The stereo I hAVE DOES NOT HAVE RCA jacks for external speakers.So I tried to use a small stereo jack to bypass the main speakers.It did work but the sound was barely audible.If I were to add a pre-amp to the stereo jacks would that help with the volume??I don't want to tear the thing apart to bypass the main speakers.So the headphone jack seemed to be the easy route.Any stereo-philes in the know?
Thanks in advance Matt
Do you need 2 sets of speakers on at the same time?
Or 1 on and 1 off?
RCA jacks are not used for speaker outputs .. If you wish to drive more additional speakers you need consider the impedance of the speakers or you may blow up the amp. However ...If you only want to use one pair at a time you can buy a small & inexpensive speaker A-B SWITCH BOX..
(40 years in the HI FI industry)..
Cheers
John
The stereo I hAVE DOES NOT HAVE RCA jacks for external speakers.So I tried to use a small stereo jack to bypass the main speakers.It did work but the sound was barely audible.If I were to add a pre-amp to the stereo jacks would that help with the volume??I don't want to tear the thing apart to bypass the main speakers.So the headphone jack seemed to be the easy route.Any stereo-philes in the know? Thanks in advance Matt
Adding a preamp will do NOTHING for you. What you are hearing as output is already from a preamp. The problem you have is that you have no power amp. Sounds like what you need is a pair of powered speakers, or a different stereo altogether. As others have said, watch out for too low a speaker impedance load, it WILL blow your stereo if you aren't careful.
Best thing in this case IMO is to get a stereo that meets your needs rather than trying to mickey mouse one that doesn't. It will be cheaper & easier in the long run.
I agree with Ludwig Dude, Buy powered speakers they won't send anything back to the unit.
RCA jacks are not used for speaker outputs .. If you wish to drive more additional speakers you need consider the impedance of the speakers or you may blow up the amp. However ...If you only want to use one pair at a time you can buy a small & inexpensive speaker A-B SWITCH BOX.. (40 years in the HI FI industry)..CheersJohn
There was a time, I'm sure you remember, when cheap stereos did have RCA speaker outs :)
I've got a few vintage units that have RCA jacks for the speakers. Have a couple that have both RCA and the other together.
Mike
My bud tried to use them on makeshift pa it did not work
The stereo I hAVE DOES NOT HAVE RCA jacks for external speakers.So I tried to use a small stereo jack to bypass the main speakers.It did work but the sound was barely audible.If I were to add a pre-amp to the stereo jacks would that help with the volume??I don't want to tear the thing apart to bypass the main speakers.So the headphone jack seemed to be the easy route.Any stereo-philes in the know? Thanks in advance Matt
Hi Matt,
Hope you can post pictures of what you have. I've been into stereo since the mid-60's and know quite a lot about them. In my experience, only lower-priced receivers used RCA jacks for speakers. And I'm talking low-end units. At the very least, any decent receiver or amplifier would have spring clips for the speaker wires. Pictures of your unit would really help. If nothing else, how about a make and model?
-Mark
RCA plugs were originally designed to connect modular turntables to integrated amps.. Via shielded Coaxial Cable.... Shielded audio cable is not recommended for speaker connection.
In my experience with major "Top End" brands of Hi Fi, RCA's have not been used for speaker connections.
In the 60's some were been used in low end brands but I have not had the misfortune to encounter them. (These lower end amps are not real flexible with speaker loads being messed with either) .
Nowdays most integrated amps have provision for 2 pair of speakers and many also have a Pre Out option which can be looped to as many power amps as you wish.
A speaker switching box from Radio Shack is the go..
Cheers
John
