H/K citation 11 and 12 - how to Connect?

S

Saibot N.

New Member
image.jpg Hi,

I apologize for this already now but I am newly diagnosed with hi-fi and I am a bit of a technical idiot. I just got a H/K citation 11 and 12 and wonder how I need to connect them? The 11 has a cable coming out that is open at the end with 4 cables. Red, white, black and green.
Please help me, I don’t mind if you laugh… I am…

kind regards,
Saibot
 
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This cable connects to the Citation 12 (or any other power amplifier) speaker output terminals. Green wire to Left +, Black wire to Left -, Red wire to Right + and White wire to Right -

You should download the user manuals from hifiengine.
 
ecluser said:
This cable connects to the Citation 12 (or any other power amplifier) speaker output terminals. Green wire to Left +, Black wire to Left -, Red wire to Right + and White wire to Right -

You should download the user manuals from hifiengine.
Click to expand...

hi, thank you.

I read somewhere (but didn’t understand if it was connected to this or not…) about using different ways of connecting to the speakers.
But if this connects to speaker out in the citation 12… where do I connect the speakers?

Hi-fiengine don’t take any new members :(
 
I don't know if it says this in the manual, but if you don't need the headphone jacks, and you don't need speaker switching, you can connect your speakers directly to the outputs on the amp and skip that cable entirely. You'll also avoid having to deal with the screw terminals on the preamp. But don't throw that interconnect cable out; they're pretty hard to find these days.
 
swechsler said:
I don't know if it says this in the manual, but if you don't need the headphone jacks, and you don't need speaker switching, you can connect your speakers directly to the outputs on the amp and skip that cable entirely. You'll also avoid having to deal with the screw terminals on the preamp. But don't throw that interconnect cable out; they're pretty hard to find these days.
Click to expand...
 
Hi,

thanks. Good to know about the cable, also that it is hard to come by. Mine seems to sit a bit loose in the connection but don’t know if that affects it or not. What is the cables called/referred to?
And I do like to use headphones so will use it…
 
As stated the Special Connecting Cable is usually missing from the 11 or the 11/12 combos people buy. Nice that you have it.

The cable is needed to power headphones in the 11
The cable is used to be able to use the speaker selector switches on the 11 and
The speakers connect to the barrier strips below the connector, one column for each set of speakers
The use of the cable is optional as many don't need headphones and with one set of speakers connect them to the amp
The use of the cable allows switching speakers off when using cans.
You can use the cable only for the headphones and connect the speakers to the amp but that will mean the speakers play all the time, less convenient.

This feature with the cable is a throwback to the amps in the cabinet of old mono and early stereo systems. Many preamps from the early 70s have this, most preamps from the late 70s and on do not have it. Amplifiers frequently added speaker switching for some companies.

Nice combo, enjoy.
 
I never used it when I ran an 11 in the 70s as a teen. I prefer wiring the speakers directly to amplifiers.
 
E-Stat said:
I never used it when I ran an 11 in the 70s as a teen. I prefer wiring the speakers directly to amplifiers.
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As do many. The cable has a purpose, making the headphone output work and it allows speaker switching but at a cost of using dinky wire, a connector, extra switches and junk in the signal path. Lack of use by many of us back then was one reason the feature disappeared.
 
Blue Shadow said:
As stated the Special Connecting Cable is usually missing from the 11 or the 11/12 combos people buy. Nice that you have it.

The cable is needed to power headphones in the 11
The cable is used to be able to use the speaker selector switches on the 11 and
The speakers connect to the barrier strips below the connector, one column for each set of speakers
The use of the cable is optional as many don't need headphones and with one set of speakers connect them to the amp
The use of the cable allows switching speakers off when using cans.
You can use the cable only for the headphones and connect the speakers to the amp but that will mean the speakers play all the time, less convenient.

This feature with the cable is a throwback to the amps in the cabinet of old mono and early stereo systems. Many preamps from the early 70s have this, most preamps from the late 70s and on do not have it. Amplifiers frequently added speaker switching for some companies.

Nice combo, enjoy.
Click to expand...

hi, thanks for your very informative reply - it is nice to get some context to the “special connecting cable”.

I guess that the reason people prefer not to use it is to avoid loss of sound quality via the extra step of connections.

Are there other ways of being able to still use headphones?
 
Saibot N. said:
Are there other ways of being able to still use headphones?
Click to expand...
You could get a headphone amp and use a tape output from the 11 to get the signal into the amp and then its separate volume control and all. you can run those high level cables 10-15' easily to position the headphone amp at the listening chair. If you use the second set of main outputs from the preamp the 11 will have the EQ, balance and such in the circuit and you will have two volume controls to work with.

I have a nice Millett Hybrid, using car audio tubes so it runs on safe voltages below 30V and it looks cool. Here it is without the aluminum cover.
 

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