Speaker popularity

I remember a thread from way back where someone shared an experience of a vendor at an audio convention that deliberately reversed the speaker input connection?

More than likely one of the components in the amplification chain inverted phase, therefore, the vendor was merely attempting to re-establish correct phase.    As previously noted, there is not a recording standard for phase, therefore, source material is all over the map with respect to phase.  You have a 50/50 chance of getting it correct. 

Is there a difference between phase and polarity?

I wonder how prevelant source material , recordings and players, have this, today or in the " old days" ?

For those who have a switch, is the A-B difference then obvious and which do you all prefer. I'm wondering  if this will be a 50-50 response.  What are the characteristics of the sound when emitted sound has reversed polarity: loss of detail, loss of note leading edge, speaker driver wear, due to the cone flexing inward at the start?

Thanks for everyone's input.

Phase or polarity? While I can't answer in a technical sense, to me the word polarity seems to be right.

I gather that the original question is about "absolute" polarity (both channels inverted at the same time) rather than about the polarity of individual drivers. I happen to be very sensitive to both absolute polarity and also to just one speaker being inverted compared to the other one. I have found that not all listeners are real sensitive to this issue.

My take on it is that inverted absolute polarity results in the whole sound stage being pushed back and it is compressed into a shallower space. The images are flatter.The overall sound is duller. Yes, the leading edge and overall articulation are reduced. The sound just loses life. 

To my ear, polarity inversion of just one speaker gives a "spacey" ethereal character with a less controlled position of each voice or instrument.

Less bass and crappy sound.

Surprised no one’s mentioned, "The Wood Effect", which is the term used to define what you’ve described.      This article offers some details (about half way down the page): https://www.stereophile.com/content/absolute-issues-page-2      More, here (but, read the responses, as well): https://www.stereophile.com/content/absolute-phase-fact-or-fallacy        This Chesky demo CD, contains test tracks that should help you determine if it’s audible, to you, on your system: https://www.amazon.com/Chesky-Records-Sampler-Audiophile-Compact/dp/B000003GF3      Track 8 of this CD, starts out in correct phase and is then reversed, at an unspecified point, to test your hearing’s susceptibility to the, "Effect": https://www.amazon.com/Stereophile-Test-CD-1/dp/B0000049XN