Not sure if thats the correct term but heres my question.
I just got a great deal on a plasma and am less than impressed with the audio. I am planning on having a home theater one day, just not today.
I have an old stereo amp and my friend gave me his old left, right and center speakers. The amp has two sets of speaker outs. If I hook up the left and right to set 2, how should I hook up the center channel?
In my car stero days I recall running the positive to the left channel and the negative to the right channel. Would this work or blow something up?
First it depends on the power supply employed in your receiver. Most receivers are common ground and you can easily accomplish the connection between channels. A very few amplifiers will not care for any connection between the outputs of the two channels and damage to the amplifier might occur should you attempt the connection. So, unless you are certain your receiver can handle this phantom center connection, I wouldn't chance it. If you are absolutely positive your receiver has common ground and can deal with the load of the additional speaker, you can run from either the two "-" posts or the two "+" posts. One will give you difference information and the other will provide summed information. Normally the center channel is happier with summed content. You may have to provide a level control for your center speaker which might make the process of connection more dificult and place more of a load on the receievr's power amplifier. My advice would be to wait until you have a receiver capable of easy connection and control of all the channels before you jerry-rig a center to a stereo receiver. Most program material will sound fine in two channel and a center can be more distracting than beneficial if it is not set up correctly.
That's what you did?!!! Damn, that's not what I saw in the picture. I must be drunk!
OK, let's assume your receiver with this connection was a common ground power supply. Both return posts (-) are tied together at the chassis and you could get away with tying both return legs of both speakers to one "-" post. The only difference would be where you tie the "+" leg and, if you did that to the right channel post, your center speaker would be outputting right channel information only.
If this is what you did previously, and it sounded great to you, I'm not sure whether I would suggest a HT receiver or not. There may be too many posts to choose from.
Many (really) years ago I hooked up 10ohm 10 watt power resistors in place of speakers. I hooked up a pair of speakers IN SERIES from plus to plus. This is difference information and made a wonderful backchannel......this was in the days of early 'matrix' four channel and I had to play. I got the idea from an original 4-channel adaptor, which I figured was only out of phase stuff to 'rear' speakers...and had no amp of its own. This is a real reach so DO NOT TRY THIS...unless you are willing to smoke some gear. Common ground is essential. Nice Snapshot...........
