# Help repairing old DIVA speakers



## GodsOtherHand (Jun 15, 2009)

So, i am trying to re-use some old speakers my dad bought when he was young ( around 20-25 years ago).

He bought it with an old tape recorder (this one: http://arch2.okr.ro/auctions.v3/700_700/2010/09/11/9/8/247363882-134215-700_700.jpg ) so it has a big jack, which cannot be used with anything.

i cut the wire and used a 3.5jack from an old pair of headphones, so that i could use them with my PC.

The problem is that the sound is very poor. Even if i turn the volume up, they still dont sound too loud. (when i was a little kid i remember them sounding preety loud)

I thought that they might be dusty, so i cleaned one of them up, but it didnt help. But i found something interesting: there is a yellow cylinder connecting the wired from the big speaker with the small speaker( you know how most speakers have a big "hole" and a small "hole").
Could this be something like a preamp and it's battery might be gone, and thats why the sound is so poor (the speakers dont get pluged in a powersource)?
On it, it says: REMIX c219 4μ7 k 100V- x0

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Also, if something i said is not clear, please tell me and i will try to be more precise. Ty for your time!


P.S. 
Power: 15 VA
Impedance : 4 Ohm
Also, the speakers sound ALOT better when connected to my old cassette/radio player.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

Memories are not the same over time. I'm sure you've seen a movie or two that you thought was just so great when you were young, and now it just looks cheesy and you can't understand why you thought it was so great. The same applies here. 

First, it's old tech. Second, it's tape. Tape degrades each time it is used. Not too mention this type of open reel was low quality when it was new....and now it's 20+ years old and been used countless times.

The device between the speakers is a resistor. It's used to filter the lower range frequencies from the tweeter. The large speaker plays the lower frequencies, the small speaker (tweeter) plays the high frequencies.

With that said, those units typically only have enough power to drive headphones. Test with different speakers or headphones.

And they make adapters to convert 1/4" jack to 3.5mm mini jack. Any electronics store will have them for a buck or two. It's also likely mono, not stereo.

For only $0.26 each when QTY 50+ purchased - 6.35mm (1/4 Inch) Mono Plug to 3.5mm Stereo Jack Adaptor - Gold Plated | 3.5mm <--> 6.35mm (1/4Inch) Adapters


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

It would be nice to see a picture of the back of both speakers.

I don't recall amplified speakers being made 20 or so years ago. But that means nothing.

Looking at the tape recorder, it has a built in Amp. Headphone out jack I would be between the pre amp and the amp (i.e. reduced output)

(I still have a nice/good reel to reel. Back in their day they were great)

BG


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Added: If you are taking the "signal" from the head phone jack, you need an amplifier for the speakers.

BG


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## GodsOtherHand (Jun 15, 2009)

do normal PC speakers have an amp built in? the ones u plug in the power source i mean.

because i was thinking of taking everything before the magnet from some crappy speakers i have from when i bought my pc that i never used, and connect it to the old diva speakers. Could that work?

attached photos of the old dive speakers (wooden one), the new speakers that are the donator (the grey ones), and the old jack that i cut off from the diva speakers.


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## yustr (Sep 27, 2004)

Just so we're clear:

The old wooden speakers have a plug that goes into the wall AND a set of wires that you converted to a mini-headphone jack. Correct? 

If that's correct then the speakers have an amplifier build in. There'd be no other reason to plug it in to house power but to drive an amp. But I don't see and volume adjustments on them so I doubt that's the case.

If that's not correct, you'll need an external amp and the one in your old PC speakers is not going to do it. I mean, you could try but I'd guess that its 5 watts which won't drive large speaker magnets.


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## GodsOtherHand (Jun 15, 2009)

the wooden speakers do NOT have an amp, they only take the "signal". No power at all.
That's why i was looking at using the PC speakers..

So, only way is to buy a 2x15 amp, right?


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## yustr (Sep 27, 2004)

There are any number of ways to power the speaker. Almost any stereo receiver will work. (There are always some available on Craigslist). All you'll need is Something Like This and then two runs of speaker wire from the out of the receiver to the speakers.


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