How to Test Speaker Wires and Connections
All you need is a common household battery (a fresh one, preferably) such as an AA, AAA, or a 9-volt battery. Don’t use anything bigger than these. While you’re at it, grab some masking tape and a pen so you can label the wires as you go along. If you have speakers located in other rooms (particularly with a whole house or multiroom audio systems), you might want an assistant to help you watch or listen. Turn off all equipment before you begin.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you don’t hear anything from a speaker, check the wire connections on the back of the speaker to make sure they’re firmly set. Use a fresh battery and only briefly touch the wires to the battery while testing, otherwise, the battery can quickly drain. If you still don’t hear anything, the problem may be a defective speaker or defective wire between the amplifier and the speaker. If you have the right wire and everything works, you’ll hear your speaker make some noise. Connect working speaker wires to the unresponsive speaker. If the speaker still doesn’t produce any sound, the speaker may be defective. You’ll need to investigate further as if you’re troubleshooting when one speaker channel isn’t working. If the battery test does work, this likely means that the original wire is the problem. Carefully check the entire length of the wire in question since even a small break can lead to problems. If you’re dealing with a subwoofer, you’ll have to address a few additional steps to troubleshoot when your subwoofer isn’t working. Subwoofers don’t always connect in the same way that typical stereo speakers connect.
