C5 door speaker replacement warning.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver B.C.
C5 door speaker replacement warning.
After I installed an aftermarket HU, using a Soundgate GMCVR2 adapter I changed my Bose 3.5" door twiddlers for Boston S35 coaxials. Since the connectors were compatible with the new speakers I just plugged them in put everything back together and figured I was done - not so fast Jack:
Put this in the "never take anything for granted" column; the C5 Bose 3.5 twiddlers do have the standard narrow/wide spade connectors - BUT the polarity is reversed from other aftermarket speakers, at least from the Boston Acoustics, so my new door speakers are out of phase with the rest of the speakers. the Bose connectors are narrow=positve, whereas the Bostons, and I assume most others are wide=positive so they are not "plug and play". I discovered this after I put everything back together and happened to look carefully at the Bose speakers I had removed. Now I need to get new female spades, take everything apart, reverse the connectors and do over. Hope I can save someone else this grief.
Put this in the "never take anything for granted" column; the C5 Bose 3.5 twiddlers do have the standard narrow/wide spade connectors - BUT the polarity is reversed from other aftermarket speakers, at least from the Boston Acoustics, so my new door speakers are out of phase with the rest of the speakers. the Bose connectors are narrow=positve, whereas the Bostons, and I assume most others are wide=positive so they are not "plug and play". I discovered this after I put everything back together and happened to look carefully at the Bose speakers I had removed. Now I need to get new female spades, take everything apart, reverse the connectors and do over. Hope I can save someone else this grief.
Last edited by jornahow; Aug 14, 2008 at 12:33 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver B.C.
Buy
Other
Sound
Equipment
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver B.C.
I tested the phase of the speakers with an AA battery (when you apply voltage to the speaker terminals the cone moves in, or out depending on polarity. 3.5 Speaker just mounts in stock location where Bose twiddler was. If you have a C6 you can get a speaker wire harness adapter from Circuit City, Part #DW-4568SH that will let you plug them in without changing factory connectors (also works for the rear C5 speakers).
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,149
Likes: 6
From: NCCO Oklahoma
Using a battery is a good quick way to do it. Just use the + or - as a reference point for outward or inward motion and go from there.
I test phase by listening to the speakers. In-phase stereo material should sound centered and focused. Out of phase sounds dispersed and hard to focus.
If you have a DVD with some audio test tracks, you can probably copy those tracks using your sound recorder on your PC, then burn them to some tracks on a CD. Play the CD tracks and you should be able to tell the difference between in-phase and out of phase.
Good luck.
Mark
I test phase by listening to the speakers. In-phase stereo material should sound centered and focused. Out of phase sounds dispersed and hard to focus.
If you have a DVD with some audio test tracks, you can probably copy those tracks using your sound recorder on your PC, then burn them to some tracks on a CD. Play the CD tracks and you should be able to tell the difference between in-phase and out of phase.
Good luck.
Mark
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 744
Likes: 0
From: WayTooCloseToNY Northeast PA
You guys are using 'phase' and 'polarity' interchangeably but they are not the same thing. Speakers are wired with the same or reversed 'polarity' while phase is a 360-degree issue that has more to do with time.
When wiring the speakers for polarity, all that matters is that they are the same to start with. Reversing the leads isn't relevant as long as both are done. From there, a 180-degree polarity change in one or the other might affect arrival time cohesion.
<off my soapbox>
When wiring the speakers for polarity, all that matters is that they are the same to start with. Reversing the leads isn't relevant as long as both are done. From there, a 180-degree polarity change in one or the other might affect arrival time cohesion.
<off my soapbox>
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver B.C.
You guys are using 'phase' and 'polarity' interchangeably but they are not the same thing. Speakers are wired with the same or reversed 'polarity' while phase is a 360-degree issue that has more to do with time.
When wiring the speakers for polarity, all that matters is that they are the same to start with. Reversing the leads isn't relevant as long as both are done. From there, a 180-degree polarity change in one or the other might affect arrival time cohesion.
<off my soapbox>
When wiring the speakers for polarity, all that matters is that they are the same to start with. Reversing the leads isn't relevant as long as both are done. From there, a 180-degree polarity change in one or the other might affect arrival time cohesion.
<off my soapbox>
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 744
Likes: 0
From: WayTooCloseToNY Northeast PA
They're already and always out of phase at some frequencies and to differing degrees due to path length differences. Reversing polarity simply changes how much that will be and can sometimes actually result in a desirable change if you have the testing hardware to see those changes.
