Would this be a smart thing to do?

[guitarplyrstevo]

I've loved messing around with speakers ever since I was a kid, but all I have right now are some Altec Lansing ADA995 computer theater speakers with a Klipsch Synergy Sub-10. It sounds great for its size but there are not any audio decoders. In the future ill be getting all new speakers but until then ill be using my Altec Lansing speakers, so my question is this:

-Would it be safe to connect my Altec Lansing speakers into a receiver like an Onkyo 605?

If it is safe to do

-Would it drastically improve my sound?

 

[OttoMatic]

It looks like those are powered speakers that require a line-level signal. It will be fine to connect them to your Onkyo's preamp outputs (assuming the Onkyo has them; I didn't look at the manual). You should NOT connect them to the speaker level-outputs, as you may damage one or the other.

I don't think it'll change the sound of the speakers much. It's also unlikely that they will play any louder than they do now.

Good luck!

 

[fmw]

Most likely there is an amp in the sub that powers both the sub and the satellites. I have Lansing speakers on my computers but I have Lansing subs on them. You can't drive them with an Onkyo 605 because it doesn't have preamplifer outputs. What you have is designed to be connected to a computer sound card. Connecting it some other way won't improve anything.

 

[guitarplyrstevo]

I probably should have been more detailed on what I'm trying to do.

I also have a 10" Klipsch sub and I want to get rid of the Altec Lansing sub because its very weak. I want to slice the tips off the Altec Lansing satellite speakers and connect them to the receiver through the speaker connectors, and then have my 10" sub through the preamp out of the receiver.

Would this damage any of my gear? Im assuming it would be alright since the Altec Lansing speakers are at 8ohms as long as i dont turn up the volume too much since the speakers can only handle about 30 watts per channel.

 

[Seth=L]

If the speakers don't have proprietary connectors, then I don't think it would be a problem. If you aren't sure of the Altec's impedance you may want to make an effort to find out. If the impedance is too low it may not work well with the Onkyo. It may be printed on speakers somewhere, but I would guess the impedance to be in the range of 4 ohms - 8 ohms. 6 ohms is pretty common and would likely be fine, but 4 ohms might make the Onkyo struggle at higher output.

 

[guitarplyrstevo]

If the speakers don't have proprietary connectors, then I don't think it would be a problem. If you aren't sure of the Altec's impedance you may want to make an effort to find out. If the impedance is too low it may not work well with the Onkyo. It may be printed on speakers somewhere, but I would guess the impedance to be in the range of 4 ohms - 8 ohms. 6 ohms is pretty common and would likely be fine, but 4 ohms might make the Onkyo struggle at higher output.

So the impedance (ohms) is really all i need to look for? Well i found the specs on the internet and it said that the satellite's are all 8 ohms which, if i am correct, is what the onkyo is too.

Thank you, hopefully i will be getting some kind of onkyo, atleast the 605, and connecting them to my altec lansing until i get my polk audio speakers.

Edit: So would an onkyo receiver help my sound at all? From what i understand, the amplifier in my altec lansing sub only powers the speakers, but the onkyo has onboard audio decorders, so there has to be some sort of change. am i wrong?