silly onkyo speaker hookup q's

[Jumby]

Got all my goodies in today, looking forward to hooking things up this weekend. Checked out the back of my onkyo tx-sr503 and the posts seem pretty small, as in there is no way I can think of any way to terminate a cable and have it fit on the post. Am I dreaming? Am I going to have to stuff bare wire into the post and crank the knob down? I don't see how a banana or a spade could fit.....

[Worf101]

You've two choices and you named them both. While I'm NOT sure what model Onkyo receiver you're referring to I've three in my house. Banana plugs go in the rear of the post... through the "top" of the cylinder if you will. Take some time, some tape... label the wires and banana plugs and install them. Makes life much easier in the futrure believe me.

Da Worfster

[GMichael]

Some receivers have conectors for banana plugs that will not accept the plugs unless a plastic tab on the receiver's conector is released.

[markw]

I'm pretty sure it accepts banana plugs. If so, use them.

As you've noticed, real estate on the back of modern receivers doesn't leave much room and banana plugs* are cheap insurance from shorts and make hookup soooooooo much easier.

*You don't need expensive botique ones either.

[Jumby]

the post is just a threaded stud with a cap that tightens down on it, the stud does not have a hole through it like the pold r15 stud does to slip a banana through it. I'm just getting everything I need to make wires this weekend and do the hookup and I need a count on banana's to get.... thanks for all the help!

[GMichael]

Yup.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-X7PI5QK...display=XL#Tab

[GMichael]

Isn't this the back of your unit?

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-X7PI5QK...&display=L#Tab

I see connections for banana plugs.

[Jumby]

that is the back of it all right... but I am still not clear on how to get a banana to those posts.... the opening under the knob on each post goes from a 7 o'clock to a 1 o'clock angle and is almost flush with the back of the reciever, the post doesn't have a hole to slip the plug through and then tighten down the knob....

what am I missing?

[GMichael]

Make sure the plastic knobs are turned all the way in. Then the banana plugs push striaght in from the back. Don't try to insert them at the 7:00 or 1:00 possitions. Those are for bare wires.

[Jumby]

honest... I'm not this dumb.... but with the knob turned all the way in it is filled with the post threaded into it... do you mean turn it out so it is then hollow to be able to slide the banana into it?

[GMichael]

You're just missing one small point. The banana plugs push straight in from the back. If the round conector you see were a clock. You don't come in from 7 or 1 oclock. You push straight down the middle of the clock face. Right were all the clock hands meet in the middle.

The center of the post looks hollow right? Push it in there.

[Jumby]

it is only hollow if the knob is turned all the way out, so I think I have it.... wow, this is painful, sorry to put you though it! thanks for the help!

[GMichael]

it is only hollow if the knob is turned all the way out, so I think I have it.... wow, this is painful, sorry to put you though it! thanks for the help!

No problem. My Yamaha is the other way. I have to make sure the plastic knob is turned in or the plug won't go all the way in. I tried to find something in your manual about it but it only shows how to connect bare wires.

Enjoy it, and let us know how much you like it when it's up and running.

[Jumby]

Thanks again... I have been using my roomies ancient sony htib for a few years, now I have the 4 r15's a csi25 and the onkyo ready to put in tomorrow, and an outside chance at a pair of the r30's from fry's for the front. as soon as the dayton subs are back in stock I'll grab one of those. if I get the r30's I'll keep it 5.1 and use them for the fronts... space reasons... and find a use for the other pair of r15's. so this will be my very first ht setup, and I'm excited and scared. things like this can become a major hobby for me......

while I'm here though, I keep hearing about breaking in a speaker... makes enough sense, but how do you break in a ht setup when the rears are just for fill and the center is anchoring the sound?

[GMichael]

Some speakers seem to need this more than others. Just use them. They should sound good from the get go. But they may end up sounding better as time goes on.

[Jumby]

sounds good to me, no pun intended... and thanks again for all the help