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Absolute Polarity Switch

Whenever I play a new CD (my system is single source CD) I listen with the polarity both ways to determine which is right for that recording. Often, that setting works for all the tracks, but sometimes it is mixed, on compilation albums, for example. Once I have determined the best sounding position for that CD (or individual track), I mark it with a red or blue dot sticker.


My understanding of, and experience with, absolute polarity is that you want to match the polarity of the microphones that originally captured the sound, regardless of how many times the polarity may have been flipped between them and the sound coming out of your speakers. The reason for this is that there has never been a universal standard for wiring mics, so it could be either way. If you don’t have a method for changing the polarity of your system, then the odds of it being right (ie best sounding) for any given recording are about 50/50. In simplistic terms this means that half of your music collection will never sound as good as it could. This correlates very well with my experience, as roughly half my CDs sound better one way, and half the other.


Of course, this assumes that all the original mics were wired the same way. This may not be the case, especially with multi-track recordings. Even with these recordings, though, in most cases, I have found one setting preferable to the other.


A few components (mainly preamps) do have an absolute polarity switch (sometimes improperly labeled as “phase”), but most don’t. Without one, you will need to reverse the speaker leads at your amp, in order to switch polarity. Not exactly an easy or practical method. Implementing a polarity switch is relatively easy, if you have transformers somewhere in the signal path. If not, it gets a lot more complicated. My amplifier (Antique Sound Lab Tulip 2A3 SET) has input transformers, so I had a friend help me add a polarity switch to it years ago. Eventually, I hope to acquire a Music First Audio passive TVC pre with polarity switching, freeing me to upgrade my amp. Some may not hear a difference switching polarity, but a polarity switch is not something I want to live without in my system.


tommylion
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,259 posts
 
@cleeds, believe it or not my system is just fine and so is my hearing.
The variance you have here is due almost entirely to psycho acoustic effects and the inability of some people to moderate their opinions based on this traditional human problem. The reason for this opinion and self assurance is that I have thoroughly tested many of these issues, like polarity and there is no difference. How many people do you know who can reverse the polarity of an entire system by remote control from their listening position? This is what you have to be able to do to make this determination. If you have not done this than you have absolutely no idea. None, Zero, Nada. Changing polarity on an entire system has no effect on sound quality. Changing the polarity of subwoofers only will definitely change the sound for obvious reasons as will changing the polarity of the main speakers only and not the subs. 
As I have said before, what other people hear in terms of sound quality is of very little consequence to me. Human hearing is not designed to make these determinations and most audiophiles have absolutely no idea what they are listening to in regards to such things as frequency response. Cleeds, what is the exact frequency response of your system. Do you know at all what kind of response you like? Have any group delays? 
tommylion OP
872 posts
 
mijostyn,

You have tested polarity in your system and you hear no difference. No problem, I take your word for it. However, you then leap to the  assumption that no one else can either. You have no way of determining or knowing that for certain, you can only speak of your experience.
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cleeds
5,757 posts
 
mijostyn
@cleeds, believe it or not my system is just fine and so is my hearing.
I think it's great that you're happy with your system as-is. You've already acknowledged a number of problems with it - including LF disturbances that are lower in frequency than the fundamentals and woofer flapping that requires rumble filtering - but if you're happy that's what counts.
The variance you have here is due almost entirely to psycho acoustic effects and the inability of some people to moderate their opinions based on this traditional human problem.
Gee, you make it sound like you've actually heard my system. But you haven't, so this is just a guess on your part. (It's not a good guess, either.)
The reason for this opinion and self assurance is that I have thoroughly tested many of these issues, like polarity and there is nodifference.
Your "thoroughly tested" methods are at odds with what many others report.
How many people do you know who can reverse the polarity of an entire system by remote control from their listening position?
Many can easily do this. That's why many preamps have that "invert" function. It's how I know that absolute polarity can be audible, depending on the recording.
This is what you have to be able to do to make this determination. If you have not done this than you have absolutely no idea. None, Zero, Nada.
It's trivially easy to do this. I'm not sure why you portray it as some extraordinary achievement.
Changing polarity on an entire system has no effect on sound quality.
I accept that as true regarding your system.
As I have said before, what other people hear in terms of sound quality is of very little consequence to me.
That may explain why your system has no many issues - you just can't accept that others have long ago resolved problems that you either ignore or treat with Band-Aids.
fiesta75
1,378 posts
 
Is "absolute polarity" the same as changing the phase? What about "invert"?
tommylion OP
872 posts
 
Yes, phase and invert are sometimes used to refer to changing the polarity.
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