speakers for TFM 24

[paulbernard 0]

I have a TFM 24 and a Carver pre-amp. For some reason, I'm getting no sound out of my left (Infinity RS400) speaker. But both channels play through my headphones.

 

If I were to go with a bookshelf speaker, can you recommend what might sound good with my Carver system?

 

Dumb question: Will the TFM  amp only accept left/right left/right speaker wire inputs or is possible to connect to more modern speakers using rca plugs or something similar?

 

Thanks in advance for your help! 

[Carver363 140]

I have a TFM-24 in one of my rooms using RCA from preamp to amp. I used banana speaker output from amp to speakers. The amp terminals also allow for twisted wire connections. 

The amp is very strong for any bookshelf speaker as with most 8~4 ohm large speakers. It has been ultra reliable for me.

Please attach pictures of your current setup and connections in the the back to better understand the question.  

 

[Chops 693]

If you're getting no output in one speaker, either your speaker is shot or the amp is shot. Getting sound in both channels with your headphones has nothing to do with the amp.

[Nahash5150 10,705]

Quote

I have a TFM 24 and a Carver pre-amp. For some reason, I'm getting no sound out of my left (Infinity RS400) speaker. But both channels play through my headphones.

 

If I were to go with a bookshelf speaker, can you recommend what might sound good with my Carver system?

 

Dumb question: Will the TFM  amp only accept left/right left/right speaker wire inputs or is possible to connect to more modern speakers using rca plugs or something similar?

 

Thanks in advance for your help! 

 

 

 

The TFM-24/25/35 series have some well known issues with blown channels. But if you're getting good audio out of one and not the other, you can try swapping the speakers to make sure its not them, and double check your connections of course. It's possible the output relay on the left channel is flakey or defective - pretty sure those can be replaced. Nevertheless, if the amp hasn't been serviced, it should be. It's overdue. 

[Carver363 140]

Exactly on the relays!

Circuits and Concepts has them in stock. 

[paulbernard 0]

Thanks for your answers. I just had the amp serviced and the speaker binding posts replaced. The man said he tested it and it was working fine. I'll take photos later today and post. Thanks again!

 

[paulbernard 0]

OK. So I switched the speaker wires and still get sound only out of the left. If I listen through my CD player on the preamp, I hear both. 

 

I took photos but don't see where to attach them on this site.

 

Thanks for the help! 

[AndrewJohn 10,467]

I'll let the techs respond on the diagnosis and repair of the left side amp...,

 

...but, had this handy from Dom's recent post on how to insert pictures...

 

If it's helpful, great - if not, no worries.

 

(FWIW, I recommend "uploading" images for content that is persistently valuable - the "links" to photobucket and other external photo-host sites can be broken - making your sharing of less interest in the long-term to the next guy that may have the same issue.) 

[paulbernard 0]

Hope I uploaded those images correctly.

[paulbernard 0]

[paulbernard 0]

[paulbernard 0]

[AndrewJohn 10,467]

 

It could be my eyes, or the picture..., but this speaker wire hook up, doesn't look solid.  The lower lead seems not to be in the contact hole.  ?  Could that be the issue? 

[Carver363 140]

The speaker wire is not in the hole for the black terminal. I would follow your red connection and retest. see image below.

 

 

 

[Carver363 140]

you get this figured out?

[paulbernard 0]

I know it's it not the speakers. They both work. I took the amp back and it worked. So I must have a bad connection somewhere. So I'm gonna try all new RCA plugs and banana plugs and see if that does the trick.

[MORE CARVER'S PLEASE 99]

IMHO........

I would not use bare wire in the speakers or connected to any amp. All my speaker cables have connectors on them or there tinned with solder so there is no loose looking wires. 

 

Just saying 

 

MCP :-) 

[paulbernard 0]

I'm going to solve part of that with banana plugs going into the amp. Not sure how to avoid bare wires with this type of speaker. (I am clearly not an audiophile.)

[dcl 3,276]

Paul, I faced some weird speaker noise (static-like sound, volume loss); jiggling the speaker wires at the banana plugs was unequivocal, yea–nay? The banana plugs were screw compression-style. Straightforward, right? So I asked about. Redoing the wire-to-plug several times was a failure. 



The problem resolved with a set of banana plug speaker wires from Monoprice. Was it the banana plugs, the wire, the assembly? I dunno, likely the latter, I am not good with even the basics, i.e., wire stripping, soldering. Stick with it, members are here to help.

[peck555 366]

You could also try pins on the end of your speaker wires on the speaker side, as shown in the top picture in post 13

[paulbernard 0]

Sorry for the delay, but I've been away. Apparently everything is working. But I don't like the way these banana plugs look. (see photo) The only way I could keep the wire from slipping out of the hole was to "scrunch" the other end and make it a tight fit.

 

But as you can see, with a couple of them, I wasn't able to screw them in completely.

 

Everything works this way, but I'm a little leery of these connections.

 

Thanks for any reply. 

[zumbini 6,147]

Quote

Sorry for the delay, but I've been away. Apparently everything is working. But I don't like the way these banana plugs look. (see photo) The only way I could keep the wire from slipping out of the hole was to "scrunch" the other end and make it a tight fit.

 

But as you can see, with a couple of them, I wasn't able to screw them in completely.

 

Everything works this way, but I'm a little leery of these connections.

 

Thanks for any reply. 

 

 

That style banana plug is made for larger gauge wire.

 

You might try running the wire through the screw end and soldering it to a copper washer that will fit inside the barrel.

 

Or tin the wire after wrapping the exposed end with a strand of solid 22 gauge copper wire to make it larger.

 

FYI: I use these banana plugs and compression rings on all of my 10 and 12 gauge speaker cables. Bought them for $0.25 each when Stereo Studio closed in the late 80's and still have a few left. The stripped end of your wire goes into the compression ring, then you push the serrated end of the banana into the middle of the wire bundle and compress the ring. (I use a ratcheting tool that provides enough force to cold weld the ring, wire and pin together. Haven't had one fail yet.)

 

 

[zumbini 6,147]

These Monoprice banana plugs will handle wire as small as 18 gauge and as large as 10 gauge. They include copper sleeves for additional contact when using narrow gauge wire.

 

 

 

 

[paulbernard 0]

Thanks for your replies. I have no tools or equipment. I started out trying these (see pic), but I couldn't maneuver the tiny screws and the wire. So I went with the bigger plugs. (I'm all thumbs.)