VPI cartridge install f/phase inverting pre


Classic manual says that, "if phono section inverts phase, hot color becomes the ground color". My pre (w/phono) inverts phase, but I've already switched the speaker cable leads for this. So, do I still need to swap cartridge wires or is this now unnecessary?
rockyboy
Yes, only switch one. If you run multiple sources, leave the cartrige leads alone and switch the + and - speaker leads. That way all the sources that the pre inverts phase gets corrected. Some will tell you that phase is over rated due to the lack of recording standards.
Thanks!
If the owner's only source is a TT, does it matter if the change is made at the cartridge (as VPI instructs) or at the speakers? I wouldn't think it would matter.
I have a CJ pre that inverts phase, I swap the + and - at the speaker's end. All my sources are hooked up to the pre. So one swap at the speaker's end is enough. Also, you can tell if it is out of phase by listening.
04-02-13: Rockyboy
If the owner's only source is a TT, does it matter if the change is made at the cartridge (as VPI instructs) or at the speakers?

No, it does not matter, though changing speaker leads is probably easier than changing the cartridge leads.

My preamp inverts polarity, but so does my CDP, so I invert the leads at the phono cartridge and leave the speaker cables alone.
Aaahhhh, now I understand. Wasn't aware that there were cdps that inverted phase. thanks
BEWARE you have to check whether your phono or line stage invert phase.
If the line stage inverts then change the phase on the speaker cables.
If the phono inverts phase then you need to change the cartridge leads otherwise your other sources will end up out of phase.
For diehard analogue fans I have found inverting the phase at the cartridge end ( if phono out of phase ) sounds better than inverting at the speaker end.
I've never seen or heard of a preamp with a built-in phono
stage, where ONLY the phono stage inverts phase? Usually
it's all or none, but maybe they do exist?
My Cary SLP-98P F1 has a built in phono stage. The phono stage is non-inverting, the line stage IS inverting. My CDP's output is also inverted, so I invert the output of my cartridge, and run my speaker cables non-inverted.
Jmcgrogan2...according to the SLP98 owner's manual, BOTH the
line and phono are inverting? I used to own this preamp
with phono and never recalled this difference. That's why I
looked at the manual.

From the manual, (page 11):

Amplifier – Speaker Connection

 The SLP 98 (line and phono) preamplifier is phase
inverting.

 This will require you to connect the positive
speaker terminal to the negative binding post
on your amplifier. The negative speaker terminal will
connect to the positive binding post
on your amplifier.
04-03-13: Mofimadness
I've never seen or heard of a preamp with a built-in phono
stage, where ONLY the phono stage inverts phase? Usually
it's all or none, but maybe they do exist?

This is very common in older tube preamps, each 1/2 tube gain stage inverts phase and if you have an odd number of gain stages in a stage, it usually ends up inverted. It is not uncommon for either of the line or phono to invert phase.
Pays to check the manual.
Dover...thanks for info. I did not know this. I was wondering how a line stage and phono stage in the same chassis, using the same power supply, could do this.
Mofimadness, there is another part of the Cary manual that claims that only the line section inverts polarity. The manual is very confusing, so I called the Cary technical service. The engineers (two of them) went to the schematic and verified that the phono stage did NOT invert and the line stage did invert. Marketing floks write the manual, I've seen many cases where they write incorrect things.

There is another thread on this site about a miswritten Krell manual where it states that running balanced adds 6 dB gain, when in fact the preamp is not truely balanced design and no gain is added. It would be nice if all manuals were 100% factual, but that is not always the case.