determining driver polarity?

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dayneger

determining driver polarity?
« on: 25 Feb 2003, 11:46 am »
The answer to this is probably mind-numbingly simple, but I still have to ask. . . how do you determine the polarity of a driver?

My XO schematic shows + and - sides for both the tweeter and the woofer, yet I can't seem to find any markings on the drivers (Vifa ring radiator tweeter and Scan Speak super revelator 6.5" mid-bass) to indicate the polarity.

Does that mean that it doesn't matter, or that I'm truly missing something?

Thanks for the help!

WorldWind

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determining driver polarity?
« Reply #1 on: 25 Feb 2003, 04:30 pm »
I use a d cell battery and note the direction of the excursion.

JohnR

determining driver polarity?
« Reply #2 on: 25 Feb 2003, 06:50 pm »
... on the woofer, I'm not sure I would do that on the tweeter...

Is one spade larger than the other? I think usually the larger one is the positive. If all else fails, contact whoever you bought it off and ask them :-)

dayneger

determining driver polarity?
« Reply #3 on: 25 Feb 2003, 10:19 pm »
Worldwind, the battery trick worked for the woofer!  Very cool.  Thanks!

As per your advice, JohnR, I decided not to blow up my tweeter.  I kind of doubt you could see the X-movement anyway.  As for asking the guy I got them from, unfortunately that's the infamous Peter Thomsen of Acoustic Reality.

I was poking around in the early early days of Harmonic Discord just for kicks the other day and was amused to see how excited everyone was about Peter and his equipment back then, before he earned his "infamous" title :roll: