[liamstrain]

The Music Hall 2.2 is good for the price. Likewise Riga's offerings in that price point. And you can always upgrade the cartridge later. 

 

[wolfetan44]

Will I need any cables? So I will be getting a Kef iQ30's and a Rega TP1. In the future what cartridge should I get?

 

[liamstrain]

Quote:

Will I need any cables? So I will be getting a Kef iQ30's and a Rega TP1. In the future what cartridge should I get?

 
I was going to suggest you look at KEF, Most of the others I really like in the budget speaker range are still about twice the cost (Paradigm, Monitor Audio, etc.)
 
I expect you will need at least a set of two phono cables to go from the Rega to the Yamaha, and then speaker cable. But no need to go crazy. For speaker cable, basic 16 gauge copper zip cord will do fine - add connectors if you want, but I generally find them unnecessary. Phono cables from monoprice, or blue jeans, or others will be fine unless you want to make your own. 

 

[wolfetan44]

Quote:

 
I was going to suggest you look at KEF, Most of the others I really like in the budget speaker range are still about twice the cost (Paradigm, Monitor Audio, etc.)
 
I expect you will need at least a set of two phono cables to go from the Rega to the Yamaha, and then speaker cable. But no need to go crazy. For speaker cable, basic 16 gauge copper zip cord will do fine - add connectors if you want, but I generally find them unnecessary. Phono cables from monoprice, or blue jeans, or others will be fine unless you want to make your own. 

Good to know KEF is good

 So I will be getting 2 phono cables. Monoprice says that the phono cables and the 16 gauge zip cords are the same things. So get 3 of the phono cables?

 

[liamstrain]

No, I think there is an error there. 
 
Either one set of stereo phono cables (or two individual cables) - and enough zip cord for two lengths from the receiver to the speakers. 50 feet of this, should do it. 
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023902&p_id=2748&seq=1&format=2
 
Cut it into two 25 foot lengths. Your speakers are technically bi-wired, but includes jumpers. 
 
Phono cables: I guess are more commonly called RCA - these should be fine. They are stereo, 6ft - you only need one set, since they are stereo.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021814&p_id=2864&seq=1&format=2
 
The Rega RP1 comes with a pretty good ortofon cartridge, I wouldn't worry at all about changing that up for a long while yet. There are too many options, at too many price points to offer any meaningful recommendations. 

 

[wolfetan44]

Quote:

No, I think there is an error there. 
 
Either one set of stereo phono cables (or two individual cables) - and enough zip cord for two lengths from the receiver to the speakers. 50 feet of this, should do it. 
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023902&p_id=2748&seq=1&format=2
 
Cut it into two 25 foot lengths. Your speakers are technically bi-wired, but includes jumpers. 
 
Phono cables: I guess are more commonly called RCA - these should be fine. They are stereo, 6ft - you only need one set, since they are stereo.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021814&p_id=2864&seq=1&format=2
 
The Rega RP1 comes with a pretty good ortofon cartridge, I wouldn't worry at all about changing that up for a long while yet. There are too many options, at too many price points to offer any meaningful recommendations. 

I dont mod so I dont think I should cut it. Wont I need connectors?

 

[cel4145]

Quote:

I dont mod so I dont think I should cut it. Wont I need connectors?

 
Just cut the speaker wire into two equal lengths.  
 
Then take about 1/2 an inch of the covering off the speaker wire for the positive and negative on both ends. Twist each end so that the various wire strands are not spreading out so much. Then unscrew the terminal cap most of the way off on the back of the speaker, and insert the wire into the hole at the base of the terminal. The other ends will go into your receiver. 
 
Since your speakers are biwireable, just connect to the positive and negative terminals on the bottom, but leave the metal plates connecting the two positive and the two negatives (you should have metal jumpers connecting them). 
 
If this sounds a little intimidating, find a friend who has hooked up a home audio setup before. They can show you in a few minutes. 

 

[liamstrain]

The KEF's even come with nice jumper cables... no metal plates. It should be pretty simple. No modding needed. As Cel4145 says, just strip 1/2 inch of bare cable, twist it a bit to keep it in one piece, on each end of the speaker cables and use that the screw down connectors (or other connector options on the receiver).

 

[cel4145]

Quote:

The KEF's even come with nice jumper cables... no metal plates. It should be pretty simple. No modding needed. As Cel4145 says, just strip 1/2 inch of bare cable, twist it a bit to keep it in one piece, on each end of the speaker cables and use that the screw down connectors (or other connector options on the receiver).

 
Cool. I didn't know that they came with jumper cables. That makes it easier since the plates sometimes come loose anyway. 

 

[wolfetan44]

Quote:

 
Just cut the speaker wire into two equal lengths.  
 
Then take about 1/2 an inch of the covering off the speaker wire for the positive and negative on both ends. Twist each end so that the various wire strands are not spreading out so much. Then unscrew the terminal cap most of the way off on the back of the speaker, and insert the wire into the hole at the base of the terminal. The other ends will go into your receiver. 
 
Since your speakers are biwireable, just connect to the positive and negative terminals on the bottom, but leave the metal plates connecting the two positive and the two negatives (you should have metal jumpers connecting them). 
 
If this sounds a little intimidating, find a friend who has hooked up a home audio setup before. They can show you in a few minutes. 

What is the terminal cap?

 

[liamstrain]

Quote:

What is the terminal cap?

 
It will become more obvious when you have them in front of you. But basically, it is a plastic screw cap that covers the speaker wire terminal on the back of the speaker. 
 

 
 
The silver terminals where the jumper wires connect above, are the terminal caps. 

 

[wolfetan44]

Ok thanks. 
Quote:

 
It will become more obvious when you have them in front of you. But basically, it is a plastic screw cap that covers the speaker wire terminal on the back of the speaker. 
 

 
 
The silver terminals where the jumper wires connect above, are the terminal caps. 

 

[2ChannelAnimal]

Quote:

 
Cut it into two 25 foot lengths. Your speakers are technically bi-wired, but includes jumpers. 

 
I have been following this thread and realized that my speaker cable is not equal. My right channel (same distance from the reciever as the left channel) has a much longer cable length (which I cut). Is this going to affect the sound output or the quality?
 
Also, is 25ft excessive and would that also equal a loss in quality and sound output?
 
I have been told by friends that "3ft of speaker cable per channel = better overall quality" any truth there?
 
I'm just trying to learn from all this and apply it.

 

[liamstrain]

shorter cables are always better - but with sufficient gauge (16 ga) 25 feet is not a problematic distance. I think my speaker cables are about 12 feet, to account for some odd placement issues in the room. 
 
A massive imbalance in cable length could in theory affect sound, both because of the time required for the signal, and power loss due to resistance. However, I think with most lenghts we deal with indoors, we're dealing with nano-seconds (not generally detectable by humans) and power loss is minimal. 
 
I like to have my cables the same length because it reassures me that it's not a factor, but I have never actually heard it audibly being a factor on systems where I know there was an imbalance.

 

[obobskivich]

Should be noted that by "massive" we would be talking like a kilometer. 25 ft per side is perfectly fine, I'd rather have extra cable slack coiled up behind the speaker than exactly cut lengths, unless doing a relatively permanent or custom installation. But not a kilometer, hah!

Another few speakers I'd look at would include the Yamaha EF series, and the Mirange OMNI "towers" (do they even still make these? like OMNI-550 for example). I think the B&W CM speakers might also fit into your price-range (something like CM1, its basically the 805 in a smaller box and a lot of price knocked off). Finally, and this is probably dating myself, NHT might still be dumping Xd speakers at something like $250/pr but they need a crossover.