Re-using Good Quality Speakers from a Broken CD Player

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  hangdog on 16/11/2013 - 07:55

  +1

  You could get a little T-amp (such as Topping or Indeed) on eBay for $50 give or take. They have various inputs depending on the model. It would probably only power your 6 ohm speakers to moderate levels, but if you don't listen at very high decibels, that would be an economical and decent quality option. Don't buy the absolute cheapest, though – I have a ~$15 Lepai T-amp and a ~$50 Indeed T-amp. The Indeed looks beautiful and sounds great, but the Lepai is so nasty that honestly, I'd give the thing away for the price of postage.

  If you need to smash out the music, then I'd suggest something used that has Rotel or NAD on it. Even an old reasonable-quality home theatre amp would probably do pretty well (I use an obsolete mid/higher-end Yammy HT receiver to power some hard-to-drive planar speakers), although it wouldn't be at all compact.

  • 

    Windows7forever on 16/11/2013 - 12:00

    Thanks for your reply.

    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MUSE-M50-EX-TPA3123-T-Amp-2x50W-M…

    I saw this Muse amp which outputs 50w x 2 @ 4 ohms. Is that enough consider my speakers are 80w @ 6 ohms? My current amp drives 320watts total @ 4 ohms - is that correct?

    Amplifier Output = Amplifier Watts x (Amplifier Rated at Ohms / Speaker Chain Ohms)
    Based on my calculations for the above amp : 100w x (4ohms/12 ohms) = 33 watts max output.

    Sorry, I'm having trouble getting my head around amps, ohms, voltage, watts…confusing me :(

    Also, I had a look at some 2nd hand home theatre receivers on ebay and they are almost all asking over $100 in price, surprised they are worth that much!

    Edit : Pro-tip - search for "av receiver" instead of "home theatre receiver" and all the cheap units appear :)

• 

  hangdog on 17/11/2013 - 17:46

  I don't think you'll have a problem with the Muse driving your 6 ohm speakers – the published power ratings on the Philips look optimistic for something of that weight, and from the limited specs available, the Muse should sound cleaner. Lots of good reviews of the Muse & similar T-amps out there.

  • 

    Windows7forever on 18/11/2013 - 09:54

    I've decided to spend a little more and get a dedicated home theatre surround sound receiver. This will be scalable for future requirements and will allow me to build a home theatre system later on.

    I bought a 2nd hand Sony STR - DG520 for $70 on ebay. 100w x 5 channels @ 8 ohms. Good price I think as it has all the bells and whistles of a modern amp. Functionality and value is more important that compact space/size.

    • 

      Windows7forever on 19/11/2013 - 13:22

      If I wanted to expand upon 2 channels and connect some additional small size speakers for center and rear L & R and create a surround sound field is it safe for the speakers and amp?

      The front/main speakers are disproportionately more powerful than the additional speakers which I want to add(only rated at about 10w).

      The idea is for the front speakers to carry the bass and bulk of the sound, with the "surround sound speakers" serving to supplement the sound field.

• 

  hangdog on 19/11/2013 - 23:45

  +1

  10W is kind of low, but if you are not going loud, it might be OK.
  With a multi-channel receiver, you can tell it which speakers you have connected, whether they are "large" (full range) or "small" (mid to high frequencies, with lower bass going to a subwoofer and/ or the main speakers). You should definitely set your 10W speakers to "small".
  You can set relative sound levels for each speaker, as well as distance from you. Use a sound level meter to calibrate speakers to the same loudness while in the preferred listening position. If you don't have one of these handy, look up "SPL Meter" or "decibel" in your smartphone app store, and use that.
  For music, you might end up running the better quality pair of main speakers on their own most of the time. If you have the money and the space, consider budgeting at least $500 on a subwoofer for something that'll make a better difference to the sound than extra channels will.

  • 

    Windows7forever on 20/11/2013 - 07:21

    Thanks. I did all of the above and it does provide a greater dispersion and atmosphere of sound when all 5 channels are used, albeit at a reduced output, as the amp automatically cuts the limit of the speakers to compensate for the low powered satellite speakers. This adds a nice touch for movies and games, but I find that I like to switch to good old 2 channel output for straight up LOUD music.
    I made sure to define each speaker as either small or large. I then used the automatic calibration function which returned errors due to incorrect placement of the rear surround sound speakers. I disregarded this error message because I don't have the ability to properly mount these speakers behind me due to space constraints in my bedroom, so I just placed them where I could. I EQ'ed the gain of each speaker using my own ears as judge, effectively overwriting the system calibration anyway.
    I then ran a quick sound test with the amp connected to my TV via "coax" and using the standard pseudo surround sound technology "Dolby Pro Logic I/II" I was able to get modest reverb/delay and spatial sound which added a nice touch to movies. Once I work out how to rig everything up to my amp in order to enjoy true Dolby Digital/DTS surround sound I will report back on the results.
    A subwoofer might be a bit overkill at this stage, considering the lack of free space in my small bedroom for further equipment. I am also sufficiently pleased with the deep and robust bass response from my stereo woofers.
    As you can probably tell, my use of the amp is expanding greatly over what I originally intended it to be used for i.e. 2 channel stereo output primarily for music. This is my first ownership of a proper fully-fledged AV receiver, having only used budget "all-in-one" systems previously, so I am fascinated with the technology and learning heaps along the way.
    This might be a good starting point for purchasing additional speakers/equipment and building a quality sound system for the lounge room.