Sansui 2000x owners? Having some trouble

I really HATE the speaker terminals on the back of this receiver. Soooo frustrated troubleshooting my issues with connecting my speakers to them. I bought a couple of speaker cables that were pre terminated with banana plugs on both ends. I unscrewed the little screws on one end of the speaker cables to expose the bare copper strands. I twisted those copper strands to a point. Then I went to the back of the receiver and if anyone is familiar with how these terminals are you'll know that you have to push down on the corresponding tab there to open up a metal hole on the top which I assumed is where the copper strands go into so that's what i did. Here's a picture of how I had it hooked up Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet »

Even after I kept twisting the strands over and over to get it to as skinny as possible It still had trouble fitting into that metal hole and they just baarely got in there and I let go of the plastic tab and it locked the copper in there but was not very securely connected there. I did it for both left and right speaker cables under the SPEAKER A system. I tested it and at first I only heard sound of my left speaker but then after doing the process over again and fidgeting with the bare copper wire connections to the terminals, I was able to get sound out of both left and right speakers and it sounded GREAT! At that point I was only listening to the FM Tuner only though just to test it.

As soon as I tried to move one of my speakers to find a better position for it the copper ends of the speaker wire connected to the back of the Sansui popped out. I always knew that connection wasn't very secure so frustrated by that I tried to find another way to connect them back there and read that pin connectors were a good solution. I ordered some and grabbed my speaker wires, twisted the copper strands to a point again and screwed on some pin connectors. I inserted those into the speaker terminals at the back of the receiver and at first I could get just sound out of the left speaker but not the right but now even the left speaker is really distorted and cutting in and out. The weird thing about the right speaker terminals is I have the pin connectors inserted into the terminals as well if not better than the ones on the left terminals but somehow it's producing NO sound to the right speaker and I tested on both the Tuner and from my turntable.

I dont know what I should be doing or maybe I'm connecting these speakers all wrong to begin with. I can't find any guide on how to do it but I'm considering going back to bare wire but it is so hard to secure them into that small hole but at least I know I was getting sound out of both speakers that way. The only other option is to try the SPEAKER B system but that's even harder to reach to and I'm not sure if it's worth the effort or frustration at this point if I'm possibly going about this all wrong.

I know this is a lot but if anyone can help me on this it would end what is now becoming about a week of frustration and me not being able to listen to my wonderful records. If anyone needs to know the speaker cables are Sewell Silverbacks, the pin connectors are also Sewell and the speakers are Dynaco A25s.

Thanks

 

I'm not sure from the photo whether you are using those terminals correctly. Can't find a great picture but this one illustrates the basic idea. You push in on the plastic tab below the hole while inserting the bare wire end into the hole. Thick cables don't work well with these. Get some 16- or 18-gauge lamp cord at your local hardware store and it should fit fine.​

 

Hey thanks for the reply but that's not how mine look at all. I WISH the holes were that big and that's what I've been used to in the past... super easy. This is what the back looks like

 

They can't fit into those visible holes in the front at all even after you push the tab and even with the pin connectors. The only possible option is when you push the tab to put them through a hole that opens at the top like I showed above

 

Just tried to connect the right speaker wires in "bare wire" about as good as I think I could get them and about as good as I had them the first time around.....well I got sound now but for some reason now the sound is WEAK even with the volume knob turned all the way up. I'm starting to think something might be wrong with the receivers speaker terminals but it was sounding perfect the first time I hooked them up and if I hadn't moved the speakers without realizing the shortness of the spaeker wire I would have been fine. I'm going to try SPEAKER SYSTEM B (the other set of speaker terminals in the back of the Sansui) now

Again I'm still not sure I'm connecting these right. If anyone could chime in PLEASE DO

 

Try the 2000x with just headphones and see if you get sound, to verify the receiver is working properly. If thats ok, you can then try connecting it with speaker cables. It looks like the cable strands you're using need to be twisted more tightly to make them thin enough to fit inside the
small-size speaker terminals. Note: Always have the power OFF when putting in or removing cables- if the strands of those cables touch each other with power on, you will cause a short-circuit and likely fry the amp's power-out transistors, and the amp will be dead. (Some electrical-tape would help to prevent that).

I attached a few pics- I had some very cheap 24 gauge laying around (can be found at your local 99cent convenience store, for like... 3 bucks)... simply strip the end of the cable with a stripper and insert in the terminal, as you can see, #24 is quite thin and will fit easily. If that works, then the amp is good, and you can then see if you can get another set of cables that are a little thicker if you want, or if the sound seems fine, just use thin-wire cables.

 

I use 16 gauge speaker wire with my 2000X. No problem fitting them into those holes.

 

That's not correct. The speaker wire goes through the hole in front. Not from above as depicted here.

 

I have the original component connection sheet that came with the 2000X. In the diagram the speaker "lines" go from the speakers to the front holes, not above as your picture shows.

Edit, in fact there is a separate photo entitled "connecting to antenna and speaker terminals" that also confirms this.

 

Yep, Wally's right, through the holes. I don't even push the buttons back that far, a little less than halfway and it should be fine. I've had one of these for 15 years, zero problems.

 

Ok- they do fit directly thru the hole when you push down on the terminal. But even if you put them in thru the top, they will still stay in, and its really the same thing- the speaker cable strands makes contact with the metal tab.

 

Through the top they may make contact but properly through the hole they are locked in place. If the OP is going over the top it would stand to reason that he's having the problems he describes.

 

OP: relax and get your 2000X working properly. It's a kick-ass receiver and well worth whatever headaches you experience getting from here to there.

 

It will stay in place over the top unless you pull it out with your hand. But yes, thru the center-hole locks it in better. As I mentioned previously,
if he can twist the strands a bit tighter together, it should go in easier. Another idea is to coat the strands with some solder (if you have solder and an iron) to keep it from unraveling after its twisted, might help to fit inside better.

 

ps: Improving the Sansui 2000x Receiver Power Amp Section »

 

Very good information especially concerning the 2SC458LG transistors that must be replaced.

 

Thanks everyone!
I guess what threw me off is the first time I connected it the way I'm connecting it now I got great loud sound out of the speakers, it was just moving the speakers around made the copper strands pop out and I got frustrated by that so I thought the pin connectors would make a more secure connection but unfortunately was never able to get that sound again. What scares me is I think I definitely tried to connect the speakers while the receiver was turned on. That really sucks if I messed it up. I didn't realize there were speaker wires that thin that looks like what I'll need because the speaker wire I have now is way too thick to fit in that small hole no matter how much I twist it. However I did try to put the pin connector tip in there and I remember it not working at all....weird but I'll give it another shot.

I don't know why the headphone thing didn't occur to me I'm going to try that right now though

I bought this knowing it hadn't ever been serviced but was assured it sounded great....I was planning on getting it recapped down the road but if I fried the power out transistors like I'm afraid now I might have then oh boy....I guess it's a good thing I get paid next week.

 

I plugged my headphone in and no sound in the right ear. God damn it.

 

How much did you pay for it?

 

$170