Preamp inverts phase question:

I don't think one's ears can discern the phase of an orchestra or an instrument in an orchestra...and each instrument, each violin, definitely play in and out of phase with each other. So I am not sure how one would record in a way that kept the phase "accurate", given that each time a musical piece is played, the phase of any instrument on any note or transient is random.

A specific recording might sound better with one absolute phase rather than the other, but the next recording (or cut on the cd) could sound better with the other absolute phase.

What am I missing?

Almarg,
So...then it's a 50/50 shot as to which phase to use; by reversing my positive and negative speaker leads (correcting the absolute phase inversion) some recording will sound better but, some may sound better with an inverted absolute phase. What then is your recommendation: to correct for absoulte phase or to allow the phase to remain inverted?

Easy test. Play a dozen LPs, CDs, and/or reel-to-reel tapes. After you listen each one, switch the speaker connections left-to-right (+ to -, red to black, whatever) on both speakers. Play again. Do you hear any difference in any of them? If not, count your blessings and forget the whole thing (because your speakers do not reveal polarity* differences). If you do hear a difference, then decide if it's important enough for you to keep switching speaker cables or invest in a polarity-switching preamp like the Aesthetix Calypso.

* I think of this as polarity switching rather than phase switching, but it's probably best not to get into that.

On typical poorly recorded, heavily multi-miked, heavily processed material, absolute phase (or polarity, as Dopogue points out) will clearly make either no difference or a random difference. On string instruments, and many other instruments as well, I'd imagine it would also make no discernable difference, as Ghstudio points out.

However, on a high-quality audiophile caliber recording, that is done using just two or three microphones, that is minimally processed, and especially one that contains sharp percussive sounds, you can find many comments by equipment reviewers and others indicating that there will be subtle but audible degradation if polarity is inverted.

As Dopogue alluded to, some preamps even provide for on-the-fly polarity switching via remote control.

My own philosophy has been that it's easy enough to keep the system phase correct (unless, as I mentioned previously, the source components differ from one another), so I just do it and don't worry about whether or not having it wrong would make a difference.

Regards,
-- Al

Adampeter,
Here is some reading material that backs up what Al has been saying.

Stan Ricker

Absolute polarity, How important?
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