How to connect your cables in your music system

The Black Rhodium Blog

- By Graham Nalty, founder and owner of Black Rhodium

This blog will assume that you have a whole new music system to instal, but this information can also be applied also to any changes you make to your system.

CHECKLIST

Whether you are installing a whole system or just one new piece of equipment, check first that you have all the cables, WITH THE RIGHT CONNECTORS, you need before you start. Obvious, isn’t it? But easy to miss out an item.

Next re-check the length of your cables, especially speaker cables. I have often heard tales of people who have measured their proposed cables with a piece of string and then found that their cables won’t reach due to limited curvature of the cable. Buying a cable that is too short can be an expensive mistake.

CHECK CABLE DIRECTION

The music signal flows from your music source via your amplifier to your loudspeakers. When you install your cables, check that the printed label on all cables reads that way. The only times that you do not follow the printed direction on the cable is when the connectors are different such as from a BNC connected digital transport to an RCA connected D to A converter – vice versa.

To enjoy the best sound from your cables both cables in a stereo pair should read in the same direction. To learn more about the benefits of getting the direction of your cables at their best, please read the Black Rhodium Blog on Cable Direction (Why does the direction of a cable affect the way it sounds? | Black Rhodium (black-rhodium.co.uk) )

START AT THE BEGINNING – THE SOURCE

There are many types of music source that you may wish to use. Streaming, CD, radio, TV and turntable to name the most common. These may have different types of connectors, so we have shown a few more common types below.

USB cable showing the different connectors. The flat connector connects to the source such as computer and the square connector connects to the D to A converter.

Stereo RCA connectors with the same types used at both ends.

Used to connect CD players and radio tuners to the amplifier. These should relate to the print on the label reading from the source to amplifier.

Stereo XLR balanced cable. The sockets shown facing us connect to the source whilst the plug will connect into the amplifier input sockets. These are more popular in high end audio where the superior sound quality of the balanced cable offers further sound enhancement.

Tone arm cable showing the special DIN connector that plugs into the bottom of the tone arm and the RCA plugs either side that plug into the ‘integrated’ amplifier or separate phono preamp.

Some digital audio equipment uses the BNC connector to connect between the digital transport and D to A converter. BNC is considered by many to be a superior quality connection to RCA. Some systems may require BNC to RCA or RCA to BNC.

The 3.5mm jack connector is very popular for use in cables connecting headphones, but can also be used to connect an audio signal from a computer to a hi-fi system via RCA plugs at the amplifier end

When connecting from turntable into an amplifier you must use the correct socket depending on whether your cartridge is a low output type of higher output moving magnet type. Some amplifiers use the same socket for both types of cartridges with a switch to set the correct gain level. Both types of cartridges are frequency compensated to minimise noise from the record surface.

All other sources will be at ‘Line Level’ which is just under a volt with a flat frequency response. Line level source should not be connected to the phono inputs as this will give a loud highly distorted output.

Very few amplifiers have balanced XLR inputs for connection to turntables because the balanced connection is vulnerable to a higher level of amplifier noise.

PREAMPS. POWER AMPS AND SUB WOOFERS

Connecting between a preamp and power amp is straightforward using either RCA connected or XLR connected cables.

Connecting from your amplifier to your sub-woofer gives you a couple of options. One way is to take a ‘line level’ output from your amplifier via RCA and connect it into an RCA socket in the sub-woofer. The second option to take a signal from the loudspeaker terminals of the amplifier, usually via spade terminals, if your speaker is connected via 4mm plugs, to a socket in the sub-woofer.

AMPLIFIERS AND LOUDSPEAKERS

Two main types of connectors are used to connect your loudspeaker cable to your amplifier and loudspeakers. These are the 4mm diameter connector (‘banana plug’) or forked connector (‘spade’). The 4mm plug is the most popular choice in the UK though many other countries prefer the spade. 2 pin DIN plugs and round pins that are inserted into a sprung socket mainly occur in older equipment.

This is probably the most common type of 4mm plug with a strong spring to hold the plug in its place

The Z plug has a sprung cylindrical shape that can hold it on place quire effectively.

This 4mm plug has a very effective locking mechanism by which the outer shell can be turned to press against a pin that increases the diameter of the connecting part.

The GN1 Straight Line Contact plug is probably the best connection for sound quality. The connecting pin is tightly crimped directly to the cable.

High quality spade connector.

Charleston loudspeaker links with spade connectors at one end and 4mm plugs at the other end. The advantage of using the different connectors at each end is that it can be used in systems using either 4mm plugs or spades.

Most loudspeakers are fitted with socket terminals as shown in the picture. The 4mm plug of a speaker link would be inserted into the socket of the lower pair of terminals. The spades go into the space in the top connectors and the colored screw terminals screwed tight on the spades.

The spades of the links are inserted into the base of the terminals and screwed tight. The 4mm plugs are inserted into the upper-level sockets and the plug barrel is screwed tight to lock the plug. Finally, the speaker cable plugs are inserted into lower sockets.

Amplifiers can be damaged if the output terminals are shorted via the loudspeakers cable, so always follow this safe procedure.

To connect your loudspeakers, first ensure your amplifier is switched off and connect the cable to your loudspeakers. Then finally connect the cable to your amplifier.

To disconnect your loudspeakers, first ensure your amplifier is switched off and disconnect the cable from your amplifier. Then disconnect your cable at the loudspeaker end.

We have written special instructions for connecting the Flamenco loudspeaker cable to your music system.

Make sure your amplifier is turned off
Your cable has 4 wires, two with red labels and two with black labels.
Take one wire with red and one wire with black labels and lay them side by side with print of both reading in the same direction

4. Twist the cables.

5. Take the end with the ' loudspeaker end' labels and connect to your loudspeaker, connecting the red marked plug to the red marked terminal and the white marked plug to the black terminal.

6. Take the other end and connect to your amplifier, red to red and white plug to black terminal.

7. Repeat 3 - 6 for the other two wires.

8. Switch your amplifier on and enjoy your music.

POWER YOUR SYSTEM

Your mains cable has two connectors.

The Plug– You plug these into a mains power socket on you wall or on your power conditioner.

The Socket – you plug these into the input socket of your equipment or your mains conditioner.

First connect your power cables to the power sockets on all you equipment.

IEC C14 connector on the rear of audio equipment. This is the most common connector used in audio

Cable fitted with C13 IEC connector for powering devices

Mains cable with IEC C7 connector. This is most used for low current devices including power supplies for digital equipment

Black Rhodium C19 IEC connector is used for supply high current power to power conditioners and very high-power amplifiers

Every country has a standard plug for connecting your power equipment to the mains supply. In the UK this is a 3-pin plug that uses rectangular pins. In most parts of Europe, the 2 pin Schuko plug, some with an entry socket for a round pin on the Schuko socket. In many other parts of the world including the USA and Japan, the UL type plugs are used.

UK 13-amp rectangular pin plug

Schuko plug with 2 round pins and earth socket

UL plug with 3 pins

When you have identified the best socket for each plug, insert the plugs, switch on your equipment and enjoy the music.

Now you are connected, switch on and enjoy your music.

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'Wave USB is a very sweet and rich delivery for an affordable price' - Ege Tremonti 'I think the Libra power cable is a very good choice in it's price segment' - Tamas Krajnyak 'Charleston perform flawlessly and are impeccably made' - Hi Fi World 'I love the sound of this interconnect (Operetta) and it comes at a fair price for a silver cable' - Hi Fi Choice 'Stream mains cable is for me one of the best products in the Black Rhodium line up' - Janine Elliot

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