Need help with speakers

[SciFiGuy]

Don't shoot me. I'm new here and have a serious question.
I have speakers which are part of an entertainment center my grandfather had. Dad gave the E.C. to me when Pop passed away.
They are 2 towers: Techwood RM-040-108LG. (old Rent-A-Center unit)
Each tower has 5 speakers with these approximate sizes:
1- 3.5 inch, 2- 4.5 inch, 2- 8.0 inch
I'm not an audiophile, but I like the sound of the speakers. I just bought a 50" Samsung DLP HDTV and would like to use those speaker towers.
What kind of receiver should I pair them with? I have digital cable and an upconvert DVD (nothing fancy). Pop's memory means a lot to me and I'd really like to use those speakers.

 

[SciFiGuy]

Really? I actually like the sound. The stereo/receiver is long gone and I'd like to USE the speakers. Currently they are hooked up to a bookshelf stereo and I think they sound fine. I'd just like to use them with my TV. I don't even know the wattage of these speakers though.

 

[Endspec]

Check the back of your tv it might have speaker output s built into it for external speakers, you can run them from that if you have them. My 36 inch rca tv have these and I am running a set of ratshack T100's from the tv and it sounds alot better than the tv speakers.

 

[Sir.Byrd]

Check the back of your tv it might have speaker output s built into it for external speakers, you can run them from that if you have them. My 36 inch rca tv have these and I am running a set of ratshack T100's from the tv and it sounds alot better than the tv speakers.

T100s are NICE.

 

[SciFiGuy]

I tried that with no luck. TV manual says digital speakers can run direct, but analog speakers need a receiver. The towers have bare wire (black & red) connectors on back.

 

[Endspec]

they will work, wire them up and see. the tv should have spring termanals to wire them up.

Edit: I was looking around and found some info on this.
From a friend on the subject,

"A digital ready speaker would have s/pdif connection, and so an internal dac and amp.

The problem I see with this is volume control.

The volume is controled by dropping informatiion, much the same as the kmixer.dll that needs to be disabled in windows to get better sound"

 

[stickman]

If the TV offers RCA jack line level stereo speaker outputs you could feed those into any stereo receiver that works, but one with a working remote control for volume level setting is the way to go. If the TV does not have such output jacks, then you can run RCA line level stereo outputs directly from both the cable box and the DVD player separately to the receiver's inputs. Cable boxes have a feature where you can set them internally to a fixed level of audio output or have it be variable with the cable boxe's remote control.

Any fully functional stereo receiver will suffice and since its been stated the speakers can't take much power a lower wattage rating will work fine in your set up.

I'd recommend scanning your local Craigslist "Electronics" section for the word "Receiver" in the listing title. I'd start by seeing what's available in brands like Denon or Yamaha or Pioneer or Marantz as their older units remain functional a long time if properly cared for. Just make sure that whatever you buy is 100% functional and I would recommend one with a remote control as mentioned previously for volume and input source selection from your viewing position.

 

[BwanaJim]

Just keep the volume low........

 

[gkimeng]

If the bookshelf stereo sounds ok with the speakers, just connect the audio outs of the TV to an aux or tape in on the bookshelf stereo. Any HDTV is going to have a pair of RCA jacks for fixed two-channel line-level audio out. Most TVs will not pass digital sound from cable boxes and dvd players through their digital audio out jacks, but the analog out jacks usually work ok. If it turns out that yours don't, you'll need to connect the tv, cable box and dvd audio out jacks to the stereo separately, which can be done with an audio selector switch you can get for around $20 AT Radio Shack.

As others have pointed out, these speakers have little real value other than their sentimental value to you and you could be asking for trouble trying to connect them to a modern receiver.