Complete audionoob, can't make my ceiling speakers work

[kl109]

Moved into a place with 2 ceiling speakers. Previous owners said just connect amp and they should play.

The wire has total of 4 cables, black, red, white and green. I connected them in the pics shown below.

App works fine, showing music is streaming but no sound coming out. Of course have checked volume etc..

Can anyone help? I am sure I am making a mistake but can't figure it out.

Thanks!

 

[adias]

1 - Disconnect wires from amp.
2 - Use a 1.5V battery to connect two pairs of wires at a time to identify which pair connects to each speaker. Just connect the battery momentarily and disconnect, listening to a soft scratching pop.
3 - Once you know which pair of wires connects to each speaker, connect those accordingly to the amp. To correct relative phase play a mono signal. Listening on-center you should hear a solid centered image. If so, the speakers are wired in-phase, if the center sound is a null or undefined, invert the connection on one of the speakers.

This should do it. For absolute phase it’s more complicated but few people hear it.

 

[kl109]

1 - Disconnect wires from amp.
2 - Use a 1.5V battery to connect two pairs of wires at a time to identify which pair connects to each speaker. Just connect the battery momentarily and disconnect, listening to a soft scratching pop.
3 - Once you know which pair of wires connects to each speaker, connect those accordingly to the amp. To correct relative phase play a mono signal. Listening on-center you should hear a solid centered image. If so, the speakers are wired in-phase, if the center sound is a null or undefined, invert the connection on one of the speakers.

This should do it. For absolute phase it’s more complicated but few people hear it.

Thanks for your reply.

I used AA battery and touched all 4 wires in various combinations to the battery and hear nothing. Is the voltage too low?

 

[harkpabst]

Thanks for your reply.

I used AA battery and touched all 4 wires in various combinations to the battery and hear nothing. Is the voltage too low?

No, 1.5 V is plenty enough to let any speaker make some noise. If they all remain silent then these wires are not properly connected to the speakers.

 

[Mr Ee]

It's normally, I think,
Right: red +ve, black -ve
Left: white +ve, green -ve

Best to get up in the ceiling to check! (Or try to pop them out of the ceiling.)

 

[adias]

Thanks for your reply.

I used AA battery and touched all 4 wires in various combinations to the battery and hear nothing. Is the voltage too low?

If the battery is charged… next I would do would be using a multimeter and measuring resistance. Searching for a pair of wires in the 8 Ohm region.

 

[WiiMer SJ]

Check around the room for an inline volume control. It may be mounted in a wall switch box.

Edit: And install spades or banana plugs at those binding posts.

 

[harkpabst]

Edit: And install spades or banana plugs at those binding posts.

Yes, please. My room could catch fire just because of me looking at that picture.

 

[WiiMer SJ]

Yes, please. My room could catch fire just because of me looking at that picture.

My OCD wanted me to mention the excess cable outer jacket, but I resisted.

Until now.