please help me(previous owner of the house installed it)

[jinmemini]

please help me(previous owner of the house installed it)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

so i moved into this house

and the previous owner of this house installed in wall speakers(?)

i don't even know if the speakers are in there (im a noob)

so ill just asume those are speakers (i inluded picture in the link)

so here are my questions

1. how many channel is this?

because there are 3 front speakers
and two middle
two back
two back right
i included how its arranged

those circular ones are all same size. 7.5 inch across

img714.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=0530002124.jpg


2. i have so many cables and i have no idea what each one does

can you tell me what each one does and where i can connect it to? (to any receiever or specific channel receiever or all in one theater system receiver too?)



3. i showed my friend those pictures (he is not an expert) and he told me that in wall speakers are not that good. is it true?

he also told me that the system looks like lacking a subwoofer(the speaker for base sound). is it true?

so he told me to buy an all in one system and use the subwoofer and receiever from it since it is cheaper than buying a receiver?

if i buy a all in one system, i dont have to buy a reciever for the speakers right?



4. what kind of reciever should i buy? ( any receiever or specific channel receiever or all in one theater system receiver too?)

can you suggest me some good ones?

i dont have much money since my family is buying a tv too

i would like too spend as little as possible for a receiver and speakers

definately less than 300



even though its so long, please help me

i really appreciate it

thank you

 

[adwilk]

please help me(previous owner of the house installed it)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

so i moved into this house

and the previous owner of this house installed in wall speakers(?)

i don't even know if the speakers are in there (im a noob)

so ill just asume those are speakers (i inluded picture in the link)

so here are my questions

1. how many channel is this?

because there are 3 front speakers
and two middle
two back
two back right
i included how its arranged

those circular ones are all same size. 7.5 inch across

Looks to be a 7.1 system with a stereo zone 2


2. i have so many cables and i have no idea what each one does

can you tell me what each one does and where i can connect it to? (to any receiever or specific channel receiever or all in one theater system receiver too?)

We can help you hook it up once you get a receiver. It won't be that hard, but it will help if you actually have the receiver in front of you.

3. i showed my friend those pictures (he is not an expert) and he told me that in wall speakers are not that good. is it true?

he also told me that the system looks like lacking a subwoofer(the speaker for base sound). is it true?

so he told me to buy an all in one system and use the subwoofer and receiever from it since it is cheaper than buying a receiver?

To absolutely say that in wall speakers are not that good is just categorically wrong. Sure, they may not be ideal, but there are some nice in wall speakers. Based on your budget, you might as well use them. This guy spent more on the install than you're wanting to spend on an all in one setup.

if i buy a all in one system, i dont have to buy a reciever for the speakers right?

True, they come with receivers, but cheap ones with cheap speakers. Avoid

4. what kind of reciever should i buy? ( any receiever or specific channel receiever or all in one theater system receiver too?)

can you suggest me some good ones?

Great Receiver for the money

i dont have much money since my family is buying a tv too

i would like too spend as little as possible for a receiver and speakers

definately less than 300

You can add a sub later.. who knows, its possible that there is an in wall sub...?


even though its so long, please help me

i really appreciate it

thank you

reply in bold

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Fully agree what adwilk said, including red for AVR.
Just curious what make and model are these in celling speakers?
If you could pop the cover on one of them and post the info (or photo) here it'll help to evaluate their "worthiness" in HT...

p.s: You definitely need a sub (or two) with such speakers.
Is there in-wall sub??? It would be probably in-wall and much bigger than in-ceiling speakers

 

[highfigh]

please help me(previous owner of the house installed it)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

so i moved into this house

and the previous owner of this house installed in wall speakers(?)

i don't even know if the speakers are in there (im a noob)

so ill just asume those are speakers (i inluded picture in the link)

so here are my questions

1. how many channel is this?

because there are 3 front speakers
and two middle
two back
two back right
i included how its arranged

those circular ones are all same size. 7.5 inch across

img714.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=0530002124.jpg


2. i have so many cables and i have no idea what each one does

can you tell me what each one does and where i can connect it to? (to any receiever or specific channel receiever or all in one theater system receiver too?)



3. i showed my friend those pictures (he is not an expert) and he told me that in wall speakers are not that good. is it true?

he also told me that the system looks like lacking a subwoofer(the speaker for base sound). is it true?

so he told me to buy an all in one system and use the subwoofer and receiever from it since it is cheaper than buying a receiver?

if i buy a all in one system, i dont have to buy a reciever for the speakers right?



