Need help setting up my vintage stereo system!!!
tempo_n_groove
Posts: 40,491
OK!
Purchased a vintage Pioneer SA8500 ii amp and TX8500 ii and want to hook it all up properly.
I get how to hook up the turntable and CD to aux. I'm wondering about the speakers and the receiver? There are different hook ups in the back and I am wondering if there is a way to screw this up?!?
I'm only running two shelf speakers.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Purchased a vintage Pioneer SA8500 ii amp and TX8500 ii and want to hook it all up properly.
I get how to hook up the turntable and CD to aux. I'm wondering about the speakers and the receiver? There are different hook ups in the back and I am wondering if there is a way to screw this up?!?
I'm only running two shelf speakers.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
0
Comments
Turntable plugs into either of the "Phono" jacks. (Don't forget to connect the ground wire on the TT to the chassis of the amp.)
As you described, CD goes into "Aux" with RCA connectors.
Since you're only using one pair of speakers, I would use the "A" outputs. Connect red to red and black to black.
(I apologize if I'm telling you anything you already know. Do you have specific questions or areas of concern?)
Also, that's a kickass amp. Should sound like a million bucks with good speakers.
Yeah the Speaker A option was what I was curious about.
Also curious if I want to hook up a center and two L/R speakers for 5 total, what will it do for the phono listening?
The antennae I thought was built in?!? I have to buy an external one? I always thought the big arm behind the receiver was an antennae?!?
I get the ground and RCA hook ups for the components.
Thanks Dudeman.
I'm going to start setting it all up today!
Christopher
If your Martin Logan 15's are 8 ohms, you can add another pair of 8 ohm speakers and play both the "A" and "B" speakers together for a total load of 4 ohms. However, if your ML's are 4 ohm models, you won't be able to use additional speakers without risking damage to the amp. In a nutshell: 8 ohms + 8 ohms = 4 ohms (the only safe load for that amp with two pairs of speakers), 8 ohms + 4 ohms = 2.67 ohms and 4 ohms + 4 ohms = 2 ohms.
As for the center channel speaker, that amp doesn't have the ability to support one. Also, if you're listening to music in stereo, a center channel speaker would likely ruin the stereo image and not sound very good.
I don't know if you're trying to do a surround sound system but if you are, that amp isn't the right tool for that particular job.
You are correct about the antenna on the back, it is an antenna, but it is best suited for AM radio. If you want FM stations, you'll have to provide an FM antenna. That said, in some areas, I have been able to pick up some nearby FM stations without an additional antenna, but they don't come in clearly enough for an enjoyable listening experience.
Good luck with the set-up!
Oh and yes I was curious if I could do surround with this system.
Last question:
Speaker wire and distance? 12g wire for the speakers and how far away max should I place them?
The two sets of speakers I have are 8ohms.
http://www.audioholics.com/audio-video-cables/speaker-cable-gauge
Hope this helps. It's a little technical but the figures are reasonable.
In your situation, 12 gauge wire with an 8 ohm load makes a maximum recommended distance of 60 ft. Thirty feet for the same wire with a 4 ohm load.
Edited to add: I have seen many, many stereo systems that were set up with long runs of lighter gauge speaker wire than you are planning on using. Those systems worked fine, as in music came out of the speakers and sounded good. If those systems were set up using the guidelines of appropriate wire gauge and length, they could have sounded better. In other words, it's worth taking the time to learn the right way to set up your stereo.
Good luck and congrats on the new system!
Getting pops and cracks in the sound.
Playing Vitalogy box set record. Brushed record before play. All grounds checked…
Now playing Piece of Mind and NO PRoblems…
Slight pop still…
What gives?
Tone arm resistance?
Played a Korn record and it was perfect. So not sure what is up with it?
Have no idea on how to hook up an FM antenna to it now. lol
Any info on how to do that?
I'll look into the FM antenna and get back to you.
For the FM antenna: connect an indoor "T-type" antenna to the 300 jacks located between "GND" and the funky looking "75" jack off to the side of the antenna terminal bank.
The User's Manual for your amp and tuner are available here:
www.hifiengine.com
You can sign up for a free account and download the manuals for quick reference.
Which Ortofon cartridge do you have? The 2M Red? If so, your tracking force of 18 mN is about 1.8 grams. That should suffice for records in good shape.
The Martin Logans came in today and I hooked them up. MY GOD there is a difference!
These speakers are pretty damn impressive. I played Korn's first album and you can definitely hear things I hadn't heard before. This will make listening to things a lot of fun! Once I get my Yield cleaned that will be a treat.
Glad you got everything else set up! Those Motion 15's are very revealing. They are quite popular among jazz and classical aficionados for their detail. I'm curious to know if those will change your perspective of rock and roll albums.
Revealing speakers are a double edged sword in that you may hear flaws in the mastering and production that may not be apparent with lesser speakers.
The finished product…
The terminals on the back of the tuner unscrew a little revealing a hole in the shaft that you slip the antenna wires into and then you tighten the screw back down.
What do the connectors on the antenna itself look like?
So does it matter where red and black go?
Enjoy the new system!