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Hot / Neutral Reversed

Well, just discovered that hot & neutral were reversed at the primary wall outlet for my system. Discovered this when swapping outlets with “hospital grade” versions. Only took 8 years to figure this one out. Since I was swapping outlets, not sure there was a sonic difference attributed to the wiring change alone. 

Anyone hear an audible difference when reversing hot & neutral?
128x128nrenter
6 responses Add your response
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
If your entire stereo was connected to that one duplex, nothing should matter.  Folk use (I use) "Technical power" (balanced 60v/60v)mixed with normal 120v/0v and it does not matter to the sound in any way.Turntables eat 60v/60v same as 120v/0v too.So generally modern stuff in not bothered by it being 'wrong'.Only if there was a short, or some failure, maybe it would matter. but more so if you had really ancient gear. Modern gear is pretty well protected. 
Even is you had correct and reversed in a mix of equipment. It would only matter if a few of the pieces had serious power supply failings.    
So if nothing blew up,  I say no problem. and no difference in the sound.
tom1000
10 posts
 
If it was wired incorrectly at the outlet I would check the wiring all the way back to the main distribution panel and use a circuit tester just to make sure. This is a safety issue that should not be made light of in any way.

As for the performance of equipment, if you can not tell the difference in the performance and the plug is polarized then I would look for another issue in the system such as damage. The basic question becomes, when the power wiring is correct, where is the weak link.
jea48
2,944 posts
 

1) Reversed AC polarity -- All power transformers have an inherent asymmetry to their construction. The primary winding comprises multiple layers, so that one lead is connected to the innermost windings and the other lead is connected to the outermost windings. This means that one lead has a higher coupling capacitance to the core of the transformer. Please remember that the AC supply is also asymmetrical, with the neutral lead essentially being at ground potential (assuming there is not a fault in the house wiring). The result is that one orientation will give a higher AC leakage current to the chassis of the amp (and worse sound) than the other orientation.

Not all transformer manufacturers use consistent markings on their transformers so that the correct orientation can be identified, and not all amp manufacturers pay attention to this even if the transformer is correctly marked. The result is that many audio products have a random chance of being correctly oriented. I would have to assume that the amp was modded to achieve the correct orientation, thereby achieving improved sound quality.

https://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=general&n=449743&highlight=correct+AC+plug+ori...
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
1,457 posts
 

There are a lot of similar devices.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA

Takes ten minutes to check your whole house.

Post removed 
nrenter's avatar
nrenter OP
691 posts
 
I dropped an extra $2 for an extra-fancy version w/ rubber grips on the sides:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RUL2UU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

All the other outlets on the circuit tested fine. It just happened to be the outlet all my equipment used (save my Vandersteen Quatro CTs) that was reversed. 
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