Cables from tape to Mixer?!?

Dracon

Dracon

New member
I have this old AIWA but the speakers out-put are those two (+)/(-) lock down connectors for each speaker (you know red & black).

I was thinking of building my own cable (RCA or 1/4) but how do I make them? I was thinking using some cheap RCA cables and perhaps cutting one end, and plugging only + to the Right and only - to the left and then use the RCA end for the mixer.

I understand why they have (+)/(-) because the speakers are not powered. However, should I just get TSR tips and wire each one as a balanced cable and then just plug it in half way in the mixer?

I'm guessing it might be much easier to go to Goodwill and find something that already has RCA outs, and use that??
 
gordone said:
Why are you plugging powered speaker outputs into a mixer?????
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Why not? Besides I don't lmpw of any other way to capture the sound comming from a tape into my computer (aside from putting a mic in front of the speakers). Telephathy has not worked for me yet. I'm obviously not strong in the Force, otherwise I would use that too.

I guess no one has any answers as to how to get a tape sound into your computer or the f'ed up way I'm trying.
 
Because you might possibly blow the inputs in your mixer :) Speaker level is much higher than the line level that the mixer input is expecting. Most people have tape decks that have line outs (usually RCA outputs) I'm guessing you have some sort of complete stereo unit (tape deck, cd player, radio, speakers) These usually don't have the line outputs.
 
gordone said:
Because you might possibly blow the inputs in your mixer :) Speaker level is much higher than the line level that the mixer input is expecting. Most people have tape decks that have line outs (usually RCA outputs) I'm guessing you have some sort of complete stereo unit (tape deck, cd player, radio, speakers) These usually don't have the line outputs.
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Correct! I don't have a tape deck, and since it's only for a one time use I didn't think that purchasing a tape deck would be a good idea. I guess I could go to GoodWill and see if I can find something with RCA outs for speakers. I don't want to blow anything either, hence the questions how could I do this, with what I got.
 
You don't want something with "RCA outs for speakers", you want something with RCA line outputs! I have seen some stereos that have RCA speaker outputs. Plugging a powered output into a line input is asking for trouble. That was the point of my first post in the thread. The type of cable/jack doesn't matter.
 
gordone said:
You don't want something with "RCA outs for speakers", you want something with RCA line outputs!
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Huh!? Not that it's hard to do, but now you confused me. What is the difference between RCA line outputs and RCA outs for speakers? If there are RCA outs for speakers, then it would be the same as an RCA output.
 
gordone said:
Please read up on "Speaker Level" and "Line Level" (and mic level too!)
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I don't have to read up, but perhaps you do. All you seem to want to do is argue and not enlight anyone. RCA audio connectors run all at the same standard (regardless of what you want to call them speaker out, or line out). Unless you care to say something useful, I'll refrain from responding to you any longer.
 
Dracon said:
I don't have to read up, but perhaps you do. All you seem to want to do is argue and not enlight anyone. RCA audio connectors run all at the same standard (regardless of what you want to call them speaker out, or line out). Unless you care to say something useful, I'll refrain from responding to you any longer.
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Whoa Chief! On some old stereo equipment they sometimes used RCA jacks as speaker outputs (I have an old Sony system like that). Those speaker outputs come directly from the amplifier section of the stereo and have to put out enough voltage to drive the speakers. "Line level" RCA outputs on newer equipment come from a PRE-amp stage and produce only a tiny fraction of the voltage of speaker outputs. Speaker outputs put out a bunch more power than "line level" outputs, even if they use the same sort of RCA jacks.

But, you're right, you can use the speaker outputs as you suggested, but you are risking your mixer preamps if you don't keep the volume knob on the stereo super low. If there is a headphone jack on the old stereo, that would be a safer source and Radio Shack has the adapter for cheap.

Good luck.

Kevin

"Everything you know is wrong." Firesign Theatre
 
12Kevin said:
If there is a headphone jack on the old stereo, that would be a safer source and Radio Shack has the adapter for cheap.
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Yes, I didn't think of the phone jack. I had tunnel vision with going from the output to the speakers and forgot about the phone jack.

Thanks!
 
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