4. what kind of reciever should i buy? ( any receiever or specific channel receiever or all in one theater system receiver too?)

can you suggest me some good ones?

i dont have much money since my family is buying a tv too

i would like too spend as little as possible for a receiver and speakers

definately less than 300



even though its so long, please help me

i really appreciate it

thank you

The first thing I'd tell you is:

When you look at the wires, only look one at a time. You can't connect all of them at one time, so there's no reason to even think about more than one.

The second thing I would tell you is to bundle them by their type- speaker, Coax, Cat5e, etc and separate them where they come out of the wall.

Don't freak out when you think about all of the wires. They won't hurt you. A large bunch looks intimidating, especially when they're all woven and braided together but once they're separated and labeled, it's a lot easier to deal with.

You can identify the speaker cables with a AAA battery. Connect one wire to one end and tap the other wire on the opposite end, using another person to tell you which speaker makes the sound. Make sure the room is very quiet when you do this- some installation companies will put a filter to block bass on a speaker wire and using a battery will make almost no sound, other than a very slight click. If you hear this and not a louder popping or scratching sound, remove the battery and touch the two wires together. If you hear a slight click, note which speaker it is- it will still pass audio, just not bass.

There's no reason to assume that all in-wall speakers are bad. Some are actually pretty good. Connect everything and decide if you like them later.

DON"T BUY AN ALL IN ONE SYSTEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deal with the subwoofer later. If you see a jack on the wall with the same kind of jack as the ones on a receiver, that's probably the one that feeds a subwoofer but you'll need to identify it. If you have a Walkman or iPod, you can use that as a source for identifying cables with RCA connectors.

Don't worry- you'll get through this and you'll also get a lot of good advice here. There's no reason to rush into anything and remember- you aren't required to buy anything, so don't let anyone make you think you HAVE to buy something.

 

[jinmemini]

Thanks for help
I tried to pop it open but it seems like it's stuck reaaly hard
I feel like if I twist it or anything I will break it from the ceiling
and there's no brand name on the cover
so when I buy the receiver, help me further please
thank you so much

 

[BMXTRIX]

...the previous owner of this house installed in wall speakers(?)

i don't even know if the speakers are in there (im a noob)

Yes, there are speakers behind the speaker grills. In-wall speakers ship as one unit, the speaker is attached to the ring around it and then the white 'grill' which looks like a screen goes on. To see the speaker under the grill, you use a small paper clip and pull the grill (mesh) off the front of the speaker. It will pop off somewhat easily giving you access to the speaker under it. The speaker itself is clipped to the ceiling using swing out arms which secure the speaker to the ceiling.

Here's a picture of what an uninstalled in-wall speaker looks like:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/wootsaleimages/Cyber_Acoustics_Home_Audio_In-Wall_Speakers___PairwzfDetail.jpg

You can see in that picture some red arms which will swing out and secure the speaker to the wall.

This is a back view of a speaker showing the mounting clips...
http://www.hometoys.com/htinews/feb97/articles/homewire/speakers.jpg

so ill just asume those are speakers (i inluded picture in the link)

Yes, they are.

1. how many channel is this?

because there are 3 front speakers
and two middle
two back
two back right
i included how its arranged

those circular ones are all same size. 7.5 inch across

img714.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=0530002124.jpg

It looks like it was designed to be two zones - the main zone would be a 6.0 setup, but the location is weird for the speaker furthest from the TV. You have a front left speaker, a center speaker, and a front right speaker. The next line of speakers are the surround left, and the surround right speakers. The one in the back is the surround back center speaker. The one furthest back, in line, doesn't make much sense to me.

The ones to the right are for adding audio to a second area of the room. Typically this would be independent or in addition to the main surround area. For example, if you wanted to listen to music while playing cards off to the right, and the TV wasn't on, you wouldn't turn on your main surround zone, just the speakers back to the right. That's it. Or, if you were watching the game, you could turn it on in that second area as well so everyone could hear easily.

2. i have so many cables and i have no idea what each one does

The ones with ends that look like this are speaker cables and go to one of the speakers in the room:
http://www.powerwerx.com/_images/products/PP-2-Banana_xlrg.jpg

They plug directly into the back of a typical surround A/V receiver like this one:
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_3/images/yamaha-rx-v2500-receiver-back-panel-6.jpg
and
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_3/images/yamaha-rx-v2500-receiver-back-panel-7.jpg

can you tell me what each one does and where i can connect it to? (to any receiever or specific channel receiever or all in one theater system receiver too?)

As you saw, typically the banana plugs are red and black, but generally it is the wiring that is done as red/black and white/green for each speaker. So, a red/black pair would go to the corresponding channel on the A/V receiver (see above linked photo). So, once you know WHICH speaker is your front center channel, you just plug the banana plugs into the corresponding jacks on an A/V receiver.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_3/images/yamaha-rx-v2500-receiver-back-panel-7.jpg

There is where it would go!

3. i showed my friend those pictures (he is not an expert) and he told me that in wall speakers are not that good. is it true?

In-wall speakers can be cheap to phenomenally expensive and excellent. My guess is that these are perfectly adequate for your needs and expectations.

he also told me that the system looks like lacking a subwoofer(the speaker for base sound). is it true?

It looks like there is not a subwoofer in this setup. You aren't required to have one, but it definitely helps.

so he told me to buy an all in one system and use the subwoofer and receiever from it since it is cheaper than buying a receiver?

Your friend just proved to be an idiot. An all in-one system includes speakers, which you don't need, and typically has a lousy subwoofer with it.

A good two-zone A/V receiver is about $800 or so. You can get them more/less expensive depending on your budget, needs, and expecations. But, I think $800 is a pretty good spot to be at.

if i buy a all in one system, i dont have to buy a reciever for the speakers right?

Do NOT buy an all in one system!

4. what kind of reciever should i buy? ( any receiever or specific channel receiever or all in one theater system receiver too?)

A two zone 7.1 receiver makes sense. You probably need a second amplifier to handle the second zone. (speakers back to the right)

can you suggest me some good ones?

http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/5335.asp#

This would be a great one which would do you fine for a number of years.

definately less than 300

You won't get two zones as far as I know for that much, so you would just want a cheap surround receiver, or to just WAIT until you have the money for a decent one and use the speakers already inside the TV for the first few months until you can get a decent A/V receiver. It is clear from the labelling and installation work done that the person before you had far more budget they were working with, so not having the cash will affect you far more than anything. Don't waste money on the wrong product.

 

[jinmemini]

so i opened it

before i say anything, thank you so much

so i opened it as you told me
and the square speakers are ProSolutions
theres no model number because i didnt take them out of the wall(i just looked at the front side of the speaker)
and the circle ones dont say anything on the surface
i assume circles ones are ProSolutions too
but when i googled ProSolutions, there are skin care products but there are almost none online.
there are like 3 on ebay.
have you guys heard of ProSolutions at all?

and i found out that there are 2 more circle speakers right side of the front speakers.(it was in the work out room.)

so i assume it is anotherer zone 2 or whatever that is

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Looks like these speakers go for about 20 bucks.
http://www.thefind.com/query.php?query=ProSolutions+inwall+speakers

 

[BMXTRIX]

ProSolutions was listed on AVS Forum as potentially being a Tweeter brand which is why you won't find much new information on them. Tweeter certainly wasn't in the 'low-end' business, so they likely were a good deal more than $20 a speaker.

In my experience, even $20 a speaker models sound better than what comes installed in TVs already, but these likely are a fair bit better though specs are hard to come by.

Multiple zones requires you to sit down and make a list. I am SURE there was a second amplifier used and a speaker selector for the various rooms. Probably spent a couple grand or more on the audio setup of their home with around $1,000 in equipment in the cabinet which they took with them. You aren't going to get away for much less than that doing things right.

 

[jinmemini]

.

what do you mean by tweeter brand?
i looked it up on the dictionary and it says it means woofer?

and i was looking at the cables again and i saw the previous owner wrote down what each cable does on the cable.
and i think that 2 speakers in the back and 2 in the back right and 2 in the work out room are all 2nd zone thing as you guys told me
this tells me the set up is 5 channel.
and since the speakers dont look so expensive, do you think its a good idea too buy cheap a receiever?
and if i buy a 7.1 channel receiver, can they play 5.1 channel?
im looking at receivers under 250 like these (sorry i cant put up links since im a new member)
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882105432
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882120164
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882115238
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882105433


and cheap subwoofer like these
amazon.com/Sony-SA-W2500-Performance-Line-Subwoofer/dp/B000OL3QTW/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275598680&sr=1-9
or
amazon.com/Yamaha-YST-SW216BL-Advanced-Front-Firing-Subwoofer/dp/B000FJ89UO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275598680&sr=1-4

honestly i have a 50 bucks 2.1 channel speakers for my laptop
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121034
and i think its pretty decent
which tells me that my standard is not that high.

do you have better ideas for my budget?

