Attempting to test functionality of free speakers - Sanyo SS690

[tadpole]

Hello,
I just picked up two used Sanyo SS690 speakers after following a 'free stuff' ad on Craigslist.
Though a musician and filmmaker, I am an all-out novice when it comes to electronic audio equipment. I am hoping to change that gradually, and I am hoping that figuring out what's what with these speakers can be a small step in the right direction.
I do not have a receiver or any other relevant gear. All I have is the two speakers and the 4 cables (black wires with stripped tips) that came with them.
I have included pictures of the two speakers, Speaker 1 and Speaker 2, as well as of all cables.
I do not know the first thing of any importance in setting these speakers up, powering them, or testing their functionality. I also do not know any of the 'terms of the trade' which may be involved in discussing them, though I am hoping to learn these.
If anyone might perhaps either direct me to a basic tutorial resource or walk me through the steps (materials needed, steps required [e.g. how to plug the stripped-end cables into the backs of the speakers, etc.]), that would be exactly what I'm looking for.
Note: as you can see in the photos, there are wires coming out from behind the cone / face of the speaker (not sure if I am using correct terminology) in Speaker 2. I am particularly not sure why this is.
I also was unable to find a manual for these speakers by Googling. So a point in the right direction in locating a manual would also be helpful.
Let me know if there is any more information I can provide, or if I have made some mistake like posting to the wrong forum.
I am hoping to utilize these speakers for watching films and listening to music, hopefully loud sometimes. Unfortunately I do not have any budget currently to go after non-free speakers.

 

[everettT]

Did you ask the seller why there is a wire coming directly from the woofer? I've got a feeling that what ever profession he was in, audio wasn't a priority, as I can't imagine why he would have attempted to power the woofer on its own with or without the crossover involved (I'm guessing without)

Personally I wouldn't invest too much time into them, like anymore then you've done so far.

 

[j_garcia]

It looks like someone bypassed the x-over and ran the woofer to another amp. These speakers are likely not worth figuring out, judging by the drivers, even with them being free.

 

[tadpole]

I wasn't able to ask the seller anything. They were free, and just left out front. But I picked them up same day, so no weather damage.

I now see this second post as well.

That's two people saying they're likely not worth figuring out. I therefore take it to be likely true.

Unless anyone else thinks otherwise, I'll just keep my eyes peeled for a better set of free speakers, as I do think ones in much better condition are listed about weekly in my area.

 

[TLS Guy]

I wasn't able to ask the seller anything. They were free, and just left out front. But I picked them up same day, so no weather damage.

I now see this second post as well.

That's two people saying they're likely not worth figuring out. I therefore take it to be likely true.

Unless anyone else thinks otherwise, I'll just keep my eyes peeled for a better set of free speakers, as I do think ones in much better condition are listed about weekly in my area.

I agree, those speakers are junk. They were no good new. They are typical of 1970s Japanese speakers. A woofer, cheap mid, then known as a squawker (very apt), and a tweeter. The whole lot sounded awful, no matter what manufacturer was on the name plate.

 

[lovinthehd]

Damn if you were nearby I'd just give you a pair of better speakers.

 

[BMXTRIX]

@tadpole - It is worth your time to do some reading through Audioholics and watch some YouTube videos of some basic home audio setups and configurations. Then spend some time discussing what you may be hoping to achieve in a home setup of your own. You have to understand that Craigslist can provide some really great deals on speakers at times, but they can just as often be a scam or have very lousy deals, so it's better to be patient and ask and learn before making lousy purchases.

In the most general aspect though, a set of normal home speakers need to be powered by an amplifier. The most common form of this is built into a stereo receiver or a AV receiver. The back of a speaker will have two connections, just like you see on the Sanyo speakers you have. One red (positive voltage) and one black (negative voltage) which gets hooked up to the amplified outputs on the back of the receiver using speaker wire. You can purchase speaker wire almost anywhere, but don't overpay. Inexpensive copper speaker wire of the proper thickness is a good way to start things off right.

