Buying speakers in 2024, help me I'm old !

[guigui]

Not gaming related, sorry, but I know this community is helpful.

Back in my days, sound system were mainly an amplifier, to which you connected a CD player (or vinyl player), and a pair of speakers -- you kow with double wires going to red and black connectors ?

Both CD player and amplifier needed to be plugged to AC current. But the speakers did not, they gave sound by themselves, after the amplifier.

I still have this kind of setup, but now that I want to buy a new pair of speakers, all I find is those bluetooth/wifi/phone/ connected speakers, that also need to be plugged to AC current. However I dont have room for yet another stuff to plug to AC.

So question : if I buy those kind of speakers and put them after my amplifier without plugging them to AC, will I get sound ?

[NoAffinity]

You would have to read the manual/installation instructions for the specific speakers, but I believe in general, no they will not work as traditional non-powered speakers. If they have hook ups for the traditional speaker wire, that might at least offer some promise. All theoretical conjecture on my part, cuz I too am a traditional analog kinda guy myself.

That said, just go to a thrift store or yard sale and pick up an inexpensive set of analog speakers. You can often find some decent quality stuff for very affordable prices. Just be mindful of the ohm rating of any potential replacements you're looking at.

[guigui]

Thanks for first advice. All the ones I'm looking at do have the traditionnal red and black wiring stuff, aside with AUX IN, LINE IN, and Bluetooth symbol, like this one for instance :
https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B08GY51VCK?ref ... _CSA0101BT

Rear picture :


Will that work if I only plug in the top connections, and not that "DC IN" thingie ?

May try to get some cheap one as you said.

[NoAffinity]

According to the manual, the red and black connectors are for wiring one speaker to the other.

https://uk.jamaudio.com/content/pdf/ins ... 400_IB.pdf

It looks like speaker with the control and i/o panel has an amp built in and will always need to be powered. The red and black connector on that speaker is means of outputting signal, while the connector on the other speak is an input.

[Koa Zo]

On US Amazon, these speakers often go on sale for around $125-150
Sony SSCS5 3-Way 3-Driver Bookshelf Speaker System

As was mentioned, looking in thrift stores or online used item sites like Craigslist of Facebook Marketplace you can find great analog floor speakers.

[guigui]

According to the manual, the red and black connectors are for wiring one speaker to the other.

https://uk.jamaudio.com/content/pdf/ins ... 400_IB.pdf

It looks like speaker with the control and i/o panel has an amp built in and will always need to be powered. The red and black connector on that speaker is means of outputting signal, while the connector on the other speak is an input.

Nice of you to have found the manual, it looks like you're right indeed, speakers need to be powered on no matter what you plug in.

Also thanks to Koa Zo, it looks like the kind of speakers I'm looking for are described as "bookshelves" speaker ?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I bought a pair of Sony 100w @ 8 omhs bookshelf speakers to use with my Taito G-Net arcade motherboard and lo behold, it can handle the pair easily without breaking a sweat (considering that the stereo audio output of the G-Net is already amplified from the get-go). The Sony bookshelf speakers sure do pack a punch, indeed, "audio-wise" with the Taito G-Card carts of Psyvariar Medium Unit & Psyvariar Revision (with WASI303's awesome techno BGMs aka Tetsuo Sato). Sure, I get better audio fidelity while listening to the OST music cds of both Psy-MU & Psy-R with their more robust 44.1kHz redbook audio format.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[bobrocks95]

Yeah sounds like you just want a couple of standard passive bookshelf speakers. Some brands to look for would be Sony, Polk, Klipsch, maybe JBL- I'm sure others could give plenty more recommendations as well.

[guigui]

Thanks for allowing me to now understand the obvious :

* passive speakers : do not need power, but need an amplifier before them. Mostly have one entry as "red and black wires". Old school.

* active speakers : need power and has built-in amplifier. Allows them to play music from not amplified sources like TV, computers, phone, CD and vinyl players. Have many entries like RCA, Bluetooth and more. New school.

Now I'm not even sure if I do want to keep my old school setup where I have my TV, CD and vinyl players plugged to my amp, then to passive speakers (which I want to change). Going new school with active speakers removes the need of the amp, which takes some room in the setup... But I guess the sound of active speakers may not be as good as amp+passive.

