Center Speaker Question

[Michigan NSX]

The center speaker (the one between the seats) was disconnected in my NSX when I purchased it. What type of sound is supposed to come from this single speaker? It can't be stereo (only 1 speaker), but a summing of the left & right channels (mono) doesn't make acoustical sense in this location. These days a manufacturer might (and that's a BIG might) use a single out-of-phase rear speaker to add some ambience effects, but I don't think people were thinking of this type of technology in 1991 factory car audio! I am a Custom Home Audio/Video designer by trade and I just don't understand the function of this Center speaker.

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'91 Black/Black

 

[nsxtasy]

Are you sure it was disconnected? This speaker is normally not all that loud, and many people don't realize it's there until they hold their head right next to it.

 

[sebringsilver'91]

the rear center speaker is powered from the bass footwell speaker amp. its output does certainly seem to be in mono. the small speaker also doubled as the speaker for the factory cell phone.

 

[johnbell]

I'm the proud owner of a 99 NSX Targo in Perth, Western Australia. I don't appear to get any sound from the centre speaker. What should I do ? best wishes john bell

 

[JW]

the rear center speaker is powered from the bass footwell speaker amp. its output does certainly seem to be in mono. the small speaker also doubled as the speaker for the factory cell phone.

You learn something new every day on this forum. I never knew that about the cell phone.

91 Nsx Red/Black

 

[clr1024]

Wasn't the center speaker used for the built in phone?

 

[JD Cross]

I'm the proud owner of a 99 NSX Targo in Perth, Western Australia. I don't appear to get any sound from the centre speaker. What should I do ? best wishes john bell

John
I've had my 91 since new and have never heard anything from my center speaker except when the bass amp went and I got crackles from the center speaker.
Spent 9 months in your fair city a decade ago.
Gorgeous place!

 

[BTL3.0]

I don't think the center speaker work on mine. Had all the amps repaired years ago. They all work, but the center. No sounds. Its plugged in, I already check. Oh well.

 

[NSX2398]

The center speaker is driven by the amp that's within the sub enclosure in the passenger footwell. According to the factory electrical schematics, both the left and right audio outputs from the head unit are fed to the 'sub amp' but it's not at all clear what the amp does with them. It obviously outputs a signal for the sub (2-wire) and a signal for the center speaker (2-wire) but it's not clear how it combines them. I don't think it's a stretch to conclude that they are combined otherwise there would be no need to feed both L & R to the sub. There's a BAL knob on the head unit but no FADE button to control the front/rear split and my recollection was that the effect was pretty subtle but I've since changed over to an aftermarket sub so can't say for sure any more. The factory phone option was an actual phone handset with a cord so I don't know that there was a thought or need in '91 to provide a speaker for the phone other than what was in the handset.

 

[donwells]

For those that have converted their sound systems, has anyone considered installing a dual voice coil speaker (plays both channels through a single speaker)? And equally important, has anyone found a 4" version of one. I've found plenty of 4" X 10" versions (used to convert classic american cars with a single speaker in the dash), and a 5" version, but no 4".

 

[chrisbailey13]

The speaker did supply audio for the Hands Free on the factory phone because the phone was mounted in the center compartment. there was a microphone built into the center console where the "handsfree" phone controls where mounted (coin tray). The center speaker did play both channels from the sub amp so when you moved the balance from left to right the center always played as did/does the sub.

Like most I have replace my stock audio system, so now my center speaker is connected to the front left output on my head unit so it is the source for navigation instructions and the hands free for the cell phone.

 

[bullithollywood]

Are you sure it was disconnected? This speaker is normally not all that loud, and many people don't realize it's there until they hold their head right next to it.

When hooking up bluetooth and an HON adapter I found it was disconnected, looked like it had been that way from the factory. When I hooked it back I found it outputs a very audible level you can hear clearly if you lean over a bit and it definitely pulls the sound up into the cabin.