Need some help with getting speakers in phase (i think)

[lordmortlock]

Ok new territory for me here - monoblocks. Specifically Lfd monoblocks that I'm currently listening to ... I just can't get them to sing. Each Monoblock has 4 speaker outs and I have 2 to 4 bi wire cable (chord carnival). I've tried just using two of the outs on the monos and used the 4 way split at the speaker end and it sounded awful. The dealer suggests using the cable the other way round - with the 2 way end into speakers with the jumper in place and the 4 way termination into all four speaker outs on the monoblocks.

It still sounds pants.

Now this is supposed to be good kit so I'm pretty sure I'm doing something wrong. Bearing in mind theres two red terminations and two black how am I supposed to know which way they go? Does it even matter given that the other end is terminated into only two bananas?

I'd really appreciate any ideas - thanks in advance you lot.

 

[Anonymous]

When you say sounds pants, what do you mean?

Presumably your speaker cable is terminated so that two reds go into one, two blacks into one. Thus, the connections should be clear.

I really can't think of anything to suggest other than to triple check that you have them in phase, i.e. all at least the same way around on each side.

Do the amps have any settings on the units, e.g. phase switching?

Will positioning let you horizontally amplify instead of vertically, i.e. one mono driving L-R tweeter, one driving L-R bass instead of one for L and one for R?

 

[lordmortlock]

Pants in as much as theres no way its just that the sounds not to my taste - its horrid. Sqawky, bright and shrill. No settings as I can see, and as you say theres not much I can do wrong on the 'termination to 2' end. Theres four speaker terminals per block and four banana plugs on the other cable end so theres only two ways round these can go and I can't believe it matters that much.

I'll see if I can horizontally amplify - good idea!

 

[lordmortlock]

Sorted. Just plugged the quad back in and same problem. Further investigation suggests faulty speaker cable.

EDIT - Nah I reckon theres something wrong with one of the blocks - some intermittent connection issue. its never right!

 

[Andrew Everard]

Good luck with the ongoing tweakage, lm...

 

[Anonymous]

Perfect opportunity to get some Chord Odyssey speaker cable!

 

[Anonymous]

Try single wiring the speakers (ie using only 2 of the 4 wires).

 

[John Duncan]

Yup, awful squawky noises suggests to me that you're not feeding the bass driver correctly. Start by putting the jumpers back on the speakers and single wiring...