How to hook up older polk audio speakers with the red and black plugs in the back

Rossinator28 · December 2007

I am such a loser. I cant find anywhere that shows how to and what you do to hook up older polk audio speakers. They have wood around the outside and a black screen on the front. In the back there is 2 plugs with red and black unscrewable caps on them. PLZ Help.

nms · December 2007

The posts might have holes through them. If so, run the wires through the holes and tighten the caps down to secure the wire. If no holes, wrap the wire around the outside of the post and hold it in place while you tighten the cap down to secure it.

There are 2 strands of wire for each speaker. On your receiver, there will be a red plug and a black plug where the speaker wires plug in. Make sure the strand that goes with the red plug on the receiver goes onto the post with the red cap on the speaker. Red with red, black with black.

Hope this helps.

Rossinator28 · December 2007

well 1 i don't have a reciever, and 2 what kind of wire do you use. (its funny i found them after not being used for prob 6 years or more)

nms · December 2007

OK, I see where you're coming from now. I'm going to start over assuming you have no experience with stereos.

Unlike computer speakers, the speakers you have are not "self powered". Computer speakers plug into the wall and contain their own amplifier to amplify the signal your computer sends them. Stereo speakers do not plug into the wall and require an external amplifier, which is what the receiver is. The receiver amplifies the signal before sending it to the speakers, so the signal also becomes the power.

To use these speakers, you need a receiver/amplifier. You can probably find a cheap used one off of Craigslist.

Any type of wire 18 gauge or larger (smaller gauge number - the number goes down as the wire thickness increases) will work.

I hope this helps.

Oh, and welcome to the forum.