polarity of speakers

Archives of Posts to the NZ MX5 List back in 2005
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tim.maggie

polarity of speakers

Post by tim.maggie » Sun Nov 20, 2005 3:30 pm

Hi all, have just started installing a new pioneer stereo - have got the (mx5)
speaker wiring diagram but it doesnt seem to show which speaker wires are (+)
or (-). Anybody have an idea? Tim

ps some ideas on what to fill the rest of the stereo hole that is left with
would be useful too

black93
Tentative sideways sliding....
Tentative sideways sliding....
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun May 21, 2006 3:40 pm
Location: Northland

polarity of speakers

Post by black93 » Sun Nov 20, 2005 4:48 pm

GHi
I have just instaled a new stereo and got a tray from Repco in Whangarei
for $30 to fill the gap. It holds 3 cd's. there is still a small gap
that I will put a piece of black plastic in.

Terry

tim.maggie wrote:

[...]
2003 cerion silver 03 SG

zorruno
Black is the new black.
Black is the new black.
Posts: 601
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:20 pm
Location: An Eastern Beach

polarity of speakers

Post by zorruno » Sun Nov 20, 2005 5:29 pm

tim.maggie said on 11/20/2005 03:30 PM:
Hi all, have just started installing a new pioneer stereo - have got the
(mx5) speaker wiring diagram but it doesnt seem to show which speaker
wires are (+) or (-). Anybody have an idea? Tim
No you're right - it doesn't. Most people I've talked to tend to think
of the diagram as 'topmost wire' = +ve
http://www.mx5club.org.nz/downloads/spe ... diag_2.gif

So, firstly ensure you get the door speakers matching - I suggest the
red/grn cables (at the speakers) as +ve and get the headrest speakers
(if you like that sort of thing) matching. (btw, I always suggest
rewiring in series if using 4 Ohm aftermarket units)

and... I was going to type how to test for speaker polarity... but
google had done it already for me. It would be nice for someone who has
some polarity testing equipment to see if indeed the diagram is +ve for
'top wire' on all speakers...


http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=67
I cut and pasted the below from that site... in case the link changes
one day:


How to Check speaker polarity

"To make sure all your speakers are in phase, unhook the speaker you
want to test at the amp (both wires preferably). Using a 1.5 volt
battery (any size), touch the positive terminal of the battery to the
positive wire going to the speaker, then do the same for the negative
wire. Have a friend look at the speaker. If the speaker pops out, the
polarity is correct. If the speaker pops in, the speaker is hooked up
backwards (out of phase). To fix this, simply reverse the wires when
hooking the speaker back to the amplifier. A word of caution here: DO
NOT hold the battery power to the speaker for more than 1 second, all
you want to do is to see if it pops in or out. You will damage the
speaker if you hold constant power to it. Do not use a higher voltage.
Also, do not try this test on tweeters, you could fry the voice coils.
If there are crossovers with capacitors along the line, this test will
not work (capacitors block DC voltage). Bypass the caps momentarily.

A much more elegant and quicker way to do this is by using a
commercially available polarity checker, which uses a test CD. All you
have to do is pop the CD in the head unit and hold the polarity tester
in front of each speaker. The advantage here is that you can test for
absolute polarity of the system on all the speakers, including tweeters.
Polarity checkers are available from various companies such as Monster
Cable. Retail for the Monster Cable polarity checker is about $120.

Sometimes, when speakers are not mounted close to each other (i.e., mids
on the doors and tweeters up in the dash), reversing the polarity on
tweeters or mids makes the system sound better because it makes up for
phase differences due to distance. Try different combinations and see
what sounds better."
(z)

tim.maggie

polarity of speakers

Post by tim.maggie » Sun Nov 20, 2005 5:59 pm

Thanks very much zorruno, thats brilliant! Is there a particular reason why
you wire 4ohm headrest speakers in series? I will be replacing the standard
ones - would it be better to get 8ohm ones and wire them in parallel? Tim.

Robyn and Rich

polarity of speakers

Post by Robyn and Rich » Sun Nov 20, 2005 8:06 pm

Hi,,

We put a new stereo in recently... asked at Repco. and they had a
really neat kit,,, with all the connectors in for just about every
type of stereo... so just connected the plugs from the new one, into
where the old one was... just plugged it in and away it went...
No messy wiring. Sure made it simple.

Robyn n Rich..

89MX5 (white)...the ONLY way to travel.

zorruno
Black is the new black.
Black is the new black.
Posts: 601
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:20 pm
Location: An Eastern Beach

polarity of speakers

Post by zorruno » Sun Nov 20, 2005 8:54 pm

tim.maggie said on 11/20/2005 05:59 PM:
Thanks very much zorruno, thats brilliant! Is there a particular reason why
you wire 4ohm headrest speakers in series? I will be replacing the standard
ones - would it be better to get 8ohm ones and wire them in parallel? Tim.
I'd get 8 Ohm ones myself if you can find ones that fit. My comments on
series wired speakers in the past should be found here:

http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=howard ... lub.org.nz

cheers
zorruno
(z)

tim.maggie

polarity of speakers

Post by tim.maggie » Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:54 pm

MessageHi Robyn n Rich
Thanks for that advice, actually bought the stereo from repco and have been
back to them and ordered a fitting kit as well. Will now go back and get a
connector adaptor kit as well - might start living there! thanks Tim

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