Topic: Could I power my speakers like this... ???

[Swampy]

So I have a pair of JBL stereo speakers that I've used for awhile and I like them... My recever shit the bed, so I've been stuck with crappy computer speakers for all summer. Im at the point now where it is driving me absolutly nutz for you see I have no money to spend on a new power source. So in my desparity, I though hmmm. I wonder if I could use my PA power amp. Now, Its a yamaha, its big, Im wondering; could I strip these: and put a TRS 1/4 connector on it and plug it into my PA amp??? Which wire would I solder to which connector??? Im thinking the power that the PA puts out might be too great??? Am I crazy to think that a PA amp could power these speakers? HELP ME; IM SO DAMN TIRED OF THESE COMPUTER SPEAKERS!

[sexymexi]

it will work, i've done it.  I'm not sure of which the ring or tip is + or -.  But it will still work, if you plug a speaker cables from the amp going + > - into the speaker it will still play.  There might be some difference in quality, i beleive when its backwards like that you might get a little low end distortion, but not exactly sure. 

As for the powering thing, you'd have to see what your PA amp runs, probably like 75 watts per channel.  I think mine is 75 or 100 watts.  but yea. it should work, also what size are your JBL, bookshelfs, towers???  i'd say try it, but keep it down, and make sure you are using the RCA inputs on the PA, cause if its a little powered mixer in one, the inputs are always run very hot, XLR and 1/4, most have RCA tape in's.  Good luck.

matt

[Swampy]

Thats encouraging! Thanks for the info. +T! They are fairly big speakers, and the amp isn't too powerfull, so it may work out... Anyone else care to throw anything else out there before I do some testing... I need to figure out which is ring and which is tip...

[yemncsu]

If you mix the tip and the ring that speaker will be out of phase.  All you would have to do would be to switch the + and - on the speaker and it should be normal then.  It should work though.

Josh

[dnsacks]

tip/ring "assignment" should not matter as long as you're consistent on each channel (i.e. if the red wire is tip on the left channel, it should be tip on the right channel) -- this will keep the speakers in phase to oneanother.

[pfife]

make sure your ohms are matching up-   if there isn't enough resistance from the speakers, you could do some significant damage to the PA Head.

[Cooker]

if your PA is 8 ohms and your speakers can handle the wattage it should be fine. won't be the cleanest thing around but will beat computer speakers. if your PA is 4 ohms than it will basically halve the wattage running 8 ohm speakers and could potentially overdrive them. i've smoked a really nice pair of klipsch running them off a pa before.

[Tim]

I have a friend who has a nice crown amp to run his subs, it's an amp that would normally be used for a PA...

you've seen people listing seperate preamps and poweramps in the playback forum ? It's just a poweramp...

so yeah, it will work just fine... just check the ohms