2003 Honda Civic Tweeters Polarity?

Flyin11 · 5th February 2008, 08:51 PM

I just purchased some tweeters to replace the factory ones on the doors in my 2003 Hoda Civic EX. I have looked at the factory tweeters before and noticed 2 wires connected to them and one is red and one is blue. I'd like to use these same wires or splice into them somewhere under a panel in the car instead of using new wire or re-running wire. I have looked on the internet and can't find anything that tells me what wire is + and - for the tweeter(s) (Not sure if they are the same color on the passenger door). Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks

Flyin11 · 6th February 2008, 11:51 AM

Well, if nobody knows, will a multi-meter work? Set it to AC, and have some music playing and touch the wires...then switch it around and touch them with the opposite leads and if you get a reading on one and not the other, then that would tell you which is positive and negative? I don't think you will get a reading through the positive probe on a negative wire....

zigzagflux · 6th February 2008, 01:55 PM

Unfortunately, tweeter polarity is not quite that simple. To do it right, you would need an RTA, and see how it adds or subtracts with the woofer.

In the absence of that, I would assume red is positive. When you get everything installed, play with the polarity and pick the one that sounds best.

I have experienced first hand that 'hearing' the difference in tweeter polarity is difficult, but the RTA is clear as a bell. Further, in a car with you in the driver's seat, you may prefer the opposite tweeter in reverse polarity (though this is a band aid).

Good Luck !

Flyin11 · 6th February 2008, 02:20 PM

I'm gonna probably end up upgrading all my front wiring now so this might not be a problem anymore. I was using the original factory wiring but after I did a test last night and smelt the smell again and it sounded like my front were sort of muddy like, I want to upgrade it to 16 awg so that I don't start a fire or something behind the headunit. Might try and do all that this weekend.

jol50 · 6th February 2008, 10:15 PM

If I can't find it on the net someplace, I look in a chiltons manual. Depends but some HU the negative will be ground you can check at rest, some are not.

5th February 2008, 08:51 PM	#1
Flyin11 diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2007	2003 Honda Civic Tweeters Polarity? I just purchased some tweeters to replace the factory ones on the doors in my 2003 Hoda Civic EX. I have looked at the factory tweeters before and noticed 2 wires connected to them and one is red and one is blue. I'd like to use these same wires or splice into them somewhere under a panel in the car instead of using new wire or re-running wire. I have looked on the internet and can't find anything that tells me what wire is + and - for the tweeter(s) (Not sure if they are the same color on the passenger door). Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks

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6th February 2008, 11:51 AM	#2
Flyin11 diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2007	Well, if nobody knows, will a multi-meter work? Set it to AC, and have some music playing and touch the wires...then switch it around and touch them with the opposite leads and if you get a reading on one and not the other, then that would tell you which is positive and negative? I don't think you will get a reading through the positive probe on a negative wire....

6th February 2008, 01:55 PM	#3
zigzagflux diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	Unfortunately, tweeter polarity is not quite that simple. To do it right, you would need an RTA, and see how it adds or subtracts with the woofer. In the absence of that, I would assume red is positive. When you get everything installed, play with the polarity and pick the one that sounds best. I have experienced first hand that 'hearing' the difference in tweeter polarity is difficult, but the RTA is clear as a bell. Further, in a car with you in the driver's seat, you may prefer the opposite tweeter in reverse polarity (though this is a band aid). Good Luck !

6th February 2008, 02:20 PM	#4
Flyin11 diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2007	I'm gonna probably end up upgrading all my front wiring now so this might not be a problem anymore. I was using the original factory wiring but after I did a test last night and smelt the smell again and it sounded like my front were sort of muddy like, I want to upgrade it to 16 awg so that I don't start a fire or something behind the headunit. Might try and do all that this weekend.

6th February 2008, 10:15 PM	#5
jol50 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007	If I can't find it on the net someplace, I look in a chiltons manual. Depends but some HU the negative will be ground you can check at rest, some are not.