What is the best way to adjust for this in your system? Could you give a detailed view of what you reccomend, for example: reverse speaker wires at the amp?,etc. I have heard different ideas from some reputable people. I know that it comes down to what sounds the best, but I would be very interested in hearing your experience with this. Thanks.
There are a couple of ways. If you have a cdp or dac with a polarity switch, set it to 180. If the amplifier has a polarity switch, leave it at zero. Wire the speakers normally for each channel - amp black to speaker black, amp red to speaker red.
If the preamp is the only polarity inverter in the chain, then reverse the speaker wires for each channel. Left channel: amp red to speaker black; amp black to speaker red. Right channel: same thing (important!).
A good way to keep track is by adding and subtracting: add one for each piece that inverts and zero for each piece that doesn't. If the result is zero or even, wire the speakers normally. If the result is odd, reverse the speaker wires or flip ONE polarity switch to 180.
In all cases, the interconnects are normal - left/left right/right.
I don't have polarity switches. The preamp is the only inverted phase unit. Do you reverse the speaker cables at the amp end or the speaker end. Thanks again.
I have a Joule Electra LA150 and Jud (the designer) told me switch leads at either speaker or amp end of speaker wires, doesn't matter. I've done both and cannot hear a difference, however, a couple times I forgot to reverse at all and man, oh, man can you hear the difference!
I have a Cary SLP-98L and the manual specifically states to make the switch at the amp end. As for hearing a difference quality wise I don't know about that. I do know that on the live recordings I have made and play on my system that when the phase was not inverted the sound was off balance which makes sense.
OK, at first I was going to say, "good grief, what difference does it make which end of the speaker wire you reverse." Then I thought about all of the cable break-in freaks (no offense intended) and I thought, well, if you are concerned about cable break-in and believe that speaker cables are directional, I would guess that it would be preferrable to switch the speaker cables at the speaker end. That way the electron flow is consistent through the speaker wire, flowing the same direction as it had prior to the reversal. The only difference at this point would be the direction of travel for the driver.
I'm no expert, no cable break-in freak, physicist, etc., but it kinda makes sense to me to reverse the cables at the speaker end.
The Wood Effect by Clark Johnsen may illuminate this discussion/query. Clark writes w/ uncanny skill for Positive Feedback. May the audio nervosa continue unabated!
Since 50% of all recordings are phase-inverted, and from one to the next you can't tell except by playing, I would say it does not really matter!!!!!
So just mark on the record sleeve or CD case whether the recording is in phase or out of phase. It does matter! And I don't buy the idea of reversing speaker cables, as not only does it cause undue wear and tear on the connectors, it is too easy to short something out. The only sensible, convenient solution is a phase switch on the preamp or source component.
Lots of recordings are made out of phase and you can hear it. I got some new Cream remasters which have songs out of phase and I'll play with some switching later tonight.
Tvad. Probably a bit of an exaggeration saying most manufacturers. Good to see you are reading :) Having the phase invert on the pre is certainly easier. I can't say I use it a lot on my pre thou, except for a couple of LP's. Generally I notice it the most is on big vocals when the singer is breathing in when he should be breathing out. The Elvis 5LP box set live in Vegas is my most obvious example of the music out of phase.
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