First set up - Wharfedale/Aiwa

gibbens

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Feb 19, 2015
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I am trying to piece together my first hifi system on the cheap as my budget is small. I picked up an Aiwa PX-E860 on ebay for £30 and today I got a pair of Wharfedale Denton 3 speakers for free from gumtree! I was chuffed because I'd heard nothing but good things about wharfedale speakers, and despite a little wear on the casing, I was informed they work just fine, but they need speaker cables. Now, being an amateur to this stuff, my brain melted when I looked on the backs of these things and saw just two screws for connections. After some research (there really isn't much I can find on the internet about these speakers - no helpful manuals or anything like that) I have deducted that perhaps I need to get some spade lugs? But when I looked at how to fix speaker cables to lugs, it involved crimping, heating, and it put me off. Can I not by some inexpensive cables with lugs already attached that will do the job?

Also, I'm under the impression my turntable has a pre amp so will I need to buy anything else or can i just attach it straight to the speakers once I get the cables sorted? I have a tape deck and cd player to buy yet, should I get an amplifier to attach those too? Like I say, I'm a total amateur, so any helpful advice will be appreciated
 

RobinKidderminster

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Your Aiwa should connect to a TV or computer using rca (phono) leads (usually red & white plugs).

To use your speakers u will need an amplifier which u can also use later for your tape or cd player etc.
 

iMark

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I have never bothered with any plugs. I just take about 2 cm of plastic shielding of the cable, give the strands a twist with my fingers and shove them into the hole of the connector. I do this at both the amplifier as well as the speaker. Then tighten the screw of the connection.

Every couple of years there will be a bit of oxidation on the end of the cable. I simply take the cable off at either end, cut a bit off, strip a new bit off and reattach the cable. I've done it this way since my first hifi, back in 1981.
 

GeoffreyW

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Sep 17, 2005
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Hi, gibbens, I've just seen a manual for your Aiwa TT on-line, just searched for your TT model number on Google, so they do exist.

You will need an amplifier, with either a built-in phono stage (look for "phono" connection sockets on the rear) or a separate phono amp for your turntable, to be able to listen to your music, from whichever sources you have. Also, DO NOT use thin bell - wire to connect your speakers to your amp, other than to check if they're working correctly, go for a cheap multi - strand cable.

You ought to be able to devise a method of fitting a method for connecting speaker cables to your speakers, either from a DIY shop, or a car accessory store, or Maplins.

Oh yes, I suggest you start saving up now, 'cos you'll want to start upgrading soon; there's no escape, it's an addiction.

Good luck, keep asking if you're unsure.
 

RobinKidderminster

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To avoid confusion -

The stylus output is arount 0.1volt. The preamp not only amplifies to line level (around 1volt) but also corrects the output (see RIAA frequency correction). Providing it works, your turntable has its own preamp so no need to buy a second (which would be seriously detrimental). Your tt should have a red and white socket probably labelled line-out. This will feed most amplifiers such as tv, computer or stereo amp. The tt may have an output marked phono (I dont know) which could be fed into a separate preamp or an amplier input marked with phono.

Bare wire connections to screwed speaker terminals is fine provided you follow red-red and black-black and keep wiring neat and tight to avoid shorts (and adjacent wires touching).

As I said, you will find cheap rca leads (sometimes called phono leads) almost always with a red and white plugs. (If the plugs have red, white and yellow then ignore the yellow(video) lead.)
 

RobinKidderminster

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If u want to add a tape.and cd on a tight budget I suggest a cheap 'music centre' unit with built-in cd player,tape and amplifier with a line slevel input for your turntable (red/white input plugs often labelled AUX).

If second hand check the cd works - they are usually the first thing to go.
 

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