Polarity Questions..

Reversed polarity can make a noticeable difference, but I notice it more with tubes than solid-state gear and if you have speakers with a crossover in the midrange it then the question of proper polarity could be moot.

That said, I think it's nice that ML provides the option for those that can hear the difference on their particular systems.

In my view, it is one more thing to obsess over. I think it's futile to sit there and attempt to identify the best polarity setting for every single track you will ever play.

I have noticed differences in polarity - only by accident. Once I was listening to my favorite orchestral recording and about 45 minutes through it I was thinking something's not quite right. I chalked it up to a bad listening day. But when I powered down, I noticed that the polarity switch on the DAC was at 180 instead of the zero I keep it. Son of a bitch, I thought, I would have not heard the difference if I actively A/B'd it - I know, I've tried when I first got the unit. To me, it just can't be done in short bursts. I think this is a fundamental given of trying out new equipment - it has to grow on you before you notice anything different. I've had my Marantz SA11 for six months now and I can't settle just yet as to which of the six possible filter settings on CD or of the three for SACD work best. Too many recordings to go through.

This is the same way I noticed other things off setting - whether it was a bad tube, a damaged tweeter, different switch setting on the power conditioner or a change in the DSP setting on a Digital Lens. It took a good length of time when I was not expecting it.

I had the same experiences that Gs5556 had. When actively A/B'g the difference is hard to discern. However, just listening and relaxing something not quite right. I used to own a 390S as well and sometimes after a power glitch, it would power up with the polarity inverted. I would notice it as something "not quite right".

Yes, correct polarity matters, but I don't obsess over it. I also have the 390s and some music is better inverted, some is better normal.

Is it label-dependent? Here is a list which I obtained through a previous post.

Normal or "0" polarity: A&M, Acoustic Disc, Atlantic, AudioQuest, Blue Note, Caprice, Chandos, Chesky, Chess, Columbia, Concord, DMP, Elektra, Geffen, GRP, Harmonia Mundi, Hungaraton, Hyperian, JVCXCRD, Klavier, Liberty, Manhattan, MusicMasters, Nonesuch, Novus, Opus 3, Orfeo, Philips, Polydor, Pope Music, Reference, Reprise, Sheffield, Supraphon, Verve, Wilson. ECM also belongs in this list, IMO.

Inverted or "180" polarity: Analogue Productions, ASV, BIS, Capitol, Cypress, Delos, Deutsche Gramophone, Discovery, EMI, Epic, Impulse, L'Oiseau-Lyre, London, MCA, Mercury, Motown, Nimbus, Pangaea, Polar, Private Music, Riverside, Ryko, Shanachie, Sony, Telarc, Teldec, Vanguard, Virgin, Vox, Warner Brothers, WEA. I would presume that English Decca/Argo belong in this list.

From my limited sampling, this is around 80% correct.

The key is to listen relaxed. Enjoy what you think is more natural!

That is a fabulous feature. It shows those guys really do listen to music. Those track to track changes used to annoy me listening to jazz records before I had a phase reverse switch. Interestingly some of the highest rated producers, engineers, etc had albums with varying phase in some tracks. Of course then you got those cuts where phase was different between instruments! I'm going to suggest it to Spectrals Keith Johnson. Maybe it can be an upgrade to there 4000 machine, which I think I'd 'like' to own oneday.