How to Wire Tweeters to Speakers? (6 Steps)

By the end of this article, you’ll know how to wire tweeters to speakers quickly and efficiently.

Even though wiring a tweeter to a speaker seems straightforward, there are some nuances you need to follow. You’ll have to figure out many things during the tweeter-wiring process. For instance, what should you install with the tweeter, a crossover, or a bass blocker, and where should you install them? In my article below, I will answer these questions and teach you everything I know.

In general, to wire a tweeter to a speaker:

Gather the necessary tools.
Disconnect your vehicle’s battery.
Pull out the speaker.
Connect the wires from the speaker to the tweeter.
Mount the tweeter.
Connect the battery and check the tweeter.

I’ll go into more detail on each step in my step-by-step guide below.

Crossover or a Bass Blocker?

In truth, if the tweeter comes with a built-in crossover, you don’t need to install a crossover or a bass blocker with the tweeter. But sometimes, you might get your hands on a standalone tweeter. When that happens, remember to install either a crossover or bass blocker. Otherwise, the tweeter will get damaged.

Quick Tip: A bass blocker can stop the distortion created by the speakers (blocks low frequencies). On the other hand, a crossover can filter out the different frequencies (high or low).

6-Step Guide on How to Wire Tweeters to Speakers

Step 1 – Gather the Necessary Tools and Speaker Parts

First and foremost, gather the following things.

Tweeter
Tweeter mount
Bass blocker/Crossover (optional)
Philips screwdriver
Flat-headed screwdriver
Speaker wires
Wire cutter
Wire stripper
Crimp connectors/Insulation tape

Step 2 – Disconnect the Battery

Then, open the front hood of your vehicle and disconnect the battery. This is a must-follow step before starting the wiring process.

Step 3 – Pullout the Speaker

pulling out the speaker on the car — Video | Johnny’s Whips

It would be best if you first got the speaker wires outside to connect the tweeter to the speaker. Most of the time, the speaker is on the left side door. Hence, you’ll have to remove the door panel.

disconnect the door switch wiring — Video | Johnny’s Whips

Use the Philips screwdriver and the flat-headed screwdriver for this.

removing car door's panel — Video | Johnny’s Whips

removing the car door panel — Video | Johnny’s Whips

Remember to disconnect the door switch wiring before separating the panel from the door. Otherwise, the wires will get damaged.

getting out the speaker — Video | Johnny’s Whips

Now, take the Philips screwdriver and loosen the screw that holds the speaker to the door. Then, disconnect the positive and negative wires from the speaker.

Quick Tip: Sometimes, the speaker might be at the dashboard or elsewhere. You’ll have to change your approach depending on the location.

Step 4 – Connect the Wires

Next, you can start the wiring portion.

Take the speaker wire roll and cut the required length. Strip the two wires using the wire stripper (all four ends). Connect one wire to the negative end of the speaker. Then connect the other end of the wire to the tweeter’s negative end. Use 14 gauge or 16 gauge speaker wires for this wiring process.

Take the other wire and connect it to the positive end of the speaker.

As I mentioned at the beginning, you’ll require a crossover or bass blocker for this connection. Here I’m connecting a bass blocker between the speaker and the tweeter.

Quick Tip: The bass blocker should connect to the positive wire.

Use insulation tape or crimp connectors for every wire connection. It will seal the wire connections to some degree.

Step 5 – Mount the Tweeter

mounting tweeter speaker — Video | Johnny’s Whips

After successfully connecting the tweeter to the speaker, you can now mount the tweeter. Choose a suitable location for this, such as the dashboard, door panel, or just behind the back seat.

*For this demonstration, I mounted the tweeter behind the back seat.

So, set up the tweeter mount on the desired location and fix the tweeter to it.

Quick Tip: Using a tweeter mount is the easiest and fastest way to mount a tweeter.

Step 6 – Check the Tweeter

checking performance of the tweeter speaker — Video | Johnny’s Whips

Now, attach the speaker and the door panel to the door. Then, connect the battery to your vehicle.

Finally, check the performance of the tweeter with your car audio.

Few Things You Should Be Careful About During the Wiring Process

Even though the above 6-step guide seems like a walk in the park, many things can go wrong quickly. Here are some of them.

Always check whether the tweeter has a built-in crossover/ bass blocker. Remember to install a crossover or bass blocker if it is a standalone tweeter.
While connecting the wires, pay attention to the polarity of the wires. Improper polarity will cause a humming sound.
Secure the wire connection properly with the help of insulation tape or crimp connectors. Otherwise, those connections might get damaged.

FAQs

What is the Purpose of a Tweeter Speaker?

You’ll need a tweeter speaker to produce and catch high-pitched sounds such as female voices. For instance, most sounds, such as electric guitar notes, chimes, synthetic keyboard sounds, and some drum effects, produce high-pitched frequencies. (1, 2)

What Size Wire is the Most Suitable for Tweeter Speaker?

If the distance is under 20 feet, you can use 14 gauge or 16-gauge speaker wires. However, if the distance is more than 20 feet, the voltage drop will be much higher. Consequently, you might have to use thicker wires.

Take a look at some of our related articles below.

References
(1) female voices – https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-female-voice-actors/reference
(2) electric guitar – https://www.yamaha.com/en/musical_instrument_guide/
electric_guitar/mechanism/

Video References

Car Music Hub

Johnny’s Whips