how to tell of your sub os hooked up the right way? (1 Viewer)

[Bryan Michael]

i have my av15 and hooked them up and it looks like they are not going out but going in first. is this right. i have all +-+ and negitive hooked up right. is there any way to test if you have it hooked up right?

 

[ColinM]

Just follow the wires and understand parallel vs series.

As far as the in vs out, I have NO idea. That has no relevance as far as I know. It's all in the wiring, and if it's right, it's right.

 

[Jeremy Stockwell]

Bryan,

I believe the best way to know if you've got it hooked up right is to use an SPL meter to determine which phase setting gives you the most SPL's. Looking at the driver and trying to determine if it's going in or out at the correct time isn't the way to go.

JKS

 

[Paul Stiles]

I think it is supposed to be this way:

With a positive voltage applied to the "red" termial (relativet to the "black" terminal), the cone is supposed to move outward from the woofer frame.

To check the subwoofer alone, hook up a 9v battery to the woofer for a second or so and see which way the the cone moves. The 9v certainly won't hurt the subwoofer and leaving it hooked up for only a second or so will not seriously depleter the battery.

As to whether or not this is a suitable hookup in YOUR system depends on the rest of the system: if signal polarity happens in the drive circuitry of the main speakers, etc, and what phase shifts occur in the system, expecially at or near the crossover point between the main speakers and the subwoofer.

I would suggest reversing the leads to the subwoofer(s) and deciding which sounds better. In my case, the the "reversed" hookup sounded better.

Paul

 

[Chris Tsutsui]

Wouldn't the in/out order be a phase issue?

Just swapping the red/black leads would change whether the driver moved in or out first. You could also adjust the phase switch or dial on the amp.

The way I would test if it is hooked up right is to play a test tone like 80hz and adjust or switch the phase until it is loudest.

The goal is not to have the sub and mains cancel eachother out.

 

[Dave Milne]

Chris' approach with a test tone works well. It takes into account the whole signal chain.

However, selection of the test frequency can often change the results. When in doubt, use the crossover frequency between subs and mains. Better yet... measure the frequency response of the sub/main combination throughout the bass range from the listening position. Pick the polarity or phase adjustment setting that gives the flattest overall response.

Come to think of it, I suppose this is just a more scientific way of

reversing the leads to the subwoofer(s) and deciding which sounds better

 

[Bryan Michael]

i was told that a sub is ment to push out not pull in and that is what i am wondering. it looks like the sub is pulling in to me. thanks for all your adviec.

 

[Paul Stiles]

i was told that a sub is meant to push out not pull in and that is what i am wondering.

Any speaker driver does both, push out and pull in.

When the signal polarity is one way, the the driver will push out. When the signal polarity is the other way, it will pull in.

Beings audio signals (which includes music) are AC, (with insignificant or no DC content, normally), the driver will move both inward and outward from it's at rest position as it "plays the music".

Paul