# i'm confused on speaker calibration



## nineballg (Jan 19, 2008)

hi all, i'm trying to balance my frequencies at the cross over point from my sub and other 5 channels. it seems to me that each channel has a different phase preference. heres what i mean:

im using a radio shack spl meter and a manual eq with sliders. im using 100hz as my crossover point. 
heres where im confused, my subwoofer has a phase switch 0-180 degrees. when i check the frequencies of 80-120 hz with the left front channel and the subwoofer at 0 degrees, these frequencies (80-120hz) are way to high. does this mean that the phase is correct and im not getting any cancellation. when i switch it to 180 degrees the 80-120hz range are all lower, so it seems like i have cancellation...is this the wrong phase?

my next nightmare is that when i check the center channel. the phase is the opposite. if there was more bass at 0 degrees for the left channel, the center channel reads less bass at 80-120hz (0 degree) ...meaning that the phase is different for the center channel? 

im not clear if each channel prefers a different phase or are they all universal. my positives and negatives are all wired properly to the speakers. if each speaker has a different phase preference, do i need to switch the negative and positive speaker wires on the back of the speaker so they all read more bass at the 80-120hz range? is that harmful to switch pos and neg like that. 

help,help,help?


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## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

Hi Mike-
Best bet for setting the phase is to run a sweep with REW that ranges from at least a full octave below the crossover to at least a full octave above... in your case that means at least 50Hz -200Hz... then you pick the setting that makes the smoothest curve. If this is different for the mains vs the center, it's possible your center is reverse wired, so double check that.


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