Speaker phenomenon

[johngalt47]

I thought that if I wired one of my speakers out of phase with the other one and set them so the woofers faced each other very closely together I would not hear anything.

However, it turned out to be louder than I expected.

I assume this is because either the drivers are not identical, the boxes are not identical or both. Any other reasons?

[ReissM]

I thought that if I wired one of my speakers out of phase with the other one and set them so the woofers faced each other very closely together I would not hear anything.

However, it turned out to be louder than I expected.

I assume this is because either the drivers are not identical, the boxes are not identical or both. Any other reasons?

The answer is related to the wavelengths being produced. You should notice that the bass frequencies will somewhat cancel,(not 100% though). If you unplug one of the two speakers, the bass should actually INCREASE because there will no longer be two woofers in opposite polarity.

The mids and highs will experience massive constructive and destructive interference with the end result being a bunch of oddly EQ'd sound coming from the two speakers.

So in summary, don't expect the sound from two speakers (opposite polarity) to totally cancel... it will sound a bit odd though. Try separating the two speakers instead of placing them next to each other... this will produce a diffuse, unusual sounding result instead of a clearly defined "center" image between the two speakers.

[johngalt47]

I was doing this to "break in" the drivers. I was playing a constant frequency through them (don't remember exactly what at the moment).

That is why I thought it was weird.

[Whitneyville1]

Speakers and your amp(s) aren't quite THAT perfect. Even two lasers 1/2 wavelength off pointed at each other won't PERFECTLY null each other out, even though Einie and Bors and others said they SHOULD. That nasty air inbetween them upsets things. Speakers don't convert 100% of electrical impulses into sound...some is converted into heat. Heat+heat doesn't =cold Even though Kelvin and (who?) Carrier made it do it, it's not a perfect process.(See why normal people won't play "Trivial Pursuit" with me?)
"What future Admiral was almost kicked out of Annapolis on his Graduation Night while the U.S.S. New York's Orchestra Played the "1812 Overture" and for what? Midshipman Nimitz was firing the 12" rifles of the brand new Arizona from the Chesapeake Bay into the Potomac River and didn't correct for the cooling of the air at night and the shells knocked down the bandstand and all the decorations and made all the dignitaries and guests flatten on the ground, so in disgrace, he was assigned to the least desirable duty in the Navy at that time: The Naval Air Fleet Arm as one of three officers and 5 enlisted men.- Lt.Cmd.Samuel Elliot Morrison, "The Two-Ocean War"-1947 USN

[johngalt47]

Now that was funny!