How to connect my speakers to the power amp, and the power amp to my laptop?

N

Notebook.

New member
I'm so confused.

I'm getting this power-amp to power my speakers: http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--BEHEPQ1200

I have these speakers: http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--ALEM1MK2

I have NO CLUE how to connect the speakers to the power-amp, then the power-amp to my laptop. Can anyone suggest the wires I'll need? I DO understand that the back of the speakers have sockets that require 12-14 Gauge BANANA PLUGS? I'm lost.

Here's the back of the power-amp: http://cachepe.zzounds.com/media/qu...Rear_XXL-bdf832d5ae535c534aa724299e291c3c.jpg

Here's the back of the speakers: http://www.pssl.com/images/ProdImage02/500/MONITOR-1-MK2.jpg

Help me? :/
 
Positive goes to positive, negative to negative. You don't need any plugs.

I'd not use that amp with those speakers unless you want to woofers to land in your lap, probably on fire.

You hook the outputs of whatever interface or controller you're using (I hope to Gawd you're not going to use the built-in soundcard output on its own...) to the amplifier inputs (looks like two balanced options and one unbalanced - take your pick) and go.

Output goes to input. It's that simple.
 
or am I reading what you said wrong?
Are you saying NOT to buy a power amp,
and just connect the monitors to the interface?
 
The line outputs would go to the power amp.

I'm not saying to "not" use a power amp - Just not that one. 1200 watts going to a speaker that will crumble under a 50 watt signal... Don't get me wrong - I'm all for overpowering to some extent (for the sake of having plenty of clean headroom). But that amp is made for much (MUCH) larger PA speakers.

Maybe look for a used Rotel 1050 or something... Much better sound, much more suitable for those speakers.
 
Alright, cool. I'm still confused though.
You didn't really tell me how to wire the speakers so that I can get the sound from my computer to come out of it? for when I'm recording, etc.
 
Output to input. Positive to positive, negative to negative.

Output of the interface to the amp, speaker outs to speakers.

I'm not sure what you're missing out on...
 
I get it now.
But, I just don't know what wires to get.
Because there's this weird outlet on the back of the speakers,
and it's on BOTH speakers.
So, I don't want to end up buying one wire and needing two to connect both of them to the amp.
 
Notebook. said:
... there's this weird outlet on the back of the speakers...
Click to expand...

That connector can accept a few different things: bare wire, a banana plug, ring terminals or spade terminals. Bare wire is fine. I use lamp wire from the hardware store and strip and tin the end. You unscrew the plastic cap and put the wire through a whole in the post and then screw the cap back down.

The power amp you listed is most likely serious overkill - you don't need one that big.
 
also, here's the back of that power amp: http://www.sweetwater.com/images/closeup/xl/1600-Servo300_back.jpg

Everything is so confusing right now, dude.
Someone inform me a bit more..
If this is the correct amp for me to get, let me know. Because as the guy said above, I don't need a big amp to power the speakers, and this one seems to be pretty small. I'm hoping that the link to the wire I posted WILL go into the sockets on my speakers.... but if this is the power amp to get, do I screw the black and red caps off and insert other end of the wires into the positive and negative sockets on the back of the amp? and how in the world would I connect this amp to my interface, and with what wire?
 
One thing - And I don't mean this as a "diss" -- I hope you thoroughly read every manual you get before hooking up *anything* you wind up getting.

TS to RCA cables from the interface to the amp - Plain 14-guage "lamp" wire or speaker wire from Radio Shack or Home Depot or wherever from the amp to the speakers (make sure you don't invert polarity).

The smaller Samson (120) would do - Still, a used Rotel 1050 would absolutely kill it as far as sound quality is concerned. Wouldn't even be a fair fight and it'd probably still be somewhere in that price range.
 
Thanks a ton for being patient with me through my confusion, haha. I understand now.
Only question I have now is, are you sure there's enough outputs on the back of the Samson120 to do the Pos-and-Neg to Neg-and-Pos from BOTH speakers to the amp?
 
Typo, I meant to say positive to positive and negative to negative.
And should I buy TWO 2-packs of 12-14-gauge speaker wires? Two for the positive & negative on one speaker, and the other two wires for the positive & negative for the other speaker?
 
ALSO, sorry,
would I be better off getting the four speaker wires, and getting two dual banana plug connectors? because I really don't think the end of that 14 gauge speaker will fit into the positive & negative sockets.
 
A) The amp(s) have +/- left and +/- right.

B) Get as much speaker wire as you need. If they're only 6-8' away, 25' will be plenty.

C) The wire will fit. Most will probably take 10 guage.
 
Alright, cool.
I'm so sorry for all of these questions, lol. I just want stuff to be completely correct. I've had these speakers sitting here for a very long time. About a year.

So, don't get the banana plug connectors and just roll with the four 14-gauge wires as it is?

And do I only need ONE TS-to-RCA cable to hook the amp to my interface?
 
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