Basic audio cable questions

[GrahamF]

Hello,

Looking for some very basic advice, please! I recently moved into a new home which has speakers built into some of the rooms.

Some audio cabling is in place, but as a newbee to home audio would I need an amplifier to plug into this cabling? Picture attached. Any recommendation on a relatively inexpensive amp if that is the next step?

Also, can anyone help me identify what the other single black cable is in the other pic?

Many thanks!
GF

 

[highfigh]

Hello,

Looking for some very basic advice, please! I recently moved into a new home which has speakers built into some of the rooms.

Some audio cabling is in place, but as a newbee to home audio would I need an amplifier to plug into this cabling? Picture attached. Any recommendation on a relatively inexpensive amp if that is the next step?

Also, can anyone help me identify what the other single black cable is in the other pic?

Many thanks!
GF

Looks like Bose wiring. Do you have any wall plates that can't be identified? I removed a couple of Bang & Olafsen plates a few years ago and they had no markings for their use.

You're not going to find new equipment that uses RCA plugs for the output from the amplifier, so just remove the white plastic blocks from these.

What do you want to listen to and watch- Cable/Satellite TV, streaming devices like AppleTV/Roku/Fire Stick, BluRay?

 

[GrahamF]

Looks like Bose wiring. Do you have any wall plates that can't be identified? I removed a couple of Bang & Olafsen plates a few years ago and they had no markings for their use.

You're not going to find new equipment that uses RCA plugs for the output from the amplifier, so just remove the white plastic blocks from these.

What do you want to listen to and watch- Cable/Satellite TV, streaming devices like AppleTV/Roku/Fire Stick, BluRay?

Thanks for the reply.

Not found any plates at all.

Mainly planning to use this for music. Vinyl so a deck I'd like to connect. Also streaming. Bluetooth or Sonos. We do have Sky, Firestick so interesting to know how that could work.

Appreciate it!

 

[highfigh]

Thanks for the reply.

Not found any plates at all.

Mainly planning to use this for music. Vinyl so a deck I'd like to connect. Also streaming. Bluetooth or Sonos. We do have Sky, Firestick so interesting to know how that could work.

Appreciate it!

What's at the other end of the larger black cable with 5 pins?

 

[GrahamF]

What's at the other end of the larger black cable with 5 pins?

Don't know. Goes straight into the wall and who knows where it ends...

 

[highfigh]

Don't know. Goes straight into the wall and who knows where it ends...

Have you looked in all closets and cabinets around the house?

 

[TLS Guy]

Hello,

Looking for some very basic advice, please! I recently moved into a new home which has speakers built into some of the rooms.

Some audio cabling is in place, but as a newbee to home audio would I need an amplifier to plug into this cabling? Picture attached. Any recommendation on a relatively inexpensive amp if that is the next step?

Also, can anyone help me identify what the other single black cable is in the other pic?

Many thanks!
GF

The best advice I can give you, is to forget it was ever there. Almost certainly is a builder mess, and will sound like the junk it is bound to be.

Just start over if you want decent sound. It is highly likely that not one part of that system is worth a halfpence of spit.

 

[ryanosaur]

Unless there is more than is being shown, it appears the Speaker cabling may not even be rated for in-wall runs.

I'm inclined to agree with TLS that the wiring, and possibly (likely) even the Speakers aren't worth the trouble of trying to salvage.

Do you have any photos of the Speakers you can share?

 

[TLS Guy]

So, you fond nothing in the closets? It is very unlikely this is worth any more effort, let alone expense. This is why these systems are not an asset to a home, and are known to actually reduce the value of a home, rather then increase it.

You will enjoy a nice stand alone system much more. That is how I advise you proceed.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Looking for some very basic advice, please! I recently moved into a new home which has speakers built into some of the rooms.

Not sure what 'some of the rooms' means.

The first thing to do is figure that out. Figure out what and where speakers are and what wires they are connected to. The best way to do this is to read the clearly marked labels on the cabling. If there are NO labels, then that speaks volumes about the quality of the work which was performed. I mean, if it goes into a wall and disappears, how the heck will ANYONE know where it goes to without proper cable labels?

There are plenty of ways to identify where a speaker cable is connected to, and there are videos on YouTube about this.
ie:

Find where those speakers go, THEN LABEL THEM!

Then make a list of every speaker in your home, if it has been identified, and if there are any speakers or wires leftover that have become ghosts. This does happen in homes from time to time when poor wiring was used or certain areas have been removed or not installed. I have several zones in my home with speakers that I have not yet installed. Maybe I never will. I know they go up to my attic, but for the most part, they are 'ghost' cables because they aren't connected to anything at this time. It happens, and isn't something to worry all that much about.

If you are unsure of all of this, you can hire an AV professional and they should be able to come in and identify and label everything for you in a few hours. May cost a couple hundred/few hundred bucks depending on the complexity of the previous system and how well (or poorly) it was installed.