RCA/Speaker Wire questions

[jr98466]

I've got a minor question about setting up a home theater system. The pre-wire on my house was a standard paired speaker wire. Looking over the wiring, there is a speaker wire run to the amp wall plate. My question is whether there is an adaptor that will let me connect that speaker wire to an RCA plug, which my sub connects with.

 

[j_garcia]

I've got a minor question about setting up a home theater system. The pre-wire on my house was a standard paired speaker wire. Looking over the wiring, there is a speaker wire run to the amp wall plate. My question is whether there is an adaptor that will let me connect that speaker wire to an RCA plug, which my sub connects with.

Not sure how well it will work. A buddy of mine did just that and got a lot of hum.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

Like John said, you might get hum because the speaker wire isn't shielded like a regular subwoofer cable is. For higher-powered signals that are used for speakers, it typically isn't an issue - but it might be for a line-level signal that you'll be using for your sub. Some people here have done what you are asking about doing without any hum, while others have gotten hum. It never hurts to try, though.

You can make something yourself or buy something premade. If it were me, I'd buy an inexpensive cable with RCA connectors on both ends, cut it in half, strip the cut ends so that the two internal wires were exposed, and then use those two halfs as the adapter cables (end one would have an RCA connector on one end and two wires on the other end to connect to the wall plate).

In terms of premade cables, there are different options available such as this cable from Radio Shack or this cable from Crutchfield.

 

[BDharley07]

I was looking at trying this with zone 2 for my outside speakers. I have searched and searched but I can't find the answer.

 

[bandphan]

I was looking at trying this with zone 2 for my outside speakers. I have searched and searched but I can't find the answer.

expain your setup a bit more and we can help..

 

[mohamedm]

I was trying the same thing for my 6.1 pre-wire. Here is my setup

Yamaha Rx-V665 receiver with a single RCA connector out for the Subwoofer
Mirage Nanosat Subwoofer which accepts RCA input (Red and white)

My question is can i just buy a single RCA cable as suggested, strip out the wires and connect the positive and negative to the wall face plate input? and at the wall face plate output I can buy a RCA cable with dual connectors (Red/ white), strip one end out and connect it to the face plate and the connectors to the subwoofer.

 

[highfigh]

I've got a minor question about setting up a home theater system. The pre-wire on my house was a standard paired speaker wire. Looking over the wiring, there is a speaker wire run to the amp wall plate. My question is whether there is an adaptor that will let me connect that speaker wire to an RCA plug, which my sub connects with.

If the sub has a speaker level input, use that. Otherwise, a speaker level to line level adapter can be made easily.