Can Crossing Wires Damage Speakers?

 

New member
Username: Manasta

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-05
I purchased a new pair of speakers (Kicker 6X8's) to replace the factory ones in my 2005 F-150. Rather that purchasing an adapter harness to connect the wires to the speakers, I cut off the existing adapters and hard-wired the speakers.

The speakers sounded terrrible and nothing like the display models in the store. I tried reconnecting the wires, switching the terminals they were connected to, but the sound was the same (worse sounding that the original factory speakers).

I went back to the store that sold me the speakers and the salesman said I probably ruined the speakers by connecting the wires the wrong way. I never heard of this before. I can understand a possible phasing problem by connecting the wires incorrectly, but shouldn't the speakers handle the factory supplied power from the stereo system just fine, regardless of which way the wires are connected to the posts?

Did I really ruin the speakers or is the saleman giving me a line of bull?
 

Silver Member
Username: N2audio

Lawrence, Ks USA

Post Number: 150
Registered: Mar-04
it's just a coil of wire. You didn't do anything that's detrimental to the speaker, but it WILL sound like garbage until you get the polarity of each speaker correct.

Sounds like the sales rep would just rather not deal with you, or has no idea what reversing polarity means, and how it effects a speaker. Probably both.
 

Bronze Member
Username: 420pimp

Post Number: 67
Registered: Dec-05
optidriven what is polarity how do you reverse it and how the hell do you figure out if it's right?
 

Silver Member
Username: N2audio

Lawrence, Ks USA

Post Number: 159
Registered: Mar-04
polarity just refers to the +/- of the speaker. You just have to look at each speaker output of the amp see what wire is (+) and what is (-), and make sure they're connected correctly to the speaker. If one is wrong it can make everything sound awful, but it's not going to damage anything.
 

Silver Member
Username: Scubasteve

College Park, MD

Post Number: 831
Registered: May-05
Joe, a lot of the time, stock receivers are designed to work best with the factory speakers. You will get better results from your kicker speakers by replacing the HU. If they sounded nothing like they sounded in the store, this is probably because in the store they are securely mounted to rigid baffles at ear level and are not obsured by plastic door panels and grills. Also, there is no engine or road noise in store listening rooms.
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