LVJJJ

Finally replaced the front door speakers with a couple of good Pioneer 6 1/2", 4 ohm. I'm not sure I got the polarity right. I looked thru the archives and could not find any info on this.

After studying the stock speakers it was hard to tell which wires were positive. I assumed the darker green on the passenger side was positive, the lighter green neg.

On the Driver's side, it looked like the positive was grey.

Anybody know for sure which is which, or have a wiring diagram?

btw-it seems like everybody wants to put in an adaptor to close the speaker hole up completely. Not always necessary. As a bass player, I know that the best speaker cabinets are bass reflex. There is a hole or opening somewhere in the face plate that allows the air from the back push of the speaker to come out the front thus increasing the bass effect. Also keeps the speaker from fluttering. So, since the Pioneer spkrs had four extended tabs that allowed me to drill 4 screw holes without an adaptor, I just left the top and bottom openings unfilled. The bass sounds good. Didn't put any insulation behind them as the bass uses the door cavity as a bass enhancer.

donbrew

If you can't tell the difference in sound polarity doesn't make any difference.

LVJJJ

thanks donbrew. I see I do have the polarity reversed. I may even have them out of phase so I'll have to get back in there. The reason I'm concerned is that the left speaker is not as loud as the right. Also worried that with these delicate radios these days that the head may not like the way I've got it wired.

06HHRDUDE

Phase does not effect volume all that much, but bass hits pull the speaker IN when
hooked up wrong -vs- throws OUT. The muffled sound is due to the pulling in of
the speaker cone when polarity is reversed. Just a BASIC explanation... You lose
base because as one kicks out, the wrong one pulls in; thus out of phase.

LVJJJ

correct, been dealing with that concept for years as a bass player.

06HHRDUDE

That's incorrect. There are sample wave files out there where you can listen to the
difference when they are hooked up wrong. If BOTH are hooked up wrong, you
can't really tell, but if one is, you get no bass. There is a difference, but most
people don't know what they're listening for when they're hooked up wrong; like
mids and tweeters. Do a search on "speaker out of phase samples" and you
will hear it.

LVJJJ

my take on donbrew's comment was that if both were hooked up "wrong", but with the same polarity then it would be ok. That's the way I have it now. I guessed wrong which car wire was positive on both sides. Luckily I guessed wrong on both sides. If I'd got one right and the other wrong, then they would be out of phase. I couldn't find any markings on the stock speakers so had to guess.

I am going to get back in there and hook them up right, according to the wiring schematic provided by donbrew. Now I just have to wait for a sunny day, very rare where in Pacific NW. We've had over 6" of rain this month, about twice as much as normal.

Like I said, as a rock-n-roller bass player since 1965, I'm well aware what out of phase can do. Some speaker cabinets I used, had two 15" speakers in one cabinet. Getting them out of phase was very obvious. Probably would have tore up the speakers if I had left them out of phase, when turning the amp up to 11 (Spinal Tap). Probably why I'm hard of hearing, mainly can't hear female voices.

donbrew

If you can't tell the difference how can it be wrong? Personally, My ear is so bad speakers phased or not don't make a difference. Personal taste.

But, that is what I meant; if both are "wrong" then they are "phased".

06HHRDUDE

Phase and Polarity are different. Phase is when they're both hooked up the same, either
in polarity, or reverse polarity. However, both hooked up reverse, are still in phase,
but sound is not projected correctly.

High frequencies lose their focus when a speaker is miss-wired. This results in an "airy"
treble that causes the sound stage to sound larger (yet less defined) between the
speakers. Although some desire this, it is inaccurate in the strictest sense. Remember
that all drivers are effected by this, so this brand of high-frequency response also
comes with a poor imaging and thin bass penalty.

Reversed wiring causes dynamic stereo information to "collapse," making the music lose
much of its impact; the cones are pulled IN with sound, not pushed out to push sound.

Bass tones are generated in part by the pressurization of the air in the space
surrounding the speaker. When the signal is reverse polarity, the bass speaker moves in
when it should move out. Bass drum notes become virtually inaudible, and the music
loses its muscularity and impact in the process. You have no sound PRESSURE when
speakers are wired in reverse, even if they match. This is worse if a bass cabinet is not
ported.

While none of this is dangerous to a speaker or amplifier, proper power delivery and
speaker response is not possible with reversed speaker wires.

It boils down to: Do you want fixed "image" stereo? Or do you want musicians
"wandering around in space"? Polarity, or reverse.

donbrew

Like I said: if you can't tell the difference, it doesn't matter. I can't tell the difference, I have intentionally miswired speakers I cannot tell the difference. You evidently can, have at it.

Trouble hearing womens voices is not hearing damage, it means you're married.

However, I listen to audio books and I cannot comprehend the story when a woman is reading.