Greetings all! I have currently several different manufacturers represented in my HT setup (until I can get myself an Axiom "sweet" of speakers). I am curious if there is any (easy) way to check if all the speakers are in proper phase, or if it really makes a difference? I've observed the correct red/black color connections on both ends -- speakers and amplifier -- but with the different manufacturers, I'm wondering if there is a standard way to set the phase to the colors on the posts? Any ideas?
Thanks for your input.
There are test DVD's out there that let you test that.
If your speakers are out of phase, the sound will be very hard to localize.
I use the Avia HT DVD. I'm sure other members have some other free alternatives out there. Some DVD's have a THX optimizer on them.
If you have a copy of DVE (
Digital Video Essentials), it has a test that will show if your speakers are in phase. If you don't have it, and are interested, do a Google search and you can find it on the internet for up to $10 less than list price.
Thanks for the suggestion. Do I need a microphone somewhere in this setup?
Nope.
It's really easy to hear if they are in phase or not during the test.
When the speakers are in phase the sound is very directional. Out of phase, and the sound seems to come from everywhere. A bit disorienting. Very easy to tell by ear.
Yep. When the speakers are in phase, it sounds like the test signal is "in the middle" of whatever speakers you are checking. When the speakers are out of phase, it sounds as if the test signals are out beyond the speakers with a "hole in the middle".
Normally the test starts by checking that your mains are in phase, then tests other speakers against the mains, then confirms with a few other combinations like "just surrounds".
I guess I'm a little confused by your question, red is red, black is black, positive (+) is usually associated with red, and negative (-) associated with black. Just like the jumper terminals on a car battery.
I would not buy a Calibration CD, just to check for polarity, would be a waste of money. Speaker wire can also be purchased with a color strip on on side, so it is easy to make sure you have everything hooked up right.
there are phase tests on most dvd's that are THX ie starwars
I KNOW the wire is correct as far as polarity / phase goes. My point was, since the speakers come from different manufacturers, do they have a STANDARD way to mark the colors that will positively assure correct polarity throughout the 7 or 8 speakers? That's why I was looking for a test of sorts.
I'll have to check my Starwars dvds for the test mentioned in snakeyes post.
Though it's possible that a given manufacturer may mistakenly wire the terminals incorrectly, It is common practice that "red is positive and black is negative." I think you can, pretty much, count on that being the case with today's speakers.
Where is this test? What is it called? I didn't find anything on the SW3 DVDs that sounded likely. I've got to find where my son "hid" the others to see if I can find anything on them....
If the disc has the THX Optimizer, it usually can be found by going to the disc's main menu, and looking under "setup," or "languages," or some similar setting.
>>Though it's possible that a given manufacturer may mistakenly wire the terminals incorrectly, It is common practice that "red is positive and black is negative."
I guess the question is "what does positive mean in the context of a speaker ?". Cones go out ? Cones go in ?
In reply to:
I guess the question is "what does positive mean in the context of a speaker ?". Cones go out ? Cones go in ?
The cone moves out with "positive" voltage and in with "negative" voltage on any correctly wired speaker.
Just tested this to make sure my recollection is correct... with an Axiom 4.5" driver, a small paper cone full-range driver salvaged from a "boom box" and a speaker salvaged from a set of Altec-Lansing 2.1 computer speakers.
Bren R.
Thanks for the advice. I found a THX optimiser on Pirates of the Carribean, believe it or not. Running it, I actually found one of my speakers out of phase... (How embarassing!) That movie sounds awesome in DTS-ES!! You're right about the sound imaging, too. Thanks again!
>>Running it, I actually found one of my speakers out of phase... (How embarassing!)
Hey, that's why the tests are there. Glad you found it.
Did you notice a difference after fixing the phase ?
Yeah, I found a difference. Before running the THX optimizer, I ran the speaker noise tester on the receiver, and found that my surrounds were reversed. So that made a big difference in correcting the fuzzy location of fly-by sounds. Then, the phase correction kind of sharpened the focus.