I know what the difference sounds like on good speakers, but my speakers were stolen and I installed some cheap speakers in stock speaker locations. I can't really hear the difference at moderate volume so i do not know if the polarity is wrong. Its a 91 Si and the stock wire colors are different colors mainly red, yellow, gray and black and striped in all different colors. I can't hear the difference so should I turn it up louder or what's the next easiest way to tell?

 

easiest thing to do is hook the speakers up and put on a song with some bass...when the bass hits watch which way the speaker moves...If the cone is moving out your polarity is correct, if it is sucking in reverse your wires and you will be all good.

 

I found the best album, Bass Mekanik's 808 album. Hopefully the head unit has enough juice to push the cones.

 

Fade it left to right and see if there is more bass with just one speaker, or if there is more bass with both playing. If there is more with only one speaker, they are out of phase (polarity). If it sounds like there is more bass with both of them playing, they should be in phase.

A more scientific (and accurate) way would be to apply DC voltage to the speakers with a battery (9v, + from battery to + wire) behind the headunit and make sure they both pop outwards when the voltage is applied.

Or you can use a phase testing track and a phase tester (or the iPhone app )

 

Exactly as whizdumb this is the best way to check polarity and speaker positions

 

First, whizdumb is correct, [about "balancing" left/right/center].
Second, eviltwing35 is wrong, [just wrong].

Amplifier output is AC, it makes no diff. which way the left and right speakers are connected, as long as both are connected the same way, it is only a problem if one side is connected one way and the other side the other way, [out of phase] and whizdumb is correct, the easiest way to tell is to use the HUs balance control to go all the way left or right and back to center, when bass response is best when both speakers are on, [center] you are in phase, if out of phase, [bass is better when only left or right speaker is on] switch the wiring on one speaker, it makes no diff. which speaker you switch the wiring on. 94

The 9V batt. test only tells you which way the VC is wound, [top of VC/bottom of VC] handy to get phasing right when wiring and doing continuity test when you don't have a multimeter. 94