Nobody here will know your budget, how much you can realistically afford, or how much you really want to spend unless you are open about telling us. But, you can get a pair of speakers for under $100 which won't be great, but will be acceptable to get you going. In the used market, you should have a number of options. Even new, there are choices. Check out Accessories 4 Less for some window shopping.
ie: https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/polkt15blk/polk-audio-t15-5.25-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-black-pair/1.html

An older HDMI receiver in our local area's Craigslist which would serve entry level duty just fine...

Denon 5.1 400W HDMI Receiver - electronics - by owner - sale

For sale a fully working Denon receiver. See photos for details including it turned on. The receiver is confirmed to work through its 4 HDMI ports. It supports multi-channel stereo and has served us...

washingtondc.craigslist.org

But, it is about what you want, what you may want to spend, what you can afford, and what you're really trying to achieve.

 

[tadpole]

Hi guys,
Thanks for all the info.
In all honesty, my budget is pretty much zero for the next few months. In a number of months, hopefully a number I can count on one hand, I'll have a stable job, and then my budget will likely go up to a couple hundred, or even a handful of hundreds perhaps. In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out some type of free rig that will allow me and my roommate to just listen to some loudish tunes sometimes.
Philly Craigslist does come up with free speakers that work, so for the time being it seems this is my best option. Just to kinda go fishin on there til something worth picking up comes up.
Thanks especially for that primer on tutorial materials, BMX! Hopefully will be able to delve way further into this later this year and beyond.

 

[lovinthehd]

Hope you find something good soon!

 

[j_garcia]

Actually, I think the best cheap bookshelf is the Parts Express BR-1. Excellent bass for a bookshelf and overall solid performer for most listening types. They ain't free though, but when you get around to the funds, might be a good place to look.

Home

Dayton Audio BR-1 6-1/2" 2-Way Bookshelf Monitor Speaker Kit PairThe BR-1 Makes It Easy To Build Your Own Hi-Fi Speaker The BR-1 was designed to provide a low cost, easy-to-build 2-way system for the speaker building novice. The end result is a kit that can be assembled in a couple of hours with...

www.parts-express.com

You can also buy it as a kit and build it yourself if so inclined, to save a few bucks. Used to be the kit was like $99. There is a modified version of it that costs more, but steps the performance up a notch.

Good luck with your hunt for the free ones, I've actually found some very good, cheap/free garage sale speakers, so they're out there.

 

[Swerd]

@tadpole

A quick and simple way to tell if speakers are working is the battery test. Get one AA 1.5 volt battery, a length of speaker wire, and some tape (any tape will do, scotch or masking).

Speaker wire consists of two conductors bundled together, sometimes call zip cord. It's no different than standard lamp cord you can find in any hardware store. There is always a way to tell one wire from the other. There can be different colors on the plastic insulation, or ridges that you can feel on the surface. I've seen some zip cord with a cotton thread inside the insulation of one of the wires, or one of the wires is copper colored while the other is tinned, so it looks silvery.

Attach one of the speaker wires to the red terminal on the back of one of one of your speakers. Similarly, attach the other wire to the speaker's black terminal. Tape the bare end of the wire coming from the speaker's black terminal to the battery's Negative – terminal.

Sit so you can easily see the cones of the speaker. Touch the wire from the speaker's red terminal to the battery's Plus + terminal. You'll hear a pop sound. At the same time, you'll see the speaker cones pop forward. The cones will return to their normal positions when you remove that wire from the battery's Plus + terminal. It's OK to do this several times just to be sure all the cones are working.

If you have things wired in reverse, it won't cause any harm. Instead of popping forward, the cones with pop inwards.

Don't worry, there's not enough juice in the battery to shock you.

This battery test will only tell you if the speakers can work, but it won't tell how good they'll sound.