Hi, I'm building a 3-way speaker system. Currently in the process of trial and error about the polarity. Actually, the crossover networks I used were taken from commercial speakers. There's a problem that I'm going to discuss for the following.
The original marks of polarity on crossover were as follows:
Tweeter: -
Midrange: +
Woofer: +
After having wired as original, I felt the sound didn't satisfy me, so I tried to swap the polarity of drivers in different ways. I found the sound of the high region right to my ears when tweeter and midrange were wired with the same polarity. And the low range right to my ears when woofer and midrange were in opposite polarity. And another result I found was the tweeter must be wired at + polarity, don't know the reasons why it's different from wiring at - too.
In brief, the configuration that makes the sound best to my ears was:
Tweeter: +
Midrange: +
Woofer: -
The question is I'm concerned about wiring woofer in - (negative) polarity as I have never seen any commercial speakers wire their woofer as such before. So, could anyone please suggest me the disadvantage of this wiring configuration? I'm afraid the problems may come later, such as the voice coil former hit with the magnet due to reversing its moving direction or anything else. Please suggest to me. Thank you in advance.
The original marks of polarity on crossover were as follows:
Tweeter: -
Midrange: +
Woofer: +
After having wired as original, I felt the sound didn't satisfy me, so I tried to swap the polarity of drivers in different ways. I found the sound of the high region right to my ears when tweeter and midrange were wired with the same polarity. And the low range right to my ears when woofer and midrange were in opposite polarity. And another result I found was the tweeter must be wired at + polarity, don't know the reasons why it's different from wiring at - too.
In brief, the configuration that makes the sound best to my ears was:
Tweeter: +
Midrange: +
Woofer: -
The question is I'm concerned about wiring woofer in - (negative) polarity as I have never seen any commercial speakers wire their woofer as such before. So, could anyone please suggest me the disadvantage of this wiring configuration? I'm afraid the problems may come later, such as the voice coil former hit with the magnet due to reversing its moving direction or anything else. Please suggest to me. Thank you in advance.
Random swithing the polarity will not get you to correct fr response and phase. Polarity depends on crossover slopes/steepness. Ideally you should measure both, fr response and phase to decide the polarity.
I start by measuring when only the midrange and tweeter are connected. In wrong polarity you will have a dip in crossover frequency, and phase shift. Once you correctly hook these, you move on the woofer...
I start by measuring when only the midrange and tweeter are connected. In wrong polarity you will have a dip in crossover frequency, and phase shift. Once you correctly hook these, you move on the woofer...
Polarity reversing is used on a driver or more to be in phase with the next connecting driver at the intended axis.
To reverse or not to reverse is depends on the final acoustical rolloffs of the drivers and their acoustical centers on the baffle and crossover in place. A commercial speaker's crossover probably works with the original drivers placed on the original baffle only. If you have big luck, you can find similar drivers that works, but it's very rare.
For drives other than the originals, none of the polarity may work properly and may need crossover adjusting or re-doing from the ground.
To reverse or not to reverse is depends on the final acoustical rolloffs of the drivers and their acoustical centers on the baffle and crossover in place. A commercial speaker's crossover probably works with the original drivers placed on the original baffle only. If you have big luck, you can find similar drivers that works, but it's very rare.
For drives other than the originals, none of the polarity may work properly and may need crossover adjusting or re-doing from the ground.
Yes, I agree. But I’d choose tweeter + for the first priority. Reason as describe above but don’t know why.
Presscot, my respect, you found a truth that is little known and widely overlooked. 
People with good ears indeed hear a difference when signal polarity is reversed. Therefore, the tweeter always should be + in order to get the first wave front right.
All those speakers with negative tweeter polarity actually are flawed. You don't want an explosion to sound like an implosion, don't you? 🙂
People with good ears indeed hear a difference when signal polarity is reversed. Therefore, the tweeter always should be + in order to get the first wave front right.
All those speakers with negative tweeter polarity actually are flawed. You don't want an explosion to sound like an implosion, don't you? 🙂
@Dissi
Now that is funny. I wonder what's going to happen here.
On the other side of the spectrum, if there is a big bass explosion that would kick back you, then if the woofer are connected with reversed polarity then you will be pulled towards the woofer??
Now that is funny. I wonder what's going to happen here.
On the other side of the spectrum, if there is a big bass explosion that would kick back you, then if the woofer are connected with reversed polarity then you will be pulled towards the woofer??
+1
No, energy from mid and woofer is much higher (than tweeter) and is the most important when determining whether it is explosion or implosion. But, when the tweeter crossover frequency is low, it is not so clear situation. For regular 3-way tweeter crossover is about 5 kHz, so the tweeter polarity is not important.