How to test speakers?

[84GNTTYPE]

The passenger side rear speaker in my car doesn't seem to be working properly. I was wondering if there was someway that I could test the wires going to the speaker so I would know if the problem was my wiring/head unit or if it is indeed a bad speaker.

Thanks

[Renthorin]

when I want to test a speaker I use a 1.5 volt battery "a,c,d".

Put the negative end of the battery to the negative lead of the speaker and the pos to the pos lead.

The cone will move out. If not, the speaker is no good. If cone moves in you have the leads reversed but same result.... speakers is functioning.

This has always worked for me in the past. May not prove if the speaker is 100% good but it will tell you if the leads are still connected to the voice coil.
Also a good way to tell which lead is pos and neg.

I never had it destroy a speaker. I have also plugged a 6x9 directly into a 120 volt wall outlet. It lasted for about 5 seconds and was the most god-awsful sound I ever heard :-)

[BlackBeauty]

If you want to check the wiring, just plug in a different speaker back there, if it plays, then the wiring is fine.

[TURBOV6]

Originally posted by 84GNTTYPE
The passenger side rear speaker in my car doesn't seem to be working properly.

what's wrong with it?

[84GNTTYPE]

It's very fuzzy sounding and it MUCH quieter than the driver's side speaker. You have to put your ear close just to tell that it is making noise.

[TURBOV6]

sounds like the surrond is shot

[Jarnutt]

i agree, either the surround is shot, or if its the factory radio, the attenuator inside the radio is bad. alot of delco radios have had this happen, where one or both speakers on one side are static in sound and quieter than the rest. just pop off the wires and throw another speaker on it to see if the sound changes.

[TURBOV6]

Originally posted by Jarnutt
the attenuator inside the radio is bad

The attenuator is the tuner side of the radio, if it were bad it will affect radio reception

[Jarnutt]

attenuation is the act of making sound quiter, or louder, thus, a volume knob. i didnt graduate Mobile Dynamics for nothing. check the MECP guide

[TURBOV6]

Originally posted by Jarnutt
attenuation is the act of making sound quiter, or louder, thus, a volume knob. i didnt graduate Mobile Dynamics for nothing. check the MECP guide

ahh.. that attenuator..my bad just get a can of contact cleaner that should do the job!

[Jarnutt]

Besides, after six years of working on car stereos, ive seen this problem a million times over, moslty GM. the contacts on the volume knob have been the cause for many people to believe speakers were blown.

[Jarnutt]

even easier on you, if it IS the factory radio, your local install bay, best buy, audio express, or circut city should have a MOUNTAIN of factory radios in a cabinet or under a toolbox. lord knows ours does. just ask them for one.

[TURBOV6]

Originally posted by Jarnutt
six years of working on car stereos

Ahh add 10 more years under my name, at my old job we had a in-house repair center that repairs you car stereo while you wait!

bad attenuator (variable resistor) usually have that scratching sound when the volume is being turned, a few squirts of contact cleaner and a few turns here and there usually fixes the job! Easy money....!