Determining the polarity of the speaker outputs on my amp.

pepsi · 5th November 2011, 11:49 PM

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to this forum but would like to pick your brains about how I can determine which of my amps speaker outputs are positive or negative as it is not labelled. I have made a "wallin impedance jig II" for measuring t/s paramaters with speaker workshop. will the jig and speaker workshop be able to help me with the amp problem? Is an impulse response test the correct test?

I'm trying to get my head around audio measurement.

Your help would be much appreciated.
Many thanks, Matt

jaycee · 6th November 2011, 01:13 AM

Open it, find the PSU power ground, and continuity test to the speaker terminals. The negative one will be the one that has continuity. Do this with the amp off and make sure the power supply capacitors are discharged!

You could probably also get away with not opening it and using the signal ground from one of the signal inputs, but thats less reliable.

If your amp is a bridged mode amp, forget it.

Francec · 6th November 2011, 01:21 AM

If the power lead has an earth pin, test for continuity between it and speaker outs.

pepsi · 6th November 2011, 12:48 PM

Hi Jaycee and Francec,

It's not a bridged amp so I'll try both your methods that don't involve opening it and hope they work before I open it. Many thanks!

5th November 2011, 11:49 PM	#1
pepsi diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Leicester, England	Determining the polarity of the speaker outputs on my amp. Hello Everyone, I'm new to this forum but would like to pick your brains about how I can determine which of my amps speaker outputs are positive or negative as it is not labelled. I have made a "wallin impedance jig II" for measuring t/s paramaters with speaker workshop. will the jig and speaker workshop be able to help me with the amp problem? Is an impulse response test the correct test? I'm trying to get my head around audio measurement. Your help would be much appreciated. Many thanks, Matt

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6th November 2011, 01:13 AM	#2
jaycee diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Norwich, UK	Open it, find the PSU power ground, and continuity test to the speaker terminals. The negative one will be the one that has continuity. Do this with the amp off and make sure the power supply capacitors are discharged! You could probably also get away with not opening it and using the signal ground from one of the signal inputs, but thats less reliable. If your amp is a bridged mode amp, forget it.

6th November 2011, 01:21 AM	#3
Francec Banned Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Port Melbourne, Australia	If the power lead has an earth pin, test for continuity between it and speaker outs.

6th November 2011, 12:48 PM	#4
pepsi diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Leicester, England	Hi Jaycee and Francec, It's not a bridged amp so I'll try both your methods that don't involve opening it and hope they work before I open it. Many thanks!

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