Inverting subs...

[Snow]

I couldn't agree more, this thread is full of it.

x2 or 3.

[kx519]

What would the problem with subs that are out of phase be? (and I mean out of phase with the rest of the system, not subs out of phase with each other). Can you hear a phase difference between a sub and a tweeter or does it only have an effect between bass and mid-bass?

To put it simply, you will get a wah-wah effect.

[finkster]

The point of inverting a speaker has to do with phase issues only....

Of course when hooking up multiple subs we wire ones inverted opposite as ones mounted regularly. But the point of a speaker is to reproduce whatever is recorded accurately. This totally depends on how it was recorded. If something is accidentally recorded in opposite phase, then technically speakers not wired the same way will not be in "absolute phase." That is, the speaker isnt moving in and out when it is supposed to....

but to the OP....USUALLY we want the sound wave to come toward us first rather that away from us. That is how music is usually recorded, but this is not always the case.

[kx519]

The point of inverting a speaker has to do with phase issues only....

Of course when hooking up multiple subs we wire ones inverted opposite as ones mounted regularly. But the point of a speaker is to reproduce whatever is recorded accurately. This totally depends on how it was recorded. If something is accidentally recorded in opposite phase, then technically speakers not wired the same way will not be in "absolute phase." That is, the speaker isnt moving in and out when it is supposed to....

but to the OP....USUALLY we want the sound wave to come toward us first rather that away from us. That is how music is usually recorded, but this is not always the case.

So what he is saying is:

An inverted sub wired normally will push into the box (away from you) first.

So you reverse the wiring to make the sub pull out of the box first to keep it in phase with the rest of your stereo.

[finkster]

Yes. But it depends on listening position as well obviously....should have mentioned that in my post above.

Its pretty difficult to understand. I need to read up more on SQ tuning and things of that nature.

[Nirvalica]

Yes. But it depends on listening position as well obviously....should have mentioned that in my post above.

Its pretty difficult to understand. I need to read up more on SQ tuning and things of that nature.

I think you are confusing time alignment and phase shift.

[finkster]

no, im aware of both. Is it because i mentioned sq? lol

Maybe i should say sound engineering instead.

although I am assuming the average sq guru knows more about this type of stuff than the average car audio person....

[STEvil]

Here, lets make it really simple assuming 1 amp and 1 or 2 subs:

1 sub mounted normal: Wire it normally.

1 sub mounted inverted: Wire it backwards OR use the 180 degree switch on the amp OR on the headunit. (not all of these options at the same time)

1 sub normal and one inverted: Wire the inverted sub backwards.

2 subs inverted: Wire both of them backwards OR use the 180 degree switch on the amp OR on the headunit (not all of these options at the same time)

That is the basics. Anything else requires more equipment than the standard HU or amplifier have. Not doing the above will cause phase issues primarily which will cancel out frequencies dependent upon the tuning and layout of your system.

[Boon]

So much fail in this thread...

People saying you will have cancellation if you even wire a single sub backwards (or don't wire a single inverted sub backwards...) - what if the path length between the subwoofer and the listening position is half a wavelength resulting in the wave arriving 180 degrees through the phase from when it left? This is entirely feasible in a car... what if the wave it's supposed to be cancelling out (or not) also has a path length... this is what time alignment and phase shift is for. Some cars sound better if you set the sub to 180 degree phase. Some sound worse. There is no set rule.

The only rule to wiring with inverted subs is that if one is inverted and one isn't you must wire ONE of the subs with reversed polarity. The polarity with regards to the rest of your system isn't critical - one way may or may not sound better than others. To all you people worrying about maintaining perfect phase... did you ever allow for the fact that you get 90 degrees of phase shift for every 6db of slope on your crossovers?

For the person saying the sub will 'mainly use free air' - you know a correctly functioning subwoofer will have as much excursion out of the basket as it does into it right? So you're displacing the same amount of air inside the box and outside it regardless of which way you mount the sub... either way, the cone still moves, say, 0.5" in and out of the box, you can essentially ignore the motor.