If you plug in the home speakers backwards?

Question

Is this even possible to reverse the polarity? Would it cause a problem? The wires between the receiver and the speakers I mean.

Answer 1

The speaker would still work, but it would not be in phase with the others. When current is applied to the speaker, it energizes and electromagnet which repels a permanent magnet and pushes the cone outward. This cone movement creates a positive pressure wave of air, which travels throughout the air and is picked up by your ears. Now, if you connect a speaker backwards, then when the speaker system sends a positive signal, it will still make a sound. However, when the speaker system thinks it's transmitting a positive pulse, making the cone go outward (making a positive pressure wave), the cone will actually pull itself in toward the permanent magnet, making a negative pressure wave. This negative wave will actually cancel out any positive pressure waves in the air.



So, theoretically you could hook up all your speakers backwards and they would still be in phase, as long as they all change the air in the same way at the same time. But, when the system wants to sent a strong positive pulse (like a base drum) it will pull itself in, which isn't as loud as pushing out.

Answer 2

The polarity on speakers and speaker terminals ensures that the speakers are in phase with one another. That is, when one speaker cone (right, for example) is moving forward, the other one (left) is moving forward. If you switch the polarity of one of the speakers (either at the recever or at the speaker), when the right cone is moving forward, the left cone is moving backward. This causes a cancellation of the sound pressure developed by the speakers, resulting in lower output volume and an overall weak sound to the speakers.



When wiring speakers, you should always maintain the correct polarity of the connections. Speaker wire always has some kind of designation between the two leads. Sometimes it's a different color jacket (red and black), or it's a different color conductor (brass or silver), or some kind of indication on the jacket (one side has ridges or some printing on it).



The speaker terminals at the receiver and the speakers should have some designation as well. This might be a + for one side and a - for the other, one is black and one is red, etc. Just make sure you always hook up the positive output terminal on the receiver to the positive input terminal on the speaker. I always make red the + color and black the - color. If the wire jacket is printed or ridged, I also designate this to be the + wire. So, you would always have the + or red terminals going through the red, brass, or printed/ridged wire, to the + or red terminal on the speaker.



That way, your speakers will always be wired in phase and you'll get the best sound from them.

Answer 3

I have both accidentally and also on purpose reversed the wiring on stereo and surround speaker systems.



This definitely will not cause any physical damage to any component within the audio system. As far as my recent employment hearing test indicated, I have as close to perfect hearing as can be expected, and reversing speaker polarity affords very minor undetectable changes in sounds as far as I can notice.



Perhaps from an audio expert point of view, reversing polarity detracts from the audible precision of the original recording, however, the average listener will notice minimal difference.

Answer 4

IMO, this is an academic question. I've connected up my system countless times as well as others, and degradation of sound I have never heard or experienced. I suppose you should be attentive, but it's not a major thing to get in a sweat about if your speaker wire +/- is not easily distinguishable.