Need help setting up home theatre, please

[-Jim-]

That looks like a single cable with 4 conductors. If you don't have a multimeter, the easiest way to figure out which two conductors go to which speaker is to use a small dry cell battery for a flashlight (1.5 volts usually suffices). Hold one conductor (say the black one) against the bottom terminal (yes just use your hands you won't get a shock) and momentarily touch one of the other conductors to the other terminal while having someone listen at the speakers. There will be a crackling sound as the conduct is brushed on the terminal. When you find the corresponding pair (I'm betting the Red one pairs with the Black => and the White one with the Green ) the other one is also identified by default. (Go ahead and pulse it too just to be sure it's connected.)

Then you can hook them up to the L&R terminals. Do you check for proper polarity on your speakers? Or did you just assume black & red were correct or ?

 

[TLS Guy]

I bet what you have is similar to what the previous owner had set up. The speakers do have covers. Maybe they thought it looked cooler without, but we have them still in the plastic. There is a cutout template labeled TruAudio REV6; maybe that's the brand.

Yes, that is the outfit.

There is zero useful information on that site. They want to put you in contact with a dealer to get pestered. There are no specs at all. The installs are done by Summit Security solutions.

I have a very, very bad feeling about that outfit. I suspect those speakers are on the level, or close to White Van. I would be very suspicious about their provenance, and check them out very carefully before connecting any receiver to them. May be BMXTRIX knows something about them. I have never heard of them and I don't think they have come up before on this site. I would approach them with a very high degree of suspicion.

 

[Golfx]

Just wondering is there any chance you can talk to the original owner or their installer?

 

[-Jim-]

Yes, that is the outfit.

There is zero useful information on that site. They want to put you in contact with a dealer to get pestered. There are no specs at all. The installs are done by Summit Security solutions.

I have a very, very bad feeling about that outfit. I suspect those speakers are on the level, or close to White Van. I would be very suspicious about their provenance, and check them out very carefully before connecting any receiver to them. May be BMXTRIX knows something about them. I have never heard of them and I don't think they have come up before on this site. I would approach them with a very high degree of suspicion.

Good Sleuthing @TLS Guy ! I've never heard of them either, but here is the Truaudio Speakers home page on YouTube, and a bit on their B23 Home Theater Speakers. They look like they only cater to the Integrator world. I don't think you'd last too long there if you sold junk equipment.

I think @avnewbie may have their B23-265 LCR package. In the B23 Manual it says it's 4 ohm so I'd be careful with the volume on the AVR-S760H once they are connected. I see no reason not to try to hook them up and listen to them and see if you like them. (I'm always careful when hooking up a new system anyway.) Once you have everything connected, then start plugging things into power leaving the AVR for last. Then energize and turn on a source then the AVR and slowing bring up to volume to a low level.

 

[TLS Guy]

Good Sleuthing @TLS Guy ! I've never heard of them either, but here is the Truaudio Speakers home page on YouTube, and a bit on their B23 Home Theater Speakers. They look like they only cater to the Integrator world. I don't think you'd last too long there if you sold junk equipment.

I think @avnewbie may have their B23-265 LCR package. In the B23 Manual it says it's 4 ohm so I'd be careful with the volume on the AVR-S760H once they are connected. I see no reason not to try to hook them up and listen to them and see if you like them. (I'm always careful when hooking up a new system anyway.) Once you have everything connected, then start plugging things into power leaving the AVR for last. Then energize and turn on a source then the AVR and slowing bring up to volume to a low level.

Yes, they are from the B 23 series. If that install was done by a professional integrator then it is a pretty unprofessional job. I personally would be ashamed of that wiring job. There is a bit more optimism for it producing decent sound. He will need a decent sub though.

 

[-Jim-]

Yes, they are from the B 23 series. If that install was done by a professional integrator then it is a pretty unprofessional job. I personally would be ashamed of that wiring job. There is a bit more optimism for it producing decent sound. He will need a decent sub though.

Certainly!

 

[BMXTRIX]

Do you think the hdmi extender is the only additional piece of equipment I need? I install that at the TV, connecting the yellow cat6 to the TV. The receiver would have to be in the equipment closet, right. Do I need that extender in the equipment closet also, to connect the yellow cat to the receiver?

The extender I linked comes as a kit. A transmitter and a receiver.

AV RECEIVER (video out) -> HDMI -> TRANSMITTER -> CAT6 -> RECEIVER -> HDMI -> TV HDMI Input

It replaces the HDMI cable that would normally be in use between the equipment closet and the television.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Image of standard 4-conductor speaker wire.

This is industry standard, 4-conductor speaker wire. It is typically wired with red/black as the main positive/negative at each speaker. Some speakers may support bi-wiring, or bi-amping, so it is worth pulling at least one in-wall speaker off the wall to see exactly how they wired it up.

Red = + (right speaker, or if only one speaker, this is just positive)
Black = - (right speaker, or if only one speaker, this is just negative)
White = + (left speaker, or if only one speaker, this is often not connected, or used as positive for bi-wiring)
Green = - (left speaker, or if only one speaker, this is often not connected, or used as negative for bi-wiring)

The colors and how they are connected is established industry standard. Unfortunately, not every installer actually follows this industry standard.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Yes, they are from the B 23 series. If that install was done by a professional integrator then it is a pretty unprofessional job. I personally would be ashamed of that wiring job. There is a bit more optimism for it producing decent sound. He will need a decent sub though.

IMO - It looks like it was wired by them, but it doesn't appear like it was ever actually finished as far as a full installation goes. Just pre-wire work from the looks of it. When I prewire, it often looks like that, then I go in for the final installation, and the rats nest gets sorted to the exact drop locations, and it gets connected to final equipment and labeled and organized. It is often impossible to organize or much else until a equipment rack is in place and proper equipment is near the wall.

Is it a mess? Yes. But, if everything is labeled, then it should be good to go. It just takes time, and effort, to get it all resolved. I deal with this all the time when I go into prior installs at job sites. Toning out zones and wires and ensuring everything follows industry standards. It takes some time, but works really well once completed.