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Speaker phase observation and question?

Hi everyone,

After months of playing around with positive phase and reverse phase connections to my Monitor Audio Silver 8 speakers, I have made a couple of observations. When connected in positive phase (red - red, black - black), the speakers put out pretty substantial bass, but the mids and treble are somewhat subdued. Upon reversing the phase, the mids and treble open up substantially, and the bass becomes somewhat subdued. To my ears, I actually prefer the reversed phased.

Moving forward to the current day, I purchased an app that tests phase using a generated tone. In testing my speakers, both bass drivers test positive phase, but the mid and treble test negative. I had read somewhere that some manufactures wire the drivers like this intentionally, but am confused as to whether or not this is the case with my speakers, or if it's a manufacturing flaw?

Any thoughts? 
chewie70
erik_squires
5,268 posts
 
OP:

You may want to look into room correction such as DiracLive which can correct this. If you use a PC as a source you may even be able to play with it for free.

Best,

E
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
609 posts
 
I'll vote with Eric on this...I've been applying room correction for a couple of decades now, adjusting for 'flat' as much as is practical given the existing space, the stuff within it, and the drivers applied to it.  Once one gets 'used to it', it doesn't make sense to do anything else IMHO.

Given my penchant for omnis, I have to do a bit more 'sampling', but I've the means to do so and the method for averaging the samples.  We all have our manias....;)
chewie70 OP
17 posts
 
Hi sfall, to answer your question, I am swapping the (+) and (-) to change polarity. However, since the speakers are internally wired in both positive and reverse polarity, and change that I make will always have one set of drivers in reverse polarity. Even if my pre/DAC had a phase switch (which it doesn't), it wouldn't make a difference and the outcome would be the same.

My cables are a double run (i.e. shotgun) into single terminations, so not bi-wired.
chewie70 OP
17 posts
 
Hi erik and asvjerry! Thanks for your input on room correction. I have briefly looked at it, but really know nothing about it. From what I understand, you have to have a dedicated computer to run it? I have also looked at the DEQX system, but am not enthused by the price. I wish that there were audiophile grade EQ's available, as that would probably solve the problem as well.
harrylavo's avatar
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harrylavo
118 posts
 
Years ago there was quite an audio controversy over whether inverse phase could be "heard".  Nothing ever came to a head, but based on my own observations I believe it can, however subtle.  I have for nearly thirty years owned Spiels and love Spicas, and I believe totally coherent slanted panel and positive crossovers are part of the "magic".

You might want to see if you can audition Thiels (older versions) or Vandersteins or Spicas to see if you are "sent to heaven" by the phase coherence.  
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