Years ago, it wasn’t uncommon for various high-end components to have phase/polarity switches built-in to the front control panel - as well as to the wireless remote. Good ears could hear the difference As Atmasphere stated, it’s a 50/50 shot as to which is which. Most likely, there are multiple flip/flops of phase within a single recording - when mixed down from various sources. Some of the tracks might have been imported from other recording studios, venues, etc. Most listeners can’t discern the difference anyway. For those who can, is it really worth the effort to get out of the chair a couples of times for each new song to determine the setting? +1 It really is nice when a sub is dialed in to the rest of the system.
Experimenting with reversing polarity to speakers
Using a single pair of Clear Day double shotguns terminated with bananas feeding Totem Forest speakers. Am using Audioquest’s diagonal connection recommendation for bi-wireable speakers (see page 4 at link below;
Came across some comments on the web about experimenting with reversing the polarity of speaker cables at BOTH speakers...i.e., connecting red to negative and black to positive. Am NOT talking one speaker out of phase w/respect to the other. Both speakers are in phase with one another.
Having made the change, I did think stage depth immediately increased and imaging focus was improved. The improvement was on the order of installing better cabling, I’d say. I am NOT asking for explanations for the effect. I started the thread merely to suggest an "experiment" to those that might not have considered it before.
Cheap fun.
This topic has been discussed previously on A’gon and EXTENSIVELY in the 2010 thread below:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/polarity-mystery-can-you-help-me-solve-it?highlight=sound%2Bi...
I readily admit it could be placebo (i.e., my imagination). Another well-regarded explanation relates to countering the effects of "out of phase recordings" (See Clark Johnson’s, The Wood Effect discussed at length on the Steve Hoffman forum and elsewhere). BUT the effect does seem to me to persist across multiple recordings (listening to various ripped CDs played off hard drive through Aries Mini>>Gungnir DAC>>Preamp>>Amp).
I’m inclined to think it’s related to some kind of room interaction and distance to listening point. More listening is needed to decide how consistent the benefit is. Of course, whatever the reason for it, the proof of it being a real improvement will be switching back to "proper" polarity after a few days and hearing a degradation in sound quality.
Best regards.
"Using Full Range Cables On BiWire Capable Speakers"). Jumpers are also Clear Day wire.
http://www.audioquest.com/resource_tools/LearningMods/UndrstndgBiWr.pdfCame across some comments on the web about experimenting with reversing the polarity of speaker cables at BOTH speakers...i.e., connecting red to negative and black to positive. Am NOT talking one speaker out of phase w/respect to the other. Both speakers are in phase with one another.
Having made the change, I did think stage depth immediately increased and imaging focus was improved. The improvement was on the order of installing better cabling, I’d say. I am NOT asking for explanations for the effect. I started the thread merely to suggest an "experiment" to those that might not have considered it before.
Cheap fun.
This topic has been discussed previously on A’gon and EXTENSIVELY in the 2010 thread below:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/polarity-mystery-can-you-help-me-solve-it?highlight=sound%2Bi...
I readily admit it could be placebo (i.e., my imagination). Another well-regarded explanation relates to countering the effects of "out of phase recordings" (See Clark Johnson’s, The Wood Effect discussed at length on the Steve Hoffman forum and elsewhere). BUT the effect does seem to me to persist across multiple recordings (listening to various ripped CDs played off hard drive through Aries Mini>>Gungnir DAC>>Preamp>>Amp).
I’m inclined to think it’s related to some kind of room interaction and distance to listening point. More listening is needed to decide how consistent the benefit is. Of course, whatever the reason for it, the proof of it being a real improvement will be switching back to "proper" polarity after a few days and hearing a degradation in sound quality.
Best regards.
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- 37 posts total
- 37 posts total