speaker polarity?

[Chris]

I've replaced the door speakers in my car, I used the orignal wiring due to
the fact I couldn't be bothered removing the whole door panel re-wiring etc
etc... but now when I connect it to my amp, I dont know which is + and -
..... does it matter? does the speakers function normally no matter which
way you connect them??

Prob a stupid question, but I want my speakers to sound as good as they
can..

Many thanks

[Andrew Chesters]

Post by Chris
I've replaced the door speakers in my car, I used the orignal wiring due to
the fact I couldn't be bothered removing the whole door panel re-wiring etc
etc... but now when I connect it to my amp, I dont know which is + and -
..... does it matter? does the speakers function normally no matter which
way you connect them??
Prob a stupid question, but I want my speakers to sound as good as they
can..
Many thanks

They will work whichever way you connect them, but you can get
interference and nulling if they are out-of-phase. A cheap multimeter
will help to find the correct core. Or just connect and see which gives
the best result! I'd guess it will be pretty obvious.

[In-Car Express]

Post by Chris
I've replaced the door speakers in my car, I used the orignal wiring due to
the fact I couldn't be bothered removing the whole door panel re-wiring etc
etc... but now when I connect it to my amp, I dont know which is + and -
..... does it matter? does the speakers function normally no matter which
way you connect them??

Connect an AA battery across the speaker cables momentarily. As you
hook it up, you'll get a pop from the speaker and the cone will move
in or out. When it moves out, you've got the polarity the right way
round.

Polarity is v.important. Speakers will quite happily work either way
as it's an AC signal they're running on anyway - but if you get left
and right out of phase, you'll get terrible bass response, and poor
imaging. Likewise, you can experience the same if left and right are
in phase, but the front and rear are out of phase.

Jon

[Marky]

Post by In-Car Express
Polarity is v.important. Speakers will quite happily work either way
as it's an AC signal they're running on anyway - but if you get left
and right out of phase, you'll get terrible bass response, and poor
imaging. Likewise, you can experience the same if left and right are
in phase, but the front and rear are out of phase.

Note that polarity is not the same a phase!

I just listen whilst switching the wires around until the bass comes up ,
but
the preferable way is to use a multimeter and check the wiring!

[DANA GEORGE]

The best and most accurate way to determine proper speaker terminal
polarity is with a simple 1.5VDC dry cell battery such as a AA, C or D cell.
Don't try this on tweeters but works great for all others.
Attach a test lead from the positive (+) battery tend or terminal to
one of the speaker's terminal posts, doesn't matter which one. Attach
another lead from the battery's (-) terminal to the other available speaker
terminal.
NOTE: The speaker cone should move outward if you have selected the
correct polaity. If the cone hardly moves or pulls back in rather than
moving outward you simply reverse the wires & try again.

Post by In-Car Express

Post by Chris
I've replaced the door speakers in my car, I used the orignal wiring due to
the fact I couldn't be bothered removing the whole door panel re-wiring etc
etc... but now when I connect it to my amp, I dont know which is + and -
..... does it matter? does the speakers function normally no matter which
way you connect them??

Connect an AA battery across the speaker cables momentarily. As you
hook it up, you'll get a pop from the speaker and the cone will move
in or out. When it moves out, you've got the polarity the right way
round.
Polarity is v.important. Speakers will quite happily work either way
as it's an AC signal they're running on anyway - but if you get left
and right out of phase, you'll get terrible bass response, and poor
imaging. Likewise, you can experience the same if left and right are
in phase, but the front and rear are out of phase.
Jon
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