Replacing Speaker Wires
 

I have a couple of decent speakers that I want to connect to a stereo system but the pair of wires that come out of the back need replacing as something has chewed through them.

They just come out of the back of the speakers through the back board. If I somehow pull this board out will I find a simple connection to work with?

Thanks, David

Speakers normally have brass posts at the rear for connection to the speaker wire to the amplifier.
If as you describe " pair of wires that come out of the back" then almost certainly the wires will be an internal soldered connection.

If you take the back of you should be able to crimp new cables onto the old ones if you have enough length to work with, if not just solder on to the existing terminals.

Or even just solder new wires to the ends of the old ones where they project out of the speakers.

Les

Got loads of oxygen free copper wire here from a audio install before, loads of length, Just need's to crimp new connection's on and Voila done

OK, thanks. I'll try and pull the back off, looks like it is glued in and peer inside. "Oxygen free" is a new one on me. Where do I get a few yards? Electrical store? On-line?


David

Hi David,if you have wires coming out of the back board this usually means the speakers are fairly low level & cheap.Do you have the model number & make?
If they are cheap speakers you wont need the expense of proper hi-fi connections.Some 2 core lighting cable will do.

Yeah they are nothing super special :)

They are from a very old Sony stereo system that I chucked out but they have a richer sound than the current speakers which I have on an Aiwa system which I have in my office so I thought I would swap them over.

To answer your question the faded label on the back says Sony Model SS-A307E. 6 ohm impedance (same as Aiwa speakers) Serial No 6049318

It's only the ends of the leads that are chewed through so may be I could just cut them and tie in some new leads which would save me buggering up the back of the speaker units.

David

David,

I have got 2 lengths (5m each approx) of QED Silver Anniversary cable here if you want it. Just PM me if you do.

Chip

Don't forget your solid gold connects lol

David: solder to the old wires and heat shrink the connection. Crimped or twisted connections have a habit of causing crackles.

I'm not sure I'd bother with any super-expensive wire for those, most electrical places, HiFi shops, even Screwfix and B&Q sell either 49 strand or 79 strand cable which will be good enough.

Or here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...+starnd&_rdc=1

Would it not be a better idea to unscrew the actual woofer from the front of the box, I'd guess it will go back together a lot easier than removing the back.

Pull old wire out from inside, connect new wire to speaker connections, poke cable through existing hole, screw woofer back into box.

That's what I'd do anyway. :)

What he said.

Good idea.

OK guys,

I have pulled front off and there are 3 speakers screwed into backing board. Is the woofer the large speaker? Have unscrewed this but it looks like I'll have to take the rest apart to get access to connections.

d

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Some early 80's/ late 1970's Sony speakers actually had the drivers made by Seas. Which is pretty damn good driver manufacturer (though many alleged HiFi buff will never have heard of them ). So its very likely they could sound aloty better than many newer speaker whose drivers are made in the far east (Taiwan, China etc.).

Its likely the wires go straight though the backboard and directly onto the terminals of the main Woofer as I very much doubt Sony will use a proper crossover. In which case you could feed a new wire through the back and solder directly onto the speaker terminal. Negating the need for connectors or splicing into the old cable.

As for speaker grade. Oxygen free copper is a buzzword for wire that typcally has a lower resistivity per metre for its given cross sectional area. A better quality grade conductor will have a lower resistivity. Be warned some sellers quote the cross sectional area including the insulation, not the bare wire. I've also seen fancy cable which actually is just copper plated or silver plated wire being sold as if it were pure silver or pure copper - avoid and its inferior to plain old normal pure copper wire and typically more expensive too!

Typically I just use Tower branded 79 strand cable (same as Alcazar), it works out at AWG 12, so pretty thick stuff which is fine for most installations and less than 77p a metre from BandQ

Can you see where the main cable (that goes through the back) connects inside the box?

You may have to remove all three speakers David. The wires might go to a crossover, or straight to one of the speakers. Whichever it is, unsolder and replace with QED 79 strand or similar.

Free manual with diags here;


http://www.nodevice.com/manual/sonym...#download_form