POSITIVE VS NEGATIVE: Does Speaker Wiring Matter?

Does Speaker Polarity Matter? How Does Speaker Wiring Affect Sound Quality? Can speakers be damaged if you wire the positive and negative backwards? In this video, you'll learn what speaker polarity is and how it affects sound quality.

Need help setting up your speaker system? Check out these free resources I've created for you...

0:00 - Intro
0:06 - What is speaker polarity?
1:26 - How does polarity relate to a speaker?
2:12 - How does speaker polarity affect sound quality?

These speaker testers will not only allow you to test speaker polarity, but they also have signal generators to test that a speaker produces sound:
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Equipment Used To Make This Video:
- Computer: Slick Audio T2300
- Audio Interface: Universal Audio Apollo Twin MkII DUO
- Microphone: Shure KSM141
- Studio Monitors: JBL LSR308 (308P MkII)
- Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
- DAW: REAPER

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[AudioUniversity]

Need help setting up your speaker system? Check out these free resources I've created for you...

[godfreydaniel]

Many years ago an audio technician gave me what was a revolutionary clue - adding a third speaker to a stereo pair - wired from the positive output terminal of each, and placed behind the listener, in direct opposition to the stereo pair - created a third channel which reproduced everything in the source material that was recorded out of phase (and would otherwise be unheard), resulting in a VERY three-dimensional audio experience. I loved it and it usually blew friends and guests away. Worked best in a room longer than wide. Did my set-ups that way for years...

[sailr]

I have spent a hour trying to find out how to find the pos and neg post on speakers. My new speakers came with no papers. Thank you.

[JoeJ-]

Proper polarity also helps create proper soundstaging and imaging among a properly set up stereo PAIR of speakers while you're listening to them in their sweet spot.

However, unless you're really listening for it, or if you're not at all an "audiophile", and instead you only "listen" to music as "background fill" and you don't really pay attention to it, then you're probably NOT going to ever even notice OR care about any phase or polarity inversions among your speakers OR in the music played through them.

[AsBaile]

I did this some years go. I had a six-speaker setup: two in front, two in back and two speakers on top of each other in a corner facing the wall. For the corner speaker sets, I inverted the top speaker and the bottom one was wired normally. It really enhanced the overall audio experience, especially in low range frequencies. If you ever try this, the perfect song that bring this out is "Revolution Earth" by The B-52's. Part of the song is played out of phase and the corner speakers, with one wired out-of-phase, really makes that part of the song burst out. It is quite remarkable.

[dennisjoiner]

Hello Kyle. Your posts are very professional and helpful. I also appreciate that you have calm, understated intro instead of a crash/bang/boom one. Many thanks from a subscriber.

[warrenschultz]

Well that is the best video I have ever seen describing sound waves from a speaker and polarity...good job

[Chris-Ould]

I had a problem on stage where we had two floor monitors for the lead vocalist. She called me up and said something sounds strange. We ended up removing one of the floor monitors from the stage to continue the show. When I investigated the two monitors at home, I found one of them to have reversed polarity soldered that way from the factory ! I fixed the connection and on the next show the problem was solved.

[markdouglas]

And they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. You just taught me one. Subscribed.

[skng]

As a fellow audiophile I have known this for at least 40 years since reading about it in a magazine called Stereo Review back in the day.

[MitchellSandroYT]

I only could get it from this video from a couple of videos I have watched. I'm totally subscribed. Thanks.

[MD]

MAN, this is xcllnt. Been listening to music for 60yrs. (Maranta, JBL, tube amps) Never realized importance of polarity. Tq.

[ErichNolanBertussi]

well put slim. concise yet informative without missing detail.

[robertokenneth]

Nice job. I immediately checked my speaker connections!

[ASHWACREATIONS]

This is called proper education. Thanks bro

[cindycooper]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Because of your video I was able to figure out the positive vs negative on my subwoofer. I've been asking and asking these guys for help and I just got tired of waiting. Now I can figure this out without anybody's help. Thanks again I sure do appreciate it ;-) take care

[marguslehiste]

U learn something new every day, never paid atention on my speaker wiring, quess i have to go and check my wiring.

[VintageStereoCollectorChannel]

I knew what to do and check for but I never knew why. Now I do and am grateful for another one of your excellent presentations👍👍

[Zickcermacity]

Excellent explanation Kyle!

I would like some advice though, on how to stop people from using the term "phase" when referring to the wiring relationship between multiple speakers.

Phase can have an infinite range of values. Polarity has only two: In or Out

[webappzservices]

Simple, straight-forward and precise! ... your videos are always useful Kyle. Thank you.