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Tweeter was an audio/video store that went out of business a few years back.

what do you mean by tweeter brand?
i looked it up on the dictionary and it says it means woofer?

and i was looking at the cables again and i saw the previous owner wrote down what each cable does on the cable.
and i think that 2 speakers in the back and 2 in the back right and 2 in the work out room are all 2nd zone thing as you guys told me
this tells me the set up is 5 channel.
and since the speakers dont look so expensive, do you think its a good idea too buy cheap a receiever?
and if i buy a 7.1 channel receiver, can they play 5.1 channel?
im looking at receivers under 250 like these (sorry i cant put up links since im a new member)
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882105432
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882120164
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882115238
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882105433


and cheap subwoofer like these
amazon.com/Sony-SA-W2500-Performance-Line-Subwoofer/dp/B000OL3QTW/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275598680&sr=1-9
or
amazon.com/Yamaha-YST-SW216BL-Advanced-Front-Firing-Subwoofer/dp/B000FJ89UO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275598680&sr=1-4

honestly i have a 50 bucks 2.1 channel speakers for my laptop
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121034
and i think its pretty decent
which tells me that my standard is not that high.

do you have better ideas for my budget?

 

[BMXTRIX]

Trust me, those speakers likely sold for $100-$200 per pair from Tweeter (the company above mentioned) and if there is several extra zones of audio, then odds are good that the previous owner had a speaker selector, at the very least, and a 7.1 channel receiver with two zones running in the $1,000 range.

I would stay away from Sony products for audio, as they tend to be well away from a quality product.

Onkyo stuff, new, has some great value products for the money.

There is some good older gear via eBay and Audiogon.com which may be worth looking at.

ie: http://cgi.ebay.com/Denon-AVR-1708-Receiver-Refurbished-/330439295038?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Receivers_Tuners&hash=item4cefb7803e

http://cgi.ebay.com/Denon-AVR-1610-5-1-channel-Receiver-/350362170616?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Receivers_Tuners&hash=item51933674f8

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc.pl?homesubw&1276566590

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc.pl?homesubw&1276566359

$300 is not much to work with, and I might forgo the subwoofer for a year instead of getting a really lousy one.

 

[njedpx3]

Overwhelmed ?

You seem to be overwhelmed with advice that is well beyond your budget of $300.

While it would be nice to spend $1000 and $1000 you can get a decent receiver for under $300 and hook up some of your speakers and get decent sound. The front speakers are most important . The center is important if you wathc a lot of TV or Movies, because the majority of the dialog comes from the center speaker. Normally the red is connected to the postive and the black to the negative. I am not sure how the previous owner wire the green/white pair, but most likely green ispositve and white is negative. These will plug indirectly to the back of your "new" AVR stereo receiver.

Be careful with Onkyo and Accesories4Less. There is a recent thread about a refurbished Onkyo sold from Accesories4Less and apparently it was sold without serial number and neither Onkyo or Accesories4Less are will to stand up to the problem and fix. Normally Onkyo is a great AVR but make sure it is an authorized dealer and indications are the Accesories4Less may not be. Here is the thread; CAVEAT EMPTOR (buyer beware): http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65874

If you buy the Onkyo from an authorized dealer then you will be paying more than $300.




Another AVR that will fit your immediate needs is a Yamaha HTR-6240 for $245. http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-HTR-6240BL-525-Watt-5-Channel-Receiver/dp/B001S2RDAY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275652858&sr=8-1


As far as subwoofers, they are for you low bass sounds and more than likely you do not have an in-wall subwoofer. An inexpensive, yet very good subwoofer is the Dayton SUB-120 HT for $155 from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-SUB-120-Watt-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B000C9NV78 You can add this later when you have the $$$.


Good Luck and Good Sound!

Forest Man

 

[BMXTRIX]

...but most likely green ispositve and white is negative.

Just wanted to point out that this is not correct.

White is industry standard positive and green is industry standard negative. In a proper installation, red/black will be a right speaker, white/green will be a left speaker with red/white as positive and black/green as negative.

You may also find red/black/white/blue wire - the same is true. Industry standard makes red/white positive and black/blue negative.

Red/black always is the 'priority' colors if only one pair is in use.

White/green (or blue) are the secondary wires which are used.

I've been at 5 different companies now and this has been the standard for all of them and (by example only) Monster Cable actually labels their wiring in this manner on the colored cables directly.