Amplifiers are the muscle that powers your stereo system by driving the speakers. The components are connected with speaker wire that consists of two strands. Each strand connects to a separate terminal, one on the back of the amp and one on the speaker, for a fast hookup that will have you listening to music within minutes.
Instructions
1. First, disconnect the amp from its power source before you connect the speakers. When you choose a spot for your amp, make sure the location is well ventilated. Amps produce heat, especially when the volume is cranked up, so you don't want to stack other audio components on top of it.
2. Place the speakers so that you get good audio channel separation between them. A pair of floor speakers for a home stereo should be at least 10 feet apart for good sound dispersion and the full enjoyment of stereo effects.
3. Work systematically when connecting speakers. Things can get confusing if you route several wires to the back of your amp at once, so hook up the speakers one at a time. If you start with the left speaker, remember that it must connect to the left-channel speaker hookups on the back of your amp.
4. Using the wire strippers, remove enough insulation from the ends of the wire so that the bare tips will fit securely inside the terminals on your amp and speakers. Attach one of the newly exposed wires to the positive terminal and the other to the negative terminal on the back of one of the speakers. The red post on the speaker is traditionally considered the positive terminal, while black is negative, and the wires should be connected to the same terminals on both ends. For example, the wire connected to the red (positive) terminal on the speaker must be connected to the red terminal on your amp.
5. Connect the opposite exposed ends of the speaker wire to the positive and negative terminals on your amplifier.
6. Repeat the steps for every speaker you wish to connect. Most modern amplifiers can accommodate at least two pairs of speakers, in addition to connections for a center-channel speaker, rear surround-sound speakers and a subwoofer.
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