# Speaker wire



## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I am changing a speaker in my amp and when i unsolder it i got to check which wire was on Pos and neg.. There is a 1/4 guitar jack on one end and there is a solid black wire and the other is a black wire with a white strip down it.. which one would be Positive.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Striped, the speaker may show + and - on it too. + to tip, - to shank......although with only 1 speaker, I am not sure how much difference it will make. If more than one, then you run into them working in phase (I hope that there is someone with more knowledge can expand on this, I get a bit fuzzy on remembering some of the theory).


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

Thanks, i read were if you have it hooked right the speaker goes forward, if it is hooked backward it will suck inward..


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

That would be if you connected a DC source to it. Really, with one speaker, it's not a biggie....I've seen different speakers with coils wound in either direction. It depends on the manufacturer but they all work just fine. Remember either way, the cone will go forward and backward regardless of the phase 



Rick31797 said:


> Thanks, i read were if you have it hooked right the speaker goes forward, if it is hooked backward it will suck inward..


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

OK THANKS, for the help...


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Rick31797 said:


> Thanks, i read were if you have it hooked right the speaker goes forward, if it is hooked backward it will suck inward..





nonreverb said:


> That would be if you connected a DC source to it. Really, with one speaker, it's not a biggie....I've seen different speakers with coils wound in either direction. It depends on the manufacturer but they all work just fine. Remember either way, the cone will go forward and backward regardless of the phase


That's to check if multiple drivers are in phase with one another. Doing home theatre installs, we used to use batteries to check to make sure everything was in phase before finalizing an install. It sounds like crap when you have drivers out of phase with one another, but with just one driver, it doesn't make any difference.


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## Fader (Mar 10, 2009)

hollowbody said:


> That's to check if multiple drivers are in phase with one another. Doing home theatre installs, we used to use batteries to check to make sure everything was in phase before finalizing an install. It sounds like crap when you have drivers out of phase with one another, but with just one driver, it doesn't make any difference.


Hollowbody is 100% correct. If the polarity didn't matter, why would the manufacturer go to the expense to mark the terminals at all? Take the time to make sure your speaker is wired correctly.


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