Skip to main content

Sound Test

SolvedVerified By Sound TestVerified By Sound Test

stereo sounds hollow like no center, speakers out of phase?

Ask By Lauren M.1,050 views

my two speakers sound kinda thin and hollow, vocals dont feel like they are in the middle. i rewired them last week. could they be out of phase

Brand
Klipsch
Model
R-41PM
Connection
Wired 3.5mm Jack
System
macOS
Browser
Safari 18
Sample Rate
48 kHz
Output Channels
2 channels
Stereo Phase And Surround SoundDesktop Speakers
Tool used in this discussionSpeaker TestStereo balance, phase and polarity across bass, mids and treble
Open Free Tool
Short Answer

Thin, hollow sound with a vague centre after rewiring points to reversed polarity on one speaker. Match red to red and black to black on both speakers and retest.

Verified By Sound TestVerified By Sound Test
Kriti Desai
Kriti DesaiAudio Team
Stereo Balance Auditor · 9+ years experience · Answered Oct 10, 2026

When one speaker is wired with reversed polarity, its cone moves out while the other moves in. Bass cancels, vocals lose their anchor in the middle and the sound feels hollow. It matches what you describe after a rewire.

The Speaker Test makes this easy to hear, since a centred test sound will feel wide and vague rather than solid between the two speakers.

Step By Step Fix
  1. Power everything off and check the two wires on each speaker terminal
  2. Confirm red goes to red and black to black on both the amplifier and the speaker, on the left and the right
  3. Look at the cable markings, a stripe or ridge on one wire must stay on the same terminal on both sides
  4. Play a mono centre sound in the Speaker Test and sit exactly between the speakers
  5. Bass should now feel stronger and the voice should sound centred
Sources
  1. W3C Web Audio API

Checked by Imogen Blake on . How we verify answers

Did this fix your problem?
Was this answer helpful?
Share this discussion

Community Replies 3

  • Dustin ParkerCommunity Member

    sounds like one speaker is wired backwards. swap the red and black on just one and see

  • Kevin AndersonCommunity Member

    yep thats out of phase, i did the same thing years ago

  • Lucy ArmstrongCommunity Member

    Swapped the wires on one speaker and the hollow sound went away. A mono track in the Speaker Test should sit in the middle if the speakers are in phase.

Add Your Reply

Add screenshots, a short recording or filesDrag here, paste a screenshot, or tap to choose. Up to 2 files, 8 MB each. JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP, GIF, TXT, LOG, PDF, MP3, WAV, OGG, M4A, MP4, WEBM

Similar Discussions Other Listeners Started

Tools Mentioned In The Answer

Sound TestsLeft Right TestPlay one side at a time to catch a swapped or dead channel
Open Free Tool
Kriti Desai
Written and tested by

Kriti Desai

Stereo Balance Auditor at Sound Test

Kriti Desai is the Stereo Balance Auditor on the Sound Tester Audio Team. Dedicated to validating left-to-right channel panning balance and locating hardware wiring faults in mobile headphone jacks. Connects with global audio builders on Mastodon and LinkedIn. On Sound Tester she answers one-sided audio, balance and speaker polarity discussions, and checks headphone jacks and wiring with the Left Right Test.

Stereo balancechannel panningheadphone jack faults
  • 7 answers on Sound Test
  • 9+ years experience
  • Reviewed by Imogen Blake
View full profile linkedin.com

The Audio Team Behind These Answers

All 38 specialists
Brandon VanceBrandon VanceAudio & Acoustic Performance LeadXavier CruzXavier CruzFrequency Sweep SpecialistDiana ChenDiana ChenHearing Test ArchitectAlistair CrossAlistair CrossHeadphone Benchmark LeadImogen BlakeImogen BlakeBinaural Beats EngineerCallum SterlingCallum SterlingSurround Sound AuditorGemma GallagherGemma GallagherTone Generator ValidatorHarvey FinchHarvey FinchSpectrum Analyzer Lead

Each answer is written by the specialist closest to the topic and checked by a second team member. How we verify answers

Answers are free general guidance from the Sound Tester Audio Team and community. They are not medical advice. For hearing loss, ringing or ear pain, see a doctor or audiologist. Opening a device can void its warranty, so check the maker's support first for hardware faults.

Free Sound Testers

Every tool runs in your browser. No sign up, no download, nothing uploaded.

All tools

Read Next On The Sound Tester Blog

All articles

Community Discussions

The newest replies from listeners and the Audio Team.

All discussions