[shonor6]

Take the Audioengine P4's as an example. How would I connect these to this amplifier, for instance? They have a "standard speaker wire" (whatever that's called), while as the amplifier has a different connection (is that RCA?)...
 
Thanks.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

The amplifier's RCA ports are for input - your music has to come from somewhere, right? It's not like an iPod/MiniDisc or Discman with its own headphone output.
 
Next to the RCA ports are speaker cable connectors. There are just too many types of speaker terminals, like the cheapo pins on the cheaper Dayton T-amp (the Sonic Impact rebadge). It's the same kind of speaker terminal on most standard Hi-Fi amplifiers, and probably the same as on the passive speakers. These binding posts aren't universal though - some have a hole in the rear so you poke the bare copper or banana plug-terminated speaker cable in there and then lock it, or the barrel has a hole in the middle and you poke the bare copper or spade-terminated speaker cables into that and screw the lock to keep them in place.
 
Whatever you do, DO NOT:
 
1) attach the cables while the amp is plugged in/switched on
2) cross the - and + of each or even both terminals - either buy cables that are pre-terminated with bananas or spades (check which work with the Dayton) or make sure you know what you're doing with bare copper (ie, strip the shielding, twist the exposed copper, insert and secure into each terminal without undoing the twisting or leaving any copper sticking out where itcan touch the other terminals, etc).
 
Also check for proper polarity - make sure R-red on the amp is connected to the red terminal on the right speaker, and so on. Some speaker cables come with some way of telling which is which, ie, one run of a combined pair is of a different color (black and white for Belden's 12ga) or a strip of some color runs through one (grey on Belden's 16ga).

 

[shonor6]

Thanks for that, buy my question what how do I physically connect the cable? Because On the P4's you have to unscrew a thumb-screw, then you'll see a little hole and you need to basically stick the cable into the hole and tighten. But that Dayton I gave as an example doesn't have this sort of "screw and hole" thing like in the P4, it looks like just an ordinary connection... Did I miss something?
 
Thanks again.

 

[Lenni]

I assume you're talking about the speaker cables that came with the P4, which is not terminated (bare wire)? - re-read ProtegeManic comment... there's the answer.
 
terminate one end (or both) of the cables with banana plugs, and you're good.
 
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/basic-connections-speaker-cables.html

 

[shonor6]

Oh I get it. So basically if I bought a basic Class T amp such as the Topping TP21, I'd need to buy the following cables:
 
http://sewelldirect.com/Sewell-Banana-Plugs-1-Pair.asp
 
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/160638-REG/Hosa_Technology_CMR_210_Stereo_Mini_Male_to.html
 
And then I'm pretty much good to go. Correct?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Oh I get it. So basically if I bought a basic Class T amp such as the Topping TP21, I'd need to buy the following cables:
 
1) http://sewelldirect.com/Sewell-Banana-Plugs-1-Pair.asp
 
2) http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/160638-REG/Hosa_Technology_CMR_210_Stereo_Mini_Male_to.html
 
And then I'm pretty much good to go. Correct?

 
Yes, but just a few more notes:
 
1) Yes, but looking at the Dayton amp I really can't tell exactly what type of binding posts it has, but at the end of the metal barrel (the one with plastic locks around it) there's a plastic cover - pop those out and that's where Banana plugs go in. Spade wraps around the barrel then you lock it in, but forget those since they will get in the way of the input cable.
 
2) Yes, unless you're using an iPod, in which case try to get one of those dock-to-RCA cables.