OE Speaker wire question

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Rockrz
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OE Speaker wire question

Post by Rockrz »

OK, so I'm installing my new Cal-Vu mirrors this afternoon and while I have the door panels off I decided to go ahead and install my new door speakers...but me ran into a snag.

I need to know which wire is the positive, and which is negative
One wire is dark blue, the other is light blue.

Then, on my new Pioneer speakers...they aren't marked like they used to mark them back in the old days with a + (positive) and a - (negative), so I don't know what the wide side is, or the narrow side is in terms of being positive or negative.

Anybody know about any of this off hand???
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Post by green02crew »

In theory, it shouldn't matter all that much. If you plug them in and sound comes out its right. They can even be reversed and it usually won't make a difference.
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Post by Rockrz »

Well, I was doing some research and it seems that they have these nifty wiring adapters that solve the problem.

Hopefully one of the local install places will have these.
I'll go check tomorrow so maybe I won't have to splice it old skool

It appears that the white wire is the wide one, and
the black wire is the narrow one.

Here's the adapter I found:
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Last edited by Rockrz on Sun Nov 02, 2008 6:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Rockrz »

green02crew wrote:In theory, it shouldn't matter all that much. If you plug them in and sound comes out its right. They can even be reversed and it usually won't make a difference.
I've known a few guys over the years that were major audiophiles and they claim it does make a big difference in sound quality.

At least with these adapters I can see which side goes where if I have to cut the wires and use a connector.

Hopefully I'll be able to find these adapters locally.
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Re: OE Speaker wire question

Post by HenryJ »

Rockrz wrote:I need to know which wire is the positive, and which is negative
One wire is dark blue, the other is light blue.
LF door: BLK + , YEL -
LR door: BRN + , YEL -
RF door: LT GRN + , PPL -
RR door: DK BLU + , LT BLU -

While there may be variations on location color codes the polarities and pairing remain the same.

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Rockrz
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Post by Rockrz »

So, as far as connecting to my new speaker...

The wide side is positive, and
narrow side is negative.

Judging by the adapter, this should be correct.
Does this sound right?
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Post by Horsehammerr »

This Wide and Narrow language is GREEK to me. :roll:
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Post by blks10 »

Rockrz wrote:So, as far as connecting to my new speaker...

The wide side is positive, and
narrow side is negative.

Judging by the adapter, this should be correct.
Does this sound right?
That sounds right. I am surprised that pioneer did not included those harnesses. When I replaced mine, they had those in the box
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Post by Rockrz »

blks10 wrote:That sounds right. I am surprised that pioneer did not included those harnesses. When I replaced mine, they had those in the box
Not all vehicles would take the same adapter, so I don't see how they could possibly know what to put in the box unless they knew which vehicle they were going to be installed in.
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Post by AZS10Crew »

The polarity of the connection does make a difference...maybe not a huge one in smaller, relatively low power door speakers...but it is still noticeable. Especially if one door is right and the other door is reversed. The sound from one side will be out of phase with the other so that the sound waves created will cancel each other out.

I had some subs in my truck once where one was correct and the other was flipped. When I'd turn it up it wouldn't seem all that loud and the rearview mirror wouldn't shake at all. But when I'd change the balance to all left or all right, the sound level returned and the rearview mirror shook like crazy. Flipped one of the wires and all was well again.
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Post by Rockrz »

AZS10Crew wrote:But when I'd change the balance to all left or all right, the sound level returned and the rearview mirror shook like crazy
Wow! That musta been one heckava redneck sound system! :shock:

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Post by AZS10Crew »

Just a pair of 12" Rockford Fosgate subs behind the seat of a regular cab S-10 with 400W per channel. :D

That was only half of what I used to have back when I was in college. Those 12's for a time were mounted in the bed of the same S-10 in a custom box that took up half the bed. I had a topper connected to the cab with a rubber boot for pass-through. I also had 2-10" MTX subs behind the seat with 200W per channel...for a total of 1200W at full power. It would bounce quarters on the roof and set off car alarms when turned up loud. 8)

Oh to be young and dumb and have your parent's money to spend again. :wink:
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Post by Rockrz »

AZS10Crew wrote:Oh to be young and dumb and have your parent's money to spend again. :wink:
Not to mention having good hearing again :lol:
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Post by AZS10Crew »

Rockrz wrote:
AZS10Crew wrote:Oh to be young and dumb and have your parent's money to spend again. :wink:
Not to mention having good hearing again :lol:
What? :mrgreen:
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Post by Rockrz »

Rockin' on...

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Post by Walt »

AZS10Crew wrote:The polarity of the connection does make a difference...maybe not a huge one in smaller, relatively low power door speakers...but it is still noticeable. Especially if one door is right and the other door is reversed. The sound from one side will be out of phase with the other so that the sound waves created will cancel each other out.
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