Geoff, you yourself stated polarity of recording is about 50/50 just in the recent few weeks somewhere around here!So you should stop just grabbing whatever to create buzz. LOL(at least you stopped parroting polarity of wires, it really was getting tired)
Anyway, I am only guessing how many of my own CDs are reversed. Sometimes the sound is a little off and I flip the polarity and maybe it gets a little better. Sometimes not.Since I am listening mostly to CDs made by digitalizing old 78's (EU to steal copyright) jazz sets from the 30's and 1940's, some 50's..Anyway the sound quality is not audiophile... But the music is great.
Like some folks watch Wizard of Oz, or Charlie Brown Christmas, I watch the PBS series Ken Burns 'Jazz' every year now. Always something interesting I just did not remember..