What exactly does it mean for speakers to be "out of phase?" I know the acoustic explanation, but what on the electronics end causes speakers to be out of phase?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
out of phase?
- Thread starter Execut1ve
- Start date
When two speakers are out of phase, the current is going the wrong way on one of 'em, so you'd have to turn the cab backwards. It's the only solution.
Let's say there are two identical speakers connected to the same power amp. The output on the amp has two binding posts, one red (+) and one black (-).
If you connect one speaker so the red post on the amp is wired to the red (+) terminal on the speaker and connect the other speaker so the red post on the amp is wired to the black (-) terminal, the speakers will be wired out of phase. In other words, the polarity of the second speaker will be reversed, relative to the first speaker.
The result will be that the two speakers will constantly be moving in opposite directions. When one moves out, the other one will move in. The end result will be no bass.
Hope this helps.
If you connect one speaker so the red post on the amp is wired to the red (+) terminal on the speaker and connect the other speaker so the red post on the amp is wired to the black (-) terminal, the speakers will be wired out of phase. In other words, the polarity of the second speaker will be reversed, relative to the first speaker.
The result will be that the two speakers will constantly be moving in opposite directions. When one moves out, the other one will move in. The end result will be no bass.
Hope this helps.
so two speakers can only be out of phase by exactly 180 degrees? sorry, overanalytical physicist here, in the wide world of physics "out of phase" has a lot of meanings 
no, I'm pretty sure in general even 1 dimensional oscillators can be out of phase by all kinds of different things
so two speakers can only be out of phase by exactly 180 degrees? sorry, overanalytical physicist here, in the wide world of physics "out of phase" has a lot of meanings
Yes and no.
When people say 'out of phase' in this context they usually mean that one source has the polarity reversed. It's kind of an abuse of terminology but it's pretty standard.
You can have all sorts of fractional phase relationships for any number of other reasons. Unequal distances from multiple sources and the effects of filter networks are two common causes of phase issues.
right, the correct term for the backwards-wired situation is "reversed polarity", not "out of phase". everybody just says it wrong (like fender's pitch-changing "tremolo" bar and volume-changing "vibrato" channel")so two speakers can only be out of phase by exactly 180 degrees? sorry, overanalytical physicist here, in the wide world of physics "out of phase" has a lot of meanings
two or more speakers will be less or more out of phase all over the place at different frequencies depending on where you're standing.
hell, even one speaker will be less or more out of phase with itself depending on what frequency we're talking about and at what angle it is to you.
here's the motherlode thread on this subject from TGP, Invalid Link Removed.
