2009 01:39
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TheChimney posted:Is there a newb friendly guide online for setting up my computer for high quality audio? I need something to hold my hand through every step of the process. Just a quick question.. How do you define "high quality" audio?
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Sep 19, 2009 06:47
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