# RCA Jack Polarity



## TrafficGuy (Nov 20, 2006)

I've decided to re-wire everything that comes out of the wall in our main viewing area: DTV lines, speaker wires, phone jack, and a couple of other things I haven't decided on yet. I'm putting it all into a double-gang Leviton QuickPort (holds up to 12 ports).

Up until now, the speaker wires were directly connected to the receiver. I'm removing those wires and running new ones in the wall and out to/through the QuickPorts. The QuickPorts for the speakers are standard RCA jacks (on the front and the back). I've bought the new speaker wire on reels with no connectors on them, and I'll need to add my own

So here's the question: what's the standard polarity for RCA jacks? Is the "hole" positive and the surround negative, or vice-versa? If you want to think about it from the plug perspective, is the pin positive and the collar negative?

Thanks.
TG


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## satwood (Dec 11, 2006)

TrafficGuy said:


> I've decided to re-wire everything that comes out of the wall in our main viewing area: DTV lines, speaker wires, phone jack, and a couple of other things I haven't decided on yet. I'm putting it all into a double-gang Leviton QuickPort (holds up to 12 ports).
> 
> Up until now, the speaker wires were directly connected to the receiver. I'm removing those wires and running new ones in the wall and out to/through the QuickPorts. The QuickPorts for the speakers are standard RCA jacks (on the front and the back). I've bought the new speaker wire on reels with no connectors on them, and I'll need to add my own
> 
> ...


TG, The center pin is always positive and the outside ring is negative or ground. For most audio amplifier systems, it's basically red to the middle and black to the ring. Typically neither side is ground from a power amplifier, but the ring is usually ground for line level signals. I much prefer to use screw terminals for any powered audio such as amplifer outputs to speakers. The RCA jacks do not make a very reliable connection when you put much current through them.

Steve


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## TrafficGuy (Nov 20, 2006)

Thanks, Steve. 

The wires I'm working on are for remotes and not expected to have a lot of current to them. The receiver itslef and the primary speakers all have beefier connections.

TG


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