Extending a speaker lead - will it damage the amp?

vikramrkin

Hi,

I bought a new amp and speaker system (Onkyo 5405). For one of the rear speakers, the length of wire was falling short. I had some extra speaker cable, so joined the two and extended the lead.

Now, after two days, the speakers are making a clicking noise each time I change the channel/play or pause from sky+ box. Richer sounds is saying that I may have damaged the amp by joing the cable. Is that true or they are just taking me for a ride?

Thanks
Vikram

steve1980

Depending on the frequency that the cable can hold then yes, you may have damaged it.

It could also be the actual speaker though. Is it just the one that you've extended the cable on? If so, disconnect the extra bit, use the original cable from amp to speaker and see if it does it again. Also try with one of the other speakers. If it does it with the other speaker then there is a problem with the amp, if it doesn't then the problem is with the speaker.

The problem you will have is that you have spoken to Richer Sounds and told them that you put a "extension" on the speaker so they could now turn round and say it's your own fault as you didn't follow the guidence leaflet/manual. If you hadn't of told them then you could have claimed that the speaker/amp was at fault.

Also, you say it's an amp, but it's actually an AV Receiver.

vikramrkin

steve1980 wrote: »

Depending on the frequency that the cable can hold then yes, you may have damaged it.

It could also be the actual speaker though. Is it just the one that you've extended the cable on? If so, disconnect the extra bit, use the original cable from amp to speaker and see if it does it again. Also try with one of the other speakers. If it does it with the other speaker then there is a problem with the amp, if it doesn't then the problem is with the speaker.

The problem you will have is that you have spoken to Richer Sounds and told them that you put a "extension" on the speaker so they could now turn round and say it's your own fault as you didn't follow the guidence leaflet/manual. If you hadn't of told them then you could have claimed that the speaker/amp was at fault.

Also, you say it's an amp, but it's actually an AV Receiver.

Thanks. Sorry, I meant AV receiver.

Yes, I have told Richersounds that I had extended the wire. But no where in the manual, it is written that you can not extend it in this way. The person I spoke to at richer sounds told that where there is a join, the current goes back to AV receiver and could damage it.

After doing this, everything was fine for first two days, only then the problem started. The clicking sound comes from all speakers, not just the one which I had extended.

How can they prove that extending the cable has damaged teh av receiver?

Thanks
Vikram

Stompa

vikramrkin wrote: »

Now, after two days, the speakers are making a clicking noise each time I change the channel/play or pause from sky+ box. Richer sounds is saying that I may have damaged the amp by joing the cable. Is that true or they are just taking me for a ride?

The latter I think. How did you join the cable?

Dave_C_2

vikramrkin wrote: »

Hi,

I bought a new amp and speaker system (Onkyo 5405). For one of the rear speakers, the length of wire was falling short. I had some extra speaker cable, so joined the two and extended the lead.

Now, after two days, the speakers are making a clicking noise each time I change the channel/play or pause from sky+ box. Richer sounds is saying that I may have damaged the amp by joing the cable. Is that true or they are just taking me for a ride?

Thanks
Vikram

From my experience of hi-fi systems, they are talking BS.

If you extended the lead one of the following must happen
1) You accidentally shorted the lead. In which case the output fuse would blow and you hear nothing from the speaker
2) You left the lead open circuit. In which case you would hear nothing from the speaker.
3) You added some impedance into the cable and the speaker sounds quieter.
4) You did it OK and the speaker works.

Only option 1 could damage the amp. That is why the outputs are fused/protected to prevent such damage. And it's unlikely to cause the symptoms you describe.

Also if you did introduce a fault in one channel why should it affect the other channels?

If extending speaker cables causes a problem why do Richer Sounds sell them?

Any fault in the output would happen instantaneously, not develop over a few days.

Dave

vikramrkin

Stompa wrote: »

The latter I think. How did you join the cable?

I had a spare speaker cable from my previous speaker system. I joined it to the new cable by twisting the the ends of the cable and then wrapping an electrical insulating tape.

penrhyn

Ideally you should replace the entire cable, two things when splicing.
Have you got the polarity correct, and rather than twisting the leads they should be soldered or at the least use a choc block.

vikramrkin

Dave_C wrote: »

If extending speaker cables causes a problem why do Richer Sounds sell them?

Dave

They are saying I should have bought a new cable and used one cable for the entire length and not join it.

I will put these points across to them and lets see what they say.

Thanks
Vikram

vikramrkin

penrhyn wrote: »

Ideally you should replace the entire cable, two things when splicing.
Have you got the polarity correct, and rather than twisting the leads they should be soldered or at the least use a choc block.

Polarity is correct. The manual says if polarity is incorrect, the speaker sounds unnatural. It doesnt say it will damage the the av receiver.

steve1980

Because you have given a reason to them!

Link below for the specs.

http://www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/onkyo/hts5405/onky-hts5405

Dave_C_2

vikramrkin wrote: »

Yes, I have told Richersounds that I had extended the wire. But no where in the manual, it is written that you can not extend it in this way.

This coupled with the fact that RS sells extension cables rather defeats that argument from RS

The person I spoke to at richer sounds told that where there is a join, the current goes back to AV receiver and could damage it.

This is total 100% BS.

This is all about simply extending a speaker cable. No matter what the electronics in the amp/receiver are, it is just an ordinary cable to an ordinary speaker.

I have been doing this sort of stuff since the 60s and there is absolutely nothing wrong with what the OP did. RS are trying to wriggle out of their responsibility by spouting BS and trying to blind him with science.

You can argue all day about replacing the whole lead, polarity and soldering, but all this would do is to degrade slightly the performance of the speaker - NOT damage the amp.

Dave