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Main => Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Forum => Topic started by: vindic8r on March 14, 2013, 02:55:38 pm

Title: Wiring up old cabinet speakers to a new PC 2.1 system
Post by: vindic8r on March 14, 2013, 02:55:38 pm

Hey all -

I've got an old Williams Universal cabinet that I'm converting into a MAME/vintage console emulator cabinet (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=120370.msg1277189#msg1277189). It came with a set of 19 year old speakers installed. They are mono - a just a 20W midrange and tweeter wired in parallel.

Here's a shot of the backside of the speakers and the mounting board:
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/10a64cdeec6318beb7d606916e8a6336/tumblr_mjntxrWz951rq750po1_500.jpg)

There are a number of ways I could take this, and I'm curious what folks with more experience than I in building cabs would recommend.

Two paths I'm considering, at the moment:

• Get a 2.1 channel PC speaker set that outputs at no more than 20W and hook it up to this, in place of one of the satellites. Mount the other satellite next to these on this board (which is mounted behind a grill). But most of the PC speakers I've seen out there are 4 Ohm, which means these two speakers will be much quieter than the satellite I mount.
• Get a nicer, louder 2.1 channel PC speaker set. Remove these existing speakers and just mount both of the satellites on the board. This way, I should get better quality and louder set of speakers. It's more work to mount them, but probably worth it in the end. It's just too bad I have to remove the original, vintage speakers that we installed by Williams back in the day...

Thoughts, anyone?

Title: Re: Wiring up old cabinet speakers to a new PC 2.1 system
Post by: vindic8r on March 16, 2013, 03:25:29 pm

Nobody?

I'll probably be scrapping the speakers in there now, I guess. Seems to be the path that will give me the best output.

Title: Re: Wiring up old cabinet speakers to a new PC 2.1 system
Post by: superbovine on March 17, 2013, 01:15:36 am

Get a healthy 2.1 system and cut the speakers out and wire them to some quality speakers.  A good quality 2.1 system will work great when you put some good speakers to them.  I have been using an old Philips design for several projects now.  As it is about 7 years old they are getting harder to find but I still just camp out on ebay until one comes up when I have a new project.
In my house now I have my arcade with the 2.1 driving the original Virtua Fighter speakers, and in my jukebox the same model 2.1 driving two Kicker 5.25" speakers.  Both will shake the house adequately.

Title: Re: Wiring up old cabinet speakers to a new PC 2.1 system
Post by: BobA on March 17, 2013, 11:46:55 pm

Number 2 is a good choice.  You do not want to do 1 as you will end up with miss matched speakers.

Title: Re: Wiring up old cabinet speakers to a new PC 2.1 system
Post by: vindic8r on March 18, 2013, 10:57:13 am

Thanks, guys.

I ended up getting this set, after seeing some really positive reviews on both Amazon and Newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836110059 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836110059)

I liked the modular control box, and that I could, just for grins, very quickly plug in the old speakers to the amp with one of the satellites from the set and the sub, since I already have them spliced into an RCA plug. But I suspect that I'll end up going the route of #2, as BobA suggested.

I'll update my project thread (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,120370.0.html) with the results soon.