[ASDR]

Keep in mind that electronics like amps break much earlier and easier than speakers. Speakers can last you decades without maintenance or repair. But amplifiers and computer stuff like DACs/USB/Bluetooth/AirPlay in your speakers is basically planned obsolescence.

[emphatic]

As you have a turntable in your setup, you will need an extra RIAA amplifier if you go with active speakers unless your turntable outputs line level audio (same as TAPE, CD etc). Your old amp likely has a built in RIAA amp for the Phono input.

Bookshelf speakers from thrift stores are great, if you go looking for a pair, pick one that weighs a lot, preferably from SONY or another Japanese brand. Also make sure there are no cracks in the plastic/rubbery membranes for the bass drivers.

[guigui]

As you have a turntable in your setup, you will need an extra RIAA amplifier if you go with active speakers unless your turntable outputs line level audio (same as TAPE, CD etc). Your old amp likely has a built in RIAA amp for the Phono input.

My amp sure does have that, different entries for phono input and other inputs.

Like you and ASDR said, I think I'll just keep the same old school setup for the moment and try to find good quality passive speakers on used market. Will certainly have no choice in the future but to go to active, but the later the better I think.

[NoAffinity]

Will certainly have no choice in the future but to go to active, but the later the better I think.

Why do you say that? I have many retro (analog output) consoles, arcade super gun and a crt tv going to a dj mixer, then outputting to a Onkyo amp that I got at a thrift store for $25. Also going to the amp are modern digital consoles, modern PC, 4k TV, turntable (via adapter as noted above). Well there's other things in the mix like a SPDIF switcher for PS2, x360...

The amp outputs to a pair of JBL 2500 bookshelf speakers which I've had for probably nearing 3 decades now. I recently (within the last 5 years) added some panasonic center and rear speakers, and a sony powered subwoofer, all of that from thrift stores. The setup meets all conceivable needs, at least for any use case I can throw at it. None of it is super high end, but it covers ranges well enough, whether its stereo gaming, 5.1 from PS3, xb1, etc., or nice QOL features like CPS-2 Digital AV 4-channel or 5.1 audio.

I have never personally been convinced that "newer is better" and I stand by those convictions when it comes to audio.

[ASDR]

Will certainly have no choice in the future but to go to active

You're making it sound like normal passive speakers are some kind of rare exotic dying breed that will go away any moment. If you look outside of computer / 'smart' / portable / cheapo speakers they're still very much the default and majority. There's thousands of models made by like a hundred companies. They're not going away in our lifetime.

[neorichieb1971]

No need to buy new, just buy used if you want PASSIVE speakers (no power required).

I would look here -

https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/hi-f ... i-speakers

See what gives.

[emphatic]

Will certainly have no choice in the future but to go to active, but the later the better I think.

Or just get a 2.1 system made for home computers and use the headphone output of the amp you already have, as most 2.1 speakers use a 3.5 mm plug. An adapter to 6.35 mm will do the trick. That can provide quite a bang for your buck while being able to use the volume knob on your amplifier just like with passive speakers.

[Lord of Pirates]

As you have a turntable in your setup, you will need an extra RIAA amplifier if you go with active speakers unless your turntable outputs line level audio (same as TAPE, CD etc). Your old amp likely has a built in RIAA amp for the Phono input.

My amp sure does have that, different entries for phono input and other inputs.

Like you and ASDR said, I think I'll just keep the same old school setup for the moment and try to find good quality passive speakers on used market. Will certainly have no choice in the future but to go to active, but the later the better I think.

You probably won't have too much trouble finding a decent pair of Focal speakers if your location is correct. Why do you think you'll need to switch to an active system down the line?

[vol.2]

My personal preference is for JBL speakers. They are not the most accurate, but as a trade-off they have a little warmth and musicality to them that other studio grade speakers I feel lack.

It's mostly down to how much money you are trying to sink into a new pair of speakers. I'm pretty deep into audio stuff, so if you give me a ballpark then I could make a recommendation. Also it would be important to know what your amplifier is so that I could match the output power and impedance range.

I agree with other comments that state you should buy used. Used speakers are generally a good deal as they tend to lose their value when they walk out of the store. You can get a pair of high end speakers for less than half of retail on the secondhand market. It is a popular rich dude hobby to buy new fancy hifi speakers and get rid of the old ones frequently.