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Speakers compatible with Receiver?

IPadNParadise

IPadNParadise

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 12, 2013
517
165
Recently I hooked up an old Aiwa (1995) NSX-999 stereo system to my Sony Bravia/Apple TV to better the sound of the Sony crappy internal speakers. Sounds so much better but I really have no experience with surround sound. I have one more vintage item and according to my Internet search, these Marantz HD 770 speakers that have been stored in the closet since 1995, have both woofers and tweeters built in.

My question is can I safely hook them up to this Aiwa stereo. The speakers hooked up now are 6 ohms and the Marantz speakers are 8 ohms. Currently these 6 ohms speakers that came with the Aiwa are connected to the Aiwa and then the Aiwa is connected to the audio output on the Sony. And as good as that sounds, I thought maybe the Marantz speakers might sound even better (connected to the Aiwa).
 
L

Legios

macrumors regular
Jan 19, 2012
119
0
Well its an Awia, not sure what sort of "better" you expect. Generally speaking the higher the Ohms the more power needed to drive the speaker. I think the question is what can the Awia output. Either way it should work but your mileage will vary.
 
P

palmharbor

macrumors 6502
Jul 31, 2007
408
0
Nominal Impedance

IPadNParadise said:
Recently I hooked up an old Aiwa (1995) NSX-999 stereo system to my Sony Bravia/Apple TV to better the sound of the Sony crappy internal speakers. Sounds so much better but I really have no experience with surround sound. I have one more vintage item and according to my Internet search, these Marantz HD 770 speakers that have been stored in the closet since 1995, have both woofers and tweeters built in.

My question is can I safely hook them up to this Aiwa stereo. The speakers hooked up now are 6 ohms and the Marantz speakers are 8 ohms. Currently these 6 ohms speakers that came with the Aiwa are connected to the Aiwa and then the Aiwa is connected to the audio output on the Sony. And as good as that sounds, I thought maybe the Marantz speakers might sound even better (connected to the Aiwa).
Click to expand...

--------------------------------------
Those numbers are nominal and of no importance. If you had the expensive electrostatic Martin Logan speaker...the impedance moves as low as 2 ohms and needs a special amp. You do not face that issue at all.
Use them
 
IPadNParadise

IPadNParadise

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 12, 2013
517
165
Legios said:
Well its an Awia, not sure what sort of "better" you expect. Generally speaking the higher the Ohms the more power needed to drive the speaker. I think the question is what can the Awia output. Either way it should work but your mileage will vary.
Click to expand...

Well, you can make fun of it all you want to. I have already hooked it up to my sony Bravia flat screen TV using the Aiwa original speakers, both side and rear. And it has been a major improvement to the sound on the crappy internal Sony internal speakers. And since the Aiwa has been sitting in the closet without use for the past 15 years, I have an improved sound system for basically free. I asked a simple question about the Marantz speakers, not a question involving how to get professional awesome sound out of vintage inexpensive equipment.
 
L

Legios

macrumors regular
Jan 19, 2012
119
0
IPadNParadise said:
Well, you can make fun of it all you want to. I have already hooked it up to my sony Bravia flat screen TV using the Aiwa original speakers, both side and rear. And it has been a major improvement to the sound on the crappy internal Sony internal speakers. And since the Aiwa has been sitting in the closet without use for the past 15 years, I have an improved sound system for basically free. I asked a simple question about the Marantz speakers, not a question involving how to get professional awesome sound out of vintage inexpensive equipment.
Click to expand...

There wasnt any awesomeness intended, but you most likely got the best sound moving from internal speakers to the awia based set. Changing speakers at this point will have negligible difference since the source at this point will be the limiting factor. At some point the weakest link is exposed.
 
IPadNParadise

IPadNParadise

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 12, 2013
517
165
Ok, reading again what you are saying, I understand it better. The sound is only going to be as good as the Aiwa stereo acting as a receiver and it doesn't matter what speakers are connected, right? And if that is true, since at this point I have spent nothing, what if I get a true receiver. Nothing real expensive say around $300, and then I connect that to the existing Aiwa 6 ohms speakers, will that get me any improvement? I really don't want to start from scratch to build a system.
 
L

Legios

macrumors regular
Jan 19, 2012
119
0
IPadNParadise said:
Ok, reading again what you are saying, I understand it better. The sound is only going to be as good as the Aiwa stereo acting as a receiver and it doesn't matter what speakers are connected, right? And if that is true, since at this point I have spent nothing, what if I get a true receiver. Nothing real expensive say around $300, and then I connect that to the existing Aiwa 6 ohms speakers, will that get me any improvement? I really don't want to start from scratch to build a system.
Click to expand...

If you get a better receiver you could get better sound especially if it has digital connections as I assume the AWIA only has analog (red and white left and right). Adding a receiver and still using the stock awia speakers would have a neglible difference in sound quality. Everything else you do from here on out will be mini upgrades in quality as the price you are working with limits the returns you will be able to quantify.

I myself just use a soundbar and subwoofer for an easy clean all in one solution. I got out of the complete home theater game years ago before HDMI became the standard. If you want to try something else for "better" sound quality on the cheap try a soundbar system.
 
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