How to Wire a Tube Amplifier
Tube amplifiers, recognized for their glowing vacuum tubes and subjectively lauded for their warm sound, wire the same as conventional amplifiers. Tube amps, although normally lower in wattage output than their solid state cousins, can be used independently in a stereo system, or integrated into a surround setup. Regardless of the deployment, tube amps are connected to speakers in a familiar way.
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Things You'll Need
- Preamplifier
- RCA cables
- Tube amplifier
- Speaker wire
- Wire snips
- Wire strippers
- Speakers
Instructions
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1
Access the rear of the preamplifier and the tube amp. Find the RCA outputs on the preamp, and the corresponding inputs on the tube amp.
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2
Plug the RCA cables from the preamplifier to the tube amp, following the color coding, or "L/R" labeling.
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3
Loosen the binding post caps on the amplifier and the speakers. Continue to untwist the caps until the holes on the posts are exposed.
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4
Cut the speaker wire to the needed length, using the wire snips.
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5
Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the amp and speaker ends of each speaker wire, using the strip tool.
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6
Insert the wires into the binding post holes. Tighten the caps back down on the amp and speakers until the wires are secured.
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7
Plug in the AC power cord (if detachable) to the amplifier. Plug the pronged end to the AC outlet.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Always use caution when handling hot tubes after extended play.
Refrain from moving the amp too much after playback. Internal filaments can easily break until they cool sufficiently.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Amplifier image by Mladenov from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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My old tube amp only has speaker posts for 16ohm, 8ohm, 4ohm, and a C. I was wondering where the ground wire goes when wiring a new speaker that has the positive wire and ground wire setup.
