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Hi-fi and home cinema systems come in all shapes and sizes. They can take in anything from a basic set-up comprising CD, amplifier and speakers, to far more comprehensive set-ups with multichannel sources, corresponding speakers and even games consoles.
Just as varied, and perhaps even more intimidating, are the myriad ways you can connect all these electronics together.
Fortunately, Richer Sounds is here to guide you through the tangle of wires and you’ll soon find connecting such set-ups is easier than you think.
BEFORE WE START
Firstly, when you get your nice shiny new kit home, it's a good idea to check that you have all the pieces that you should. Pay particular attention to leads, cables and any other accessories that come with it.
Next you should decide where and how you want to place your equipment. You will need to ensure that you have sufficient mains sockets for each item. All equipment, especially amplifiers, need space around them to "breathe", as overheating can cause serious damage. You should also consider where any wiring is going to run. Particularly the signal from your aerial and speaker cables.
Finally, ensure that all units are switched off and disconnected from the mains while connecting your system together.
CONNECTING A CD PLAYER AND SPEAKERS TO THE AMPLIFIER
Let's start with the most basic stereo system, comprising a compact disc player, amplifier and pair of speakers. The first connection that needs to be made is from the CD to the amp. The two are wired up using phono leads, which are sometimes called RCA cables. Such interconnects are often supplied with the unit, but it always pays to buy better leads as these offer a significant improvement in sound quality. In fact, a good rule of thumb is to spend 10% of the total system cost on cables. All source components are connected to the amplifier in this manner, whether they are digital or analogue (i.e.either a CD player or a turntable).
The next connection that needs to be made is from the amplifier to the speakers. To do this you will need two lengths of speaker cable. Again it pays to buy quality speaker cable as these offer a significant improvement in sound quality. Make sure you connect the positive terminal on the amplifier (+/red) to the positive terminal on the loudspeaker (+/red) and negative to negative (-/white). If your speakers have two sets of terminals this means they can be bi-wired, which is said to enhance performance by keeping low and high frequencies separate.
Please see our Bi-Wiring Tips page for more information. |
