Nice Old Speakers Cheap

[RSteve]

I dropped a bunch of stuff off at Goodwill yesterday, then wandered into the store. On a cart from the donation and pricing area was a pair of Jamo, made in Denmark, E800 bookshelf speakers. The original price on these was $400/pr. They looked to be in perfect condition; even the grill covers were spotless. I have absolutely no need for them. But, for $10.00 for the pair, I took them home. I tested each one and they work great. Now I have to decide what to do with them.

 

[Zeno Marx]

Didn't you just get a surround sound system? Give 'em a go in that.

 

[daveinlax]

My old box speakers live in the shop in my garage

 

[RSteve]

My old box speakers live in the shop in my garage

That went through my mind, as well. BUT!
In my garage, I have an older Pioneer stereo receiver. It has A and B speaker capability. The stereo A is connected to Boston Acoustic smaller bookshelf speakers. They are 8 ohm speakers, nominal probably 6+ ohm. The Jamo speakers are bi-wire (4 terminal) 4 ohm speakers. I'm afraid of an impedance mismatch and blowing the receiver's power supply.

 

[RSteve]

For a reason I still cannot understand, over several weeks, the audio set up on the TV in my living room became kind of mushy to my ears. The 55" Sceptre 4K TV was connected via optical cable to a Vizio 32" sound bar, with it's sub out connected to a small 100 watt mono amplifier connected to a large Polk center channel speaker.

I disconnected everything, thinking the problem was the soundbar. I spent hours testing everything. As things turned out it was the optical out on the TV. I rewired using the analog 3.5 mm headphone port on the TV to the sound bar. I swapped out the 100 watt mono amp for a Lepai 160 watt stereo amplifier and instead of the Polk center channel speaker, connected the $10.00/ pair Jamo E800 bookshelf speakers. The sound is now very clear.

 

[Zeno Marx]

Those optical and or digital outs can be odd. They can get in the way of channeling for some reason. Could be a youtube tutorial or review explaining what happened with you. My PC tower has a digital out, which I think was designed for gamers, and it plays fine with set A speakers. When I try to run it with set B speakers, there's no signal. If I swap it to the standard speaker out, both sets play fine. I've never looked into why this is.