out of phase?

[slick rick 10+ year member]

i have my cdt cl6x run off my 8500mp h/u. i noticed my left speaker plays but sounds muffled. you still hear mids but when i go to the right speaker it sounds much more crisp and loud. also when i fade to the back left speaker it plays as if there is no tweeter hooked to it, only mids. whereas the back right one when i do that plays just fine. any ideas on what the problem is and how to fix it?

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[xSomeguyx 10+ year member]

I'm sure there's easier ways to figure it out, but here's a surefire way to tackle the problem.

Get behind the speaker, and play music. Put a voltmeter across the speaker terminals, + to +, - to -. If you measure a negative voltage, then it's going the wrong way. If it's positive, you're good to go.

Another way to do it, is to take a DC battery, and put it across the leads that go back to your amp (or HU). Then, when the speaker is pushing outwards, you've got it lined up correctly (so that the wire on + is your positive, and the wire on the - is your negative).

There's probably easier ways... but hey, easy isn't nearly as fun!

 

[slick rick 10+ year member]

so if my 1 speaker is out of phase have i been damaging it by playing it loud for about a month? i cant even hear my back speakers so i just found this out.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Get behind the speaker, and play music. Put a voltmeter across the speaker terminals, + to +, - to -. If you measure a negative voltage, then it's going the wrong way. If it's positive, you're good to go.

There is no positive or negative voltage, it's AC. The battery method does work for wiring phase, but realtive phase based on pathlengths is much more important.

Slich Rick- Your problem is not a phasing issue. If it was, certain frequencies would be "flat" sounding, the problem would sound different depending on where your head was positioned in the car, and you would not be able to isolate the problem to one speaker. It sounds like either a speaker or install problem. Check the wires going to the tweet on the speaker that isn't playing highs.

 

[slick rick 10+ year member]

There is no positive or negative voltage, it's AC. The battery method does work for wiring phase, but realtive phase based on pathlengths is much more important.
Slich Rick- Your problem is not a phasing issue. If it was, certain frequencies would be "flat" sounding, the problem would sound different depending on where your head was positioned in the car, and you would not be able to isolate the problem to one speaker. It sounds like either a speaker or install problem. Check the wires going to the tweet on the speaker that isn't playing highs.

i was listening 2 each speaker today and the speaker may have not been mounted right and the tweeter may be facing another way then the other side. could this be why one does not seem as loud? its an imaging issue?

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

i was listening 2 each speaker today and the speaker may have not been mounted right and the tweeter may be facing another way then the other side. could this be why one does not seem as loud? its an imaging issue?

It is possible that you could have a problem with one tweeter being way off axis, yes. That will make it sound quieter and cause the high freqs to roll off sooner. Chances are that the tweet on the right side is pointed right at you while the tweet on the left side is facing forward into the dash and basically directly away from you.

 

[slick rick 10+ year member]

It is possible that you could have a problem with one tweeter being way off axis, yes. That will make it sound quieter and cause the high freqs to roll off sooner. Chances are that the tweet on the right side is pointed right at you while the tweet on the left side is facing forward into the dash and basically directly away from you.

these are my cl6x's run in the back. they are in the front of the door in the rear doors. so if my tweeter in the speaker is aimed towards me whereas the right side is aimed straight up, would this make the difference? but what i dont understand is when i use the fader and put it to the back left speaker it sounds as if there is no tweeter.