HELP!! Need to set up speakers!!

[red-head-87]

I recently came across a pair of 400 Watt 3-way Speakers at a yard sale and was told they were in great working condition and they have been almost never used. I know the guy who was selling them so I trusted his word and bought them with intentions of using them to hook up to my laptop computer via an old Hitachi (100 W Max) reciever I had in my basement. However, when I hook them up all I get is some crackling and the random few seconds of good sound usually just from one of the speakers. What might the probablem be? Why can't I get good sound? I dunno much about this kind of thing, but I know that the speakers are not self powered, and that I have the Y-cable from my laptop to the reciever hooked up correctly and I'm pretty such I have both sets of wires from each speaker hooked up correctly. I found the wire with the reciever so it's kind of old. Could it be the wire? I have some new 16 gauge wire bought but didn't use it yet. Also I noticed that one of the fuses in the reciever were blown so I repalced all of them with new ones. Maybe the probablem is the reciever because like I said it is old.

Here are the specs for the speakers:

30 - 400 watts
4 - 8 ohms
107 dB/1W/1m (MAX)
Large Magnet Structure
Hi - Fi Dme Tweeter

And for the reciever:

Hitachi AM/FM Tuner Amplifier Model HTA-2
C.A./AC 120V 60 Hz 100W
8 ohms - 16 ohms/speaker

Any Help?? :confused5:

[Mr Peabody]

Does the receiver and speakers sound alright when the tuner is on? Which input do you have the computer plugged into?

One thing for sure if those speakers work they will play loud, that's quite an efficiency rating.

If the receiver worked before it should still work. Hopefully you used the exact fuse type and size. Did you hear the speakers before you bought them? Try hooking them up to something else if you can to make sure you hadn't been taken advantage of. Try the receiver's headphone jack to see if it sounds alright but try using another source like the radio or a cd player. Finding where the problem is will help determine your next step.

[budgetaudio76]

any one hear a jumbo jet just fly over?:shocked:

with that kind of speakers. id look for a nice amp. that is if the crackling is not from the speakers tem selves. unlikely tho. with a reciever that old. initial start up will exhibit a large voltage reading. that is ...gee not too certain, maybe someone can chime in here.

tho it is easier to use an ammeter to check what kind of voltage youre getting at initial start up. hook up black side to negative terminal. and red side to positive. black on black and red on red. my sansui 5000 did the same thing. still does so i gotta be careful to wait until it stabilixes before i start using speakers with.

good luck.:smile5:

[markw]

It could be either the receiver or the speakers. My $$ would be in the receiver. though. Get hold of another receiver or amplifier to verify that.

Or, try that receiver on another set of speakers.

FWIW, from looking at the ohm specs for both the receiver and the speakers, I'd say that they are not a match made in heaven.

[hydroman]

Try swapping speakers left to right. Try swapping inputs, etc. trying to get the problem to move. If the problem never moves - it is the reciever.

[red-head-87]

what about wire? is 16 guage ok?

[red-head-87]

also, what does the ohms rating mean anyway?

[markw]

what about wire? is 16 guage ok?Your only option is to Isolate the problem by replacing either the speakers or the receiver.

that's the only way you'll find out where the problem lies.

[red-head-87]

ok i think when I hooked them up the first time I bi wired them but left the bridges on and I just read that you're not supposed to do that. Are the speakers ruined now? Is that why I can't get any sound?

[audio_dude]

ok i think when I hooked them up the first time I bi wired them but left the bridges on and I just read that you're not supposed to do that. Are the speakers ruined now? Is that why I can't get any sound?


Speakers are fine, that wouldn't damage them.

I'd say what the other guys are saying, try them with a new receiver. If you do and they work, well, we've found the problem.

[red-head-87]

is there any way I could just hook them up to my laptop directly like maybe using the y cable and hooking each one up individually just to see if they work?

[Mr Peabody]

You cannot hook that type of speaker directly to your computer.

[markw]

Lessee... A newbie who proclaims total ignorance of the subject, yet somehow seems to be familiar with biwiring?

Let's face it, Red. You're not really to get help with a problem, are you?

[audio_dude]

Lessee... A newbie who proclaims total ignorance of the subject, yet somehow seems to be familiar with biwiring?


Shhh....I was bi-wiring when I got my first pair of speaks and had that ancient sansui amp...

[markw]

Shhh....I was bi-wiring when I got my first pair of speaks and had that ancient sansui amp...(yeah, but you ain't a troll)

[Auricauricle]

Before you start going crazy, plug 'em up to a receiver that you are certain works flawlessly. If you still get the Rice Crispies, then at least you know it's probably the speakers. Go to your local Radio Shack or electronics supply shop, get a can of air and a can of contact cleaner and give the pups a good spruce-up. If they're long in the tooth and have been neglected (yard sale, remember?), they could probably stand it. Then, plug 'em up, cross your fingers and promise to God you will never again worship any other graven images....

[bubslewis]

Efficiency 107dB/1W/1M?????

Those speakers must have been manufactured on some planet with a very thin atmosphere where sound just doesn't carry very well. I would be very careful with your volume controls.

[hydroman]

^Cerwin Vegas had efficiencies like this IIRC. They were the best to pair with an underpowered reciever...