Not sure where to put this...noob speaker trouble.

  • Thread starter Thread starter gpenn76
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gpenn76

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So I went to the thrift store and bought these two decent speakers for 3 bucks. They're a little under three feet tall, with no labels or serial numbers or any marking of logo. Each has a phono input on the back.

I plugged the speakers into the L and R output of my mixer, and then plugged in a microphone to test. No sound. I then tested plugging in my electric keyboard to the speakers, and both produced sound just fine.

However, that doesn't solve the problem, that they won't work with the mixer. So I got out an amp I have with a phono output on it. I plugged the speakers into it, and plugged the mic into the amp. The sound from the mic came out of the amp instead of the speakers.

I don't know anything about speakers, so I honestly have no clue what the problem is. If any of you could help me out, I'd really appreciate it.
Let me know if you need more information, and I'll give what I can.
 
there are too many variables here pal, so post up the model numbers of all your gear.

I know you said the speakers don't have markings, but do they require a powersupply?
 
From what you describe, I think you are trying to run a line-level signal (e.g. from a mixer) into the speakers, when those speakers need an amp to drive them.

I reckon that you need to go from the mixer output into an amp, and from the amp into the speakers.
 
The mixer is an "Optimus SSM-50 Stereo Disco Mixer" which works fine with mics, guitars, pianos, etc and outputting them to amps.

The mic I used was a radioshack Super-Cardioid Dynamic Microphone. It registered on the mixer as having levels.

When I ran the mic through the amp, the amp was an axl thinamp.

I forgot to mention, I also tried running the mic through my Alesis i02 express interface, which didn't work.

The alleged piano that works with the speakers, however, is Yamaha NP30 Portable Grand

Steenamaroo said:
do they require a powersupply?
Click to expand...

I was told they do not.
 
gecko zzed said:
I reckon that you need to go from the mixer output into an amp, and from the amp into the speakers.
Click to expand...

The thing is, I tried to run an amp into the speakers, and the sound ended up coming out of the amp, and not the speakers. When I plugged the keyboard into the speakers, it worked totally direct from the keyboard to each speaker.
 
Where is the output from the keyboard coming from? From what I can see, that particular piano has only one audio output, a stereo headphone socket. So you are using that?

If that's the case, then the signal is already going through an internal amp in the piano to drive the headphones, which is why you get sound. It proably won't be that loud, but at least you've found out that your speakers work. Get hold of a cheap power amp from somewhere.
 
ok, when people say amp, they don't mean that kinda amp :)

If you're running mixer -> amp -> speakers, you wanna use a pa amplifier, or a rack amplifier or something like that.
For example, I use a cheapo alesis ra-100.

I don't get how keyboard - > speakers works though. That keyboard has no IO other than headphones and midi,
where are you plugging the speakers into?
 
So your amp is like a guitar amp? And it has a phono socket which I expect is a line out. Is that right? If that's the case, it is not delivering a speaker level output.
 
PA amp, Stereo power amp, or even stereo home hifi amp will do the job.

Seems like everyone has an old kenwood/marantz/sony amp knocking about somewhere.
 
You just need a stereo power amp to put between the mixer and the speakers.

alan.
 
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