phase on single drivers

little fred · « **on:** 29 Dec 2004, 06:25 pm »

i have a pair of ts-1 omegas and was wondering if it makes a difference how the speaker wires are connected. my tube pre-amp suposedly reverses polarity of the signal. i was told to switch the speaker wires from amp to speaker(red to black and vice versa). does this make any difference on single driver speakers.
a side question: why do the makers of tube preamps not wire the connections to the rca jacks in reverse to make such user connections dummy proof?

SET Man · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Dec 2004, 11:18 pm »

Having speaker in correct phase make big difference. I also have single driver speaker.. well with helper/supertweet on top.

Here what you could do. Get a good test CD like those from Stereophile, Rives and other reputable one. These are audiophile test CD so the phase should be correct. Reverse + and - one of the speaker than listen. The side that make clean, clear, open and good bass is the correct phase. Than just reverse the connection on the other side and you are set

The incorrect phase side will sound like the music get stuck in the spaker cab.

I found that this is very easy to hear a differnce with single driver speaker than multi-way since some of thier dirvers are not connected in the phase.

Hope this help.

Buddy

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Louis O · « **Reply #2 on:** 31 Dec 2004, 03:28 pm »

Hi little fred,

SET Man is exactly right. Single drivers are very revealing in this regard.

Thanks,
Louis

Gilbert · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Jan 2005, 05:22 pm »

Um, I think he's referring to a 180 degree phase reversal of input to output of his preamp, not if the speakers are in phase with each other.

A typical gain stage will give you such reversal or in his case the overall topology (design) of the preamp. But I wouldn't worry about it, obviously the manufacture is not worried about it, and I'd bet you'd never know the difference in a blind side by side test.

ohenry · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Jan 2005, 06:28 pm »

Quote

Um, I think he's referring to a 180 degree phase reversal of input to output of his preamp, not if the speakers are in phase with each other.

My AES 3 does this as well. I think the original question of why the manufacturer doesn't just internally switch the + and - wires at the jacks is a good one. Any guesses?

SET Man · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Jan 2005, 10:59 pm »

Hi,

Yes, it is true that it will be hard for most people to hear the differnce between a correct phase ond incorrect one. But most people have multi-way speaker system. And some if not most of thier drivers are not connected in correct polarity. But with single driver speaker there is only one speaker so this is much easier to hear the difference. But than why go through all the troble testing for correct phase? Well, wouldn't it be nice to know that your system is correct?

And why don't the pre and amps companies put a phase switch on thier pre-amp? Well, I think some pre even some CDP do have this feature, usually the more expensive. Don't ask me who make them. I can't remember the brand. This feature are quite rare.The plus side to that is that you could do it on the fly with every cd or lps, since not all of them are recorded in correct phase. But I think is just easier and of cause one less switch in signal path to just switch the connection at the speaker terminal. Don't you agree?

Well, happy listening,
Buddy