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Rogue preamp owners - inverted polarity, do you???

I just received my Rogue 66 preamp back from Mark with the Magnum upgrade. Prior I had been running it without the polarity inverted as suggested by the owners manual (who reads those things anyways...unless there's a problem). I decided to try it the "factory" way and invert my speaker cable leads and found there was a difference but I am not sure if its a difference for the better. I find the sound smoother (maybe a little less detail) and the soundstage seems compressed somewhat in terms of width. Now how much of the difference is attributed to the inversion or the Magnum upgrade (obviously the new linestage tubes play a big part) is impossible to determine at this point...

For you owners of Rogue preamps - do you invert or not???
rgd
5 responses Add your response
mezmo
516 posts
 
Precbsed, cool. Thanks.
precbsed
49 posts
 
Mezmo, simply press and hold the function button down on the Meridian remote. Without releasing the function button press the off button which also serves as the phase inverter while the function button is pressed. The function button operates the alternate functions written in blue script below each of the buttons that serve a dual function. The 508 display will show a minus sign (-) if the phase is inverted and a plus sign (+) if not. Press the off (phase) button a second time to change the polarity while continuing to keep the function button pressed.
bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
Phase inversion, or not, in my experience depends upon the source material. Some recordings, even some individual tracks, work better when inverted; the differences can range from inaudible, to subtle, to dramatic. I have this feature available as switchable at the preamp, so experimentation is easy.
I suggest that you listen to a large number of your favorite references over the course of a few days' time, then invert your cabling & repeat the process. Make some notes along the way in order to help decide which polarity is the preferred with most source material.
alliedtvandsound
74 posts
 
Either way is fine (polarity wise). I would follow Rogue's recommendation. Polarity inversion is dismissed by as many as it is believed. Some preamps offer the provision to change polarity at the remote. Expirementing with this reveals very little on most music/recordings,at other times a slight change in midrange tonality.
If your pre was recently upgraded, listen to it for 100-200 hours to let it burn-in. It is my belief that any new parts, wiring etc, needs time to "settle-in". Once your pre has re-settled, take a handful of your favourite recordings and do a listening evaluation with polarity inversion to determine which way sounded the best.

peter jasz
mezmo
516 posts
 
I've always inverted at the amp (so the signal ends up phase correct) so I can't even chime in as to how it might sound if I did it the other way around. Word has it that my CD player can do a complete phase inversion from the remote (Meridian 508) but, despite the fact that everyone claims this can be done, I sure can't figure out how to do it. With spade connectors, it's just too much of a pain to be switching back and forth, but if I could figure out how to do it from the remote, now that would be a different story all together. (I actaully read the manual too, decided to do like it said, and never looked back...).
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