Guest teleute Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 I really apologise for how ridiculous this question is. *sigh* I can put a computer together from scratch, but put stereo equipment in front of me and I'm completely clueless.Anyway, my boyfriend recently acquired a pair of AR-2ax's. He hasn't tested them or anything, so we have no clue if they work. He's out of town for a couple of weeks and I thought I'd surprise him by testing them out and hooking them up (among a number of other rearrangements of the living room we've been meaning to do...). However, I have to admit I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing if there isn't a little red plastic tab and a black plastic tab to pull back and shove wires into. *sg* Can anyone help me out? Thank you so much... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynaco_dan Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Hi there;Would you be able to take a photo of the rear of both speakers where the wires connect to.One photo where the rear of the amplifier or receiver has speaker screws or locknuts for speaker connections.If we see what you have, we can provide guidance for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Ah...yes. Okay, I'll try to attach the photo; we'll see if this works.Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeB Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Good picture. The speaker wires go to 1 and 2 which is also connected to T. The jumper wire connects the mid and tweeter. So the wires you would have pushed into the plastic tabs are connected (by loosening the knurled nut, putting the stripped wire end around the screw and retightening the nut) to 1 and 2. Make sure both speakers have jumpers from 2 to T installed. The amplifier will generally have red and black outputs (sometimes marked as + and -) for each speaker. Connect 1 to black and 2 to red for each channel. The wire will generally have some marking (could be different color wires, might be ribs on one side) to help you make sure the speakers are connected “in phase”. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Ah...maybe that was my problem. He's got these strange things on the end of the speaker wires instead of just the stripped cable - they fit over the stripped ends and end in pointed metal (almost looks like an 1/8" jack, but isn't). Guess they're supposed to keep the ends from getting all loose and frayed. They work with the current speakers, but maybe not with these. I'll give it a shot and report back. Thanks!Edit: Here's a picture of the wire things, since I can't describe well at all. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Excellent - all seems to be well! One more question, though - is there a trick to putting the wires tightly around the screw that keeps them from getting all splayed out and some of them popping out? It looks a bit messy right now, and I don't know if that will cause a problem.Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeB Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Twisting the strands of wire in the same direction as they were originally twisted helps. Looping the wire around the posts in the same direction the nut turns also helps. It's important that none of the strands can short out between the terminals. Some people, myself included, use terminal lugs (from Radio Shack, require crimping or soldering) but they are not necessary if you are careful. >Excellent - all seems to be well! One more question, though>- is there a trick to putting the wires tightly around the>screw that keeps them from getting all splayed out and some of>them popping out? It looks a bit messy right now, and I don't>know if that will cause a problem.>>Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 >Excellent - all seems to be well! One more question, though>- is there a trick to putting the wires tightly around the>screw that keeps them from getting all splayed out and some of>them popping out? It looks a bit messy right now, and I don't>know if that will cause a problem.>>Thanks again!If you can't actually solder or "tin" the wire strands to keep them from fraying, you can twist the wire strands together tightly (and keep doing this) as you form a "U" shape "hook" to wrap around the AR speaker binding post. The "U" shape should have the hook end wrapped clockwise around the actual binding post so it is not "going against the grain," so to speak, as you tighten the knurled knob. Remember to keep the flat washer between the knurled knob and the hold-down nut that is permanently tightened against the Masonite board. From top-to-bottom, you would have (1) the knurled knob, (2) then the wire (wrapped clockwise around the threaded post), (3) the washer and (4) the nut agaist the board. If there are two washers, you can put the wire between each washer.One other small "house-keeping" detail: with your index finger and thumb, "twirl" the level-control knobs back and forth about a thousand times (just kidding) as you listen to the music. Listen for the sound to come "in" and "out" as you do each control. The controls get oxidized over time and lose contact, and you will have an intermittant loss of sound from either the midrange driver or the high-frequency driver. Sometimes the sound will be a crackling or a complete loss of midrange or treble sound, but usually with patience you can restore the sound for some part of the movement of each control. Once you have done this, try to find a spot clost to the "dot" for the midrange, and a spot somewhere between the "dot" and full maximum for the high frequency control.--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Are terminal lugs basically the things I was showing above when talking about what was on the end of the wire? I was having trouble before with them, but I may not have been connecting them properly (it was before the instructions).Also, it doesn't appear that these need crimping or soldering - they have a tiny screw near the base for tightening... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyC Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Here are a couple of photos showing what Joe and Tom have described...one of a bare wire connection, the other using a ring terminal lug/connector, which requires crimping or soldering to the speaker wire. The type of connector attached to your speaker wire in your photo cannot be used.Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Ah...thank you! When I typed in "terminal lugs" in the site for a local electronic place, I got something almost exactly like the ones I showed above, which was confusing me. I haven't seen anything locally like the ones you show in the second picture, but I can see how they'd be very useful. I'll keep looking. Thanks!BTW, any hints for searching? Is there a better term to use than "terminal lug"? Because that's coming up empty... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Hmmm...would this work:http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product....product=6403032It's the only thing that looks like it I can find. And it's 14 gauge speaker wire he has currently - should I change that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 >Ah...thank you! When I typed in "terminal lugs" in>the site for a local electronic place, I got something almost>exactly like the ones I showed above, which was confusing me. >I haven't seen anything locally like the ones you show in the>second picture, but I can see how they'd be very useful. I'll>keep looking. Thanks!>>BTW, any hints for searching? Is there a better term to use>than "terminal lug"? Because that's coming up>empty...The correct term for "terminal lugs" is "solderless terminals." This is certainly a much better method of connecting wire to your speakers than twisting the wires together and wrapping around the terminal post -- particularly if you have the correct-size solderless terminals. Another internet search might be for Thomas & Betts StaKon solderless terminals, or AMP solderless terminals. There are numerous manufacturers of these products. T&B (and Amp) basically invented the solderless-terminal technology during WWII, and continue to make the highest-quality products in this category, but you don't need mil-spec products to do what you are doing. The local Home Depot, Lowe's or Radio Shack have an assortment of these terminals. Get the correct-size terminal for the wire size (i.e., blue 14-16 for AWG14 wire) and the right hole size for the terminal post. You have to have a specific tool (special pliers) to complete the crimp; otherwise, you can have a loose wire.--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Hmmm...well, I'm in Calgary and we don't have Lowe's or Radio Shack (it got bought out by The Source, and they only have what I showed in the other link). We have Home Depot, but according to their site they only have the crimper, not the terminals themselves. And no other electronics or audio equipment store gave me any additional hits from the term 'solderless terminal'. I guess I'll just go into Home Depot and double check, though. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynaco_dan Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Hi there;I would take the cables with you to Home Depot or Rona.They are consumer friendly, and will usually crimp a few on, allowing that they have the time.Our loss of Radio Shack, has removed some of the little goodies that were very convenient, if not a little pricier.I walked into, a local, The Source Store, a few vertical racks is all I see left the the old RS.Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Unfortunately the cables are fairly long and are running underneath/behind many pieces of furniture. :-( I did find the terminals, though, at the Source, and bought a crimper. Still running some tests, though - first time I tried crimping it it just fell off as soon as I moved it. Think I did it too low, though, so I'm still experimenting.Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 >Hmmm...well, I'm in Calgary and we don't have Lowe's or Radio>Shack (it got bought out by The Source, and they only have>what I showed in the other link). We have Home Depot, but>according to their site they only have the crimper, not the>terminals themselves. And no other electronics or audio>equipment store gave me any additional hits from the term>'solderless terminal'. I guess I'll just go into Home Depot>and double check, though. Thanks!I know you must be getting tired of all this lurid detail when all you wanted to do was to hook-up the AR-2axs. Anyway, I looked out on Home Depot's website and this is what I found:http://www.homedepot.com/ Under search: put in "splices, spades and terminals"Home > Shop > Electrical > Fastening Devices > Splices, Spades and TerminalsThey call the terminals something slightly different from the classic "solderless terminals." Anyway, give it a try, and perhaps they have some at your location. Also check at the local electrical supply house (electricians rely on these places). Check the old "mom and pop" hardware stores -- a vanishing breed I might add. I would be surprised if someone did not have the terminals you need. You should use the proper tool to crimp the terminals; but in the absence of one, you can put the terminals in a shop vise and crimp them that way or use a pair of pliers or "vise-grips" -- but it starts to get ugly to do it that way.--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SherwoodFool Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Omigod!! If I had had one wife who could have asked the question. Marry me tommorow!!-SherwoodFool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 lol...I'm the one that got him the 14, too...;-) I thought it was reasonably good, but again, computers are my area of knowledge - I'm all about upgrading the gadgets!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teleute Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Well, I did get the proper tool, but it's still ugly. *sigh* Even if I put the one handle on the ground and put my entire weight on it, the damn thing still won't put a dent in it. I'm still experimenting, though. Bloody things shouldn't be *that* hard to crimp, should they? I mean, I can't bench an elephant, but I do tennis and archery so I'm not a *total* wimp... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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