Keith M.

speaker polarity help!!!

I recently installed in-wall speaker jacks for my HT under construction, and they were not labeled on the back for (+) and (-).

I want to verify I guessed right when wiring it, by checking the polarity while I still have all the walls open, etc...

I have heard of a test that can be done with a battery, can anyone give me the actual steps to perform this test??

I have temporarily hooked speakers up to the wall jacks and run them into an old receiver, but simply swapping the cables I cant really distinguish a difference...

Thanks in advance...

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

My Equipment List
“A nice mid-fi system,” according to an audiophile acquaintance.

See my reviews
SVS SBS/SCS-01 5.0 Home Theater Speaker Ensemble / SVS SB12-Plus: The Mouse that Roars
Four Subwoofers Face Off: SVS PB10-ISD Takes On A Few Competitors / Mini Review: Yamaha YST-MS50 Computer Speakers

See my tech articles
On Minimal EQ, Target Levels, and a Hard-Knee House Curve / In-Wall Wiring for your Home Theater
A Comprehensive Guide to Splicing Speaker Wire / House Curve: What it is, why you need it, how to do it

Brian Bunge

I usually use a AA or AAA battery since I always seem to have them handy (like stealing one from a remote temporarily). I did this test today to check which speaker wire went to which of the surround speakers we installed. It also works for polarity too though!

Brian Bunge
RAD Home Theater

Rick_Brown

Alternatively, wire up your speakers and put them on the floor, facing each other a few inches apart. Play some bass-heavy music. Then switch the wires on ONE set of speaker terminals back and forth - they are in phase when you hear the strongest bass output.

I often use this method of double-checking phase ever since I bought a pair of speakers many years ago that had the terminals mis-labeled on one of them. Sounded terrible until I figured it out!

Keith M.

I ran the battery test last night (very cool) and determined the proper connections on the back of the wallplates...

BTW, These double banana wall plates were purchased from Parts Express. So if anyone orders them, I have now determined the (+) is always on the right of the connection blocks. You would think they would simply mark them as such, IDIOTS!!!


Wayne: My problem was not determining the +/- of the wire,
but the connections on the back of the wallplates...


Thanks for all the suggestions/help...