The Atari primal rage cabinet featured Atari CAGE: Total Immersion Audio.
This meant it had 4″ stereo speakers above the screen and a sub-woofer in the lower cabinet next to the coin doors. This was intended to give games more impact with the extra dynamic sound. That being said, since I was working with an empty cabinet, it did not have a CAGE chip and amplifier, only the speakers.
I would have to build/adapt something.
I started by finding a set of 2.1 computer audio speakers that had a decent amplifier.
I stripped the parts from both satellite speakers and from the sub-woofer.
I installed a power strip into the cabinet, to help distribute power to the various components.
This strip was wired directly into the distribution block in the back of the cabinet to allow for an external master switch.
In the image you can see the trim controls from the computer sub-woofer. The large knob controls the level of audio going to the sub, and the small knob controls the treble level.
Next I stripped the amplifier circuit from the sub. This amp will be used to power the sub and satellites that are in the CAGE system in the cabinet.
I drilled a 3×1″ slot directly under the left side of the board, this is where the connections for power, satellite controls, and audio in are.
One of the satellites had a master volume control on the speaker, It has been relocated to a hidden section of the marquee bezel.
I ran new wires from the control board to the satellites, and from the sub to the amp.
These wires will be loomed and secured to the case after all of the wiring is done.
Here’s a close up of the trim controls after wiring them.
At this point the audio system is functional, I can use the empty cabinet as a jukebox while I work on other components. It sounds quite clean.