Re: Speaker wiring

["Mark L. Chang" <mchang@ece.nwu.edu>]

On Mon, 22 Nov 1999, Aleksander Mierzwa wrote:

> the same phase. Is there a simple test I can do to determine if the
> speakers are not out of phase? I don't have the wiring schematics for the

Yes, there is a simple test.  Remember, that a passive or active crossover
can also distort phase a little, but that's not your question.

You can take a small 1.5V AA battery and apply it (momentarily) to the
speaker wire in question.  Watch the direction the cone travels on your
speaker (ie. out or in).  Repeat on all other speakers.  Caveats:

1) Do NOT leave the battery connected for more than a few seconds.  Sure,
it's only 1.5V, but you will be fixing the cone at excursion, which I
don't think is too terribly wonderful (Huw?) for it.  At any rate, you
shouldn't need to either.

2) Make sure the orientation of the battery is the same with respect to
the wiring.  Ie. put the "plus" side of the battery on what _should_ be
the "plus" side of the speaker wire.

Best,
Mark

                               Serious error.
                               All shortcuts have disappeared.
                               Screen. Mind. Both are blank.
                               -- Ian